40 Recipes That'll Make Orzo Your New Favorite Pasta (2024)

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These amazing orzo recipes—including orzo salads, soups and skillet dinners—are sure to make this pasta your new go-to.

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Orzo-Stuffed Peppers

Packed with orzo, Italian sausage and summer flavors, these stuffed peppers make a fun, fast-fixing meal. Get colorful with green, orange, red or yellow peppers. Use more or less pepper flakes to adjust the level of heat to your liking! —Kelly Evans, Kalamazoo, Michigan

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Orzo Vegetable Salad

Heading to a potluck and need something to share? Tangy lemon dressing over cool orzo and vegetables is everything you want in a light side dish. —Terri Crandall, Gardnerville, Nevada

Though it might look like rice, orzo is a pastina, a tiny pasta that can be served alone or used in soups and salads. Check what exactly is Orzo.

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Greek Tomato Soup with Orzo

My recipe for manestra, which means orzo in Greek, is effortless and very easy to make. You need only a few steps to transform simple ingredients into a creamy one-pot wonder. —Kiki Vagianos, Melrose, Massachusetts

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Mediterranean Shrimp Salad in a Jar

This Greek salad to go is packed with so much freshness, it instantly brightens up your day. Just layer it all in a jar and pack it up—then serve and enjoy. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Lemon Chicken with Orzo

Here’s a dish that’s light and summery but still filling. My kids love all the veggies…for real! If you like a lot of lemon, stir in an extra splash of lemon juice just before serving. —Shannon Humphrey, Hampton, Virginia. If you like this, you must try Ina Garten’s chicken in a pot with orzo recipe.

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This side dish brings instant comfort. I first made it without spinach so my husband and daughter would like it. The next time, I added spinach for the extra health benefits. They still devoured it, so in my book that's a win-win. —Dawn Moore, Warren, Pennsylvania

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Farmers Market Orzo Salad

Orzo is a tiny pasta shaped like rice. We use it as a base for veggies, lemony vinaigrette and cheeses such as mozzarella, feta or smoked Gouda. —Heather Dezzutto, Raleigh, North Carolina

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Spinach-Orzo Salad with Chickpeas

The first version of this salad was an experiment in mixing together some random ingredients I had on hand. It was a success, and several people at the party asked for the recipe—which meant I had to re-create it! It's healthy, delicious and perfect for warm-weather days. —Glen White, Kissimmee, Florida

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Mediterranean Chicken Orzo Soup

My husband is Greek, so I'm always trying new Mediterranean recipes. This lemon chicken orzo soup is his favorite dish that I make. Serve it with a little feta or Parmesan and a side of toast. —Kristine Kosturos, Olympia, Washington.

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Pressure-Cooker Italian Shrimp 'n' Pasta

This dish will remind you a bit of classic shrimp Creole, but it has a surprise Italian twist. Pressure cooking gives it hands-off ease—perfect for company. —Karen Edwards, Sanford, Maine

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Summer Orzo Salad

I’m always looking for fun ways to use the fresh veggies that come in my Community Supported Agriculture box, and this summer orzo salad is one of my favorite creations. I like to improvise with whatever I have on hand, so feel free to do the same here! —Shayna Marmar, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Orzo-Tuna Salad with Tomatoes

Stuffed tomatoes provide endless options when you add meat, cheese, rice, veggies—or in this case, orzo. — Jenni Dise, Phoenix, Arizona

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Broccoli and rice casserole tops my family's comfort food list, but when we need something fast, this is the stuff. Chicken and veggie orzo cooked on the stovetop speeds everything up. —Mary Shivers, Ada, Oklahoma

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Lemon-Olive Chicken with Orzo

This quick skillet recipe is a healthy all-in-one meal. I just add a tossed salad for a menu the entire family loves. —Nancy Brown, Dahinda, Illinois

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Italian Sausage Orzo

This light dish is perfect for any night of the week, and it looks as good as it tastes! If you have leftover sauteed mushrooms or other vegetables, toss them in as well. —Lisa Speer, Palm Beach, Florida

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Dill Chicken Soup

I could eat soup for every meal of the day, all year long. I particularly like dill and spinach—they add a brightness to this light and healthy soup. —Robin Haas, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

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Mediterranean Pork and Orzo

On a really busy day, this meal in a bowl is one of my top picks. It's quick to put together, leaving a lot more time to relax at the table. —Mary Relyea, Canastota, New York

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Grilled Jerk Shrimp Orzo Salad

The heat, seasonings and appearance of this colorful main-dish salad are perfect for summer—or any time of year that you want to summon memories of sunshine. —Eileen Budnyk, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

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Chicken and Orzo Skillet

Here’s a perfect one-skillet supper that’s colorful, healthy, filling and definitely special! Our taste testers loved the blend of spices, the touch of heat and the sophisticated flavor. —Kellie Mulleavy, Lambertville, Michigan

