Orzo Rice

Name: Orzo Rice
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: Drizzle of olive oil (or 1 tablespoon vegan butter); 1/2 cup dried orzo; 1 cup Jasmine rice (or Basmati, rinsed); 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth

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This Orzo Rice pilaf recipe takes 15 minutes to cook, and you only need 4 pantry-staple ingredients. Toasted orzo cooked in vegetable broth with fragrant Jasmine rice packs so much flavor into this easy side dish. Use Orzo Rice in place of plain rice, or plain pasta. This combination of pasta and rice is comforting and versatile.

A small white bowl of orzo rice with a black serving spoon inside.

Pair homemade Orzo Rice with tofu, tempeh, roasted chickpeas, stir-fried veggies, and pesto sauce, or use it for making an orzo salad or a tasty rice salad. The possibilities are endless. This dinner side dish might remind you of the boxed version of Rice-A-Roni, except it's not mushy!

Try serving this simple grain pilaf with my Easy Marinated Tofu Salad for a grab-and-go lunch. It also pairs well with this Easy Vegan Pasta Sauce made with 6 different vegetables!

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🍚 Substitutions
📖 Instructions: How to Cook Orzo Rice
💡 Expert Tips
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made This Recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Two gold measuring cups, one with raw white rice and the other with dry orzo. Plus, a glass beaker with vegetable broth and a small white bowl with olive oil.

Orzo is a thin, oval, rice-shaped pasta. It is made from semolina, a coarser, golden flour that comes from durum wheat. You can also purchase a whole-wheat version. It has the perfect texture for making a pilaf, and a cooking time of 15 minutes, the same as white rice, which is why this combination works so well. It is traditionally used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, especially in Greek and Italian dishes.
Jasmine rice is a type of long-grain rice. It has a soft, slightly sticky texture when cooked, and a subtle, nutty flavor. It is typically served alongside curries, stir-fries, and other flavorful dishes, and is a popular side dish in Southeast Asian and Thai cuisine.
Olive oil or vegan butter adds depth of flavor to the toasted orzo. 'Earth Balance' is the brand of vegan butter I typically use. Toasting the orzo is essential to a more tasty pilaf.
Cook the orzo and rice in broth instead of water to pack in more flavor. Vegetable broth and mushroom broth both work well, or you can use vegan No Chicken or No Beef broth to add a meat-like umami quality.

See the recipe card for quantities.

🍚 Substitutions

Jasmine rice - instead of Jasmine, use Basmati or any long-grain slender rice with a similar cooking time (approximately 15 minutes)
Olive oil - use vegan butter for more flavor or a combination of the two
Vegetable broth - use water, mushroom broth, or vegan No Chicken or No Beef broth instead

Try this Cowboy Rice Salad recipe on my site, made with orzo rice. Visit my Vegan Pasta Recipes for a variety of satisfying vegan pasta mains.

📖 Instructions: How to Cook Orzo Rice

Toasted orzo in a white skillet with a grey silicone spatula.

Step 1. Toast the orzo: Heat olive oil or vegan butter in a sauté pan or saucepan. Add the orzo and cook for about 4 minutes, or until golden. Stir frequently so it toasts evenly and does not burn.

Toasted orzo in a white skillet with white rice.

Step 2. Add the rice and cook for one more minute, stirring constantly.

Toasted orzo and white rice in a large white nonstick skillet with vegetable broth.

Step 3. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the liquid to a simmer.

A large skillet with a glass lid on it and with food inside.

Step 4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 15 minutes.

Cooked orzo rice in a large white nonstick skillet with a wooden handle.

Step 5. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes before removing the lid.

Cooked orzo rice in a large white skillet with a black for for fluffing.

Step 6. Remove the lid and fluff gently with a fork.

💡 Expert Tips

Olive oil works well for this recipe, but it tastes even better with vegan butter or a combination of the two.
Let the rice rest for the full 10 minutes when possible before fluffing. This helps to prevent clumping and achieves the best texture for a pilaf. As the rice sits, any remaining liquid is absorbed so that the rice cooks evenly. It also releases any rice on the bottom of the pan. This resting method should be applied when cooking any variety of rice.
Fluff the cooked orzo and rice gently with a fork. Do not stir it too much as it can activate the starch and make it clump together. This is true when cooking rice in general.
Storage: Refrigerate any remaining Orzo Rice in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat it in the microwave or add it to a saucepan with heated curries, sauces, stews, or more.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

How do you reheat orzo rice?

Microwave or stovetop: To reheat, add 1 to 3 tablespoons water for each cup of leftover pilaf. Stir gently while cold. Reheat in the microwave oven. It can also be reheated over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove, stirring occasionally. If adding it to a curry or sauce, heat the curry or sauce first, then mix in the orzo rice and stir until warmed through.
Oven: Spread orzo rice in an even layer over the baking dish, gently breaking up any clumps. Splash with about 2 tablespoons water or broth per cup of pilaf. Use foil to cover the dish tightly. Bake for about 20 minutes or until heated through.

What is the difference between orzo and white rice?

Cooked orzo has a creamier and softer texture than rice. Much like rice, it can double in size when cooked. Orzo is often used in Mediterranean dishes such as pastas and pasta salads. Although orzo is a pasta, it can also be a good substitute in for rice in several dishes. Orzo has a higher concentration of protein, but unlike rice, it is not gluten-free.

What is pilaf versus rice?

The main difference between rice and rice pilaf is the cooking technique. Rice is typically cooked in boiling water without any flavorings added. Alternatively, pilaf (or pilau or pilav) is a cooking technique that involves sautéing rice in oil or butter before adding liquid and simmering. This technique is often used to enhance the flavor and texture of the rice. Pilaf can be made with various grains, including rice, orzo, bulgur wheat or quinoa. The pilaf method typically results in a more fragrant dish with separate and fluffier grains.

Is orzo rice gluten-free?

Orzo rice pilaf is not gluten-free. Traditional orzo pasta is made with durum wheat semolina. Durum wheat is not gluten-free. Gluten-free varieties of orzo should have a certified gluten-free seal on the label.