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Italian Chicken Soup

This satisfying soup gets its Italian flair from fennel, thyme, basil and orzo pasta. If you don’t start with a low-sodium or sodium-free stock, you might want to decrease the amount of salt called for in the recipe. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Lemon Parmesan Orzo

A splash of lemon and a shower of chopped parsley make this orzo one of my family's most requested springtime sides. It's fantastic with chicken, pork and fish, or you can eat it on its own as a light lunch. —Leslie Palmer, Swampscott, Massachusetts

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Shrimp Orzo with Feta

Tender, hearty and flavorful, this recipe is one of my favorites! Garlic and a splash of lemon add to the fresh taste and heart-healthy benefits of shrimp. —Sarah Hummel, Moon Township, Pennsylvania

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This easy-as-can-be main dish is likely to become a summer staple at your house. It’s that good! If you prefer, grill the chicken breasts instead of cooking in a skillet. —Fran MacMillan, West Melbourne, Florida

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Greek-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

With a truckload of acorn squash in my pantry, I wanted to make stuffed squash in lots of different ways. A bottle of Greek seasoning got my creativity flowing. —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan

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Italian Sausage and Zucchini Soup

Everyone in my family likes this soup recipe. Sometimes I add mini farfalle because my grandchildren say the noodles look like tiny butterflies. This recipe also works in a slow cooker. —Nancy Murphy, Mount Dora, Florida. Next, try these quick farfalle recipes.

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Whole Wheat Orzo Salad

In less than 30 minutes, I can put together this hearty salad of pasta, white beans and veggies—and it’s good for a crowd. —Mya Zeronis, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Mediterranean Orzo Chicken Salad

On hot days, I pull out this recipe for a cool supper. The lemon dressing is so refreshing. If you have it, use grilled chicken. —Susan Kieboam, Streetsboro, Ohio

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Roasted Veggie Orzo

My sister inspired this recipe. I added a few more spices, but the concept is hers. It’s easy to vary, is a great way to add veggies to your diet and the olive oil is heart healthy. —Jackie Termont, Richmond, Virginia

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Barbara's Italian Wedding Soup

In a little Italian restaurant in Santa Cruz, my husband and I had an amazing soup with orzo. I tweaked it at home to make it healthier but kept the warm, comforting flavor. —Barbara Spitzer, Lodi, California

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Mediterranean Shrimp Orzo Salad

Loaded with veggies and shrimp, this crowd pleaser is a tasty change from standard pasta salads. —Ginger Johnson, Pottstown, Pennsylvania

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I enjoy cold pasta salads and rice salads, so I decided to make one with orzo, a rice-shaped pasta. Feel free to add other favorite veggies—like asparagus and green beans—and serve with rolls or pita bread. —Valonda Seward, Coarsegold, California

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Lemon Mushroom Orzo

Sometimes I serve this side dish chilled and other times we enjoy it hot. It has a pleasant tinge of lemon and a nice crunch from pecans.—Shelly Nelson, Akeley, Minnesota

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Grecian Chicken

The caper, tomato and olive flavors will whisk you away to the Greek isles. This easy skillet dish is perfect for hectic weeknights. —Jan Marler, Murchison, Texas

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Orzo with Spinach and Pine Nuts

I have shared this salad many times with the teachers at my school. They enjoy it so much that they ask me to bring it in. It’s best to put the tomatoes on the salad just before serving so they won’t wilt from the heat and moisture. In my opinion, the dish would not be as delectable if you substitute another vinegar for the balsamic vinegar. —Kate Whitehead, Lindenhurst, Illinois

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White Bean Soup with Escarole

Pantry staples make this healthy soup oh, so simple to prepare. When I can't find escarole, I use fresh spinach. Just add to the soup pot moments before serving. —Gina Samokar, North Haven, Connecticut

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Grilled Vegetable Orzo Salad

Vegetables that are in season make great additions to this orzo salad. It's the perfect side dish for a picnic, it can easily be doubled for a crowd, or you can add grilled chicken to make it a filling entree. —Danielle Miller, Westfield, Indiana

Caroline has been with Taste of Home for the past seven years, working in both print and digital. After starting as an intern for the magazine and special interest publication teams, Caroline was hired as the third-ever digital editor for Taste of Home. Since then, she has researched, written and edited content on just about every topic the site covers, including cooking techniques, buzzy food news, gift guides and many, many recipe collections. Caroline also acts as the editorial lead for video, working with the Test Kitchen, videographers and social media team to produce videos from start to finish.When she’s not tip-tapping on a keyboard, Caroline is probably mixing up a killer co*cktail, reading a dog-eared library book or cooking up a multi-course feast (sometimes all at once). Though she technically lives in Milwaukee, there is a 50/50 chance Caroline is in Chicago or southwest Michigan visiting her close-knit family.