Baked Orzo With Veggies
This simple and yummy one pan baked orzo with veggies is an exclusive feature from my second cookbook, PlantYou Scrappy Cooking!
With this one pan orzo casserole, I am giving you an exclusive peek into Scrappy. If you enjoy this recipe, I’ve got some great news for you – there are over 150 delicious, low waste vegan meals in my cookbook!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- In order to be smart with your produce and avoid waste, you can get creative with the ingredients you use in this baked orzo with veggies.
- One pan recipes are my favorite! With just one dish to wash, cooking is a breeze.
- With the vast variety of plants on the ingredient list, your gut microbiome will thank you.
- Look at it, this dish is so pretty! We all deserve some colorful, vibrant meals.
- Most importantly, his recipe is an exclusive from my second cookbook, Scrappy Cooking. It’s all about learning to make the most of your ingredients, including vegetable scraps.
Let’s Get Scrappy!
I am incredibly passionate about reducing food waste, for many reasons. It’s great for the planet, and let’s face it – who can afford to throw away food?
My cookbook Scrappy Cooking shows off all the different ways you can save your produce from landfill.
- 140+ plant-based recipes
- Focus on low waste and creativity
- Save money and our planet
- Signature PlantYou infographics
- New York Times bestselling author
Signed Copies
Order Now
Key Ingredients
- Orzo is essentially a type of pasta that was designed to be shaped like rice. It cooks easily with the rest of the ingredients.
- Tomatoes come in three forms for this recipe: fresh cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, and tomato pasta.
- Spinach adds a beautiful splash of green to your dish.
- Chickpeas are a rich and affordable source of vegan protein, among other nutrients.
- Veggies (it’s in the name!) of your choosing provide the flavor and the fiber. You can use zucchini, broccoli, bell pepper, eggplant, or cauliflower.
Hack It!
- Learn how to make sun dried tomatoes, and you’ll never have to buy them again! You will also find a homemade sun dried tomato recipe in my book!
- An integral part of this recipe is using the produce you have on hand. That’s why you can use a mix of veggies and beans of your choice.
- You can make this recipe double-scrappy with vegetable broth made from food scraps. You guessed it – the recipe is in the cookbook!
- Gluten-free? This baked orzo with veggies works exactly the same with gluten-free pasta.
- If you find coconut milk too strong-tasting, try adding cashew cream instead.
How to Make Baked Orzo
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400F. Add the onion, mixed veggies, chickpeas, tomatoes, garlic, salt, tomato paste, and a 1/4 cup vegetable broth to a casserole dish.
Step 2: Mix everything together. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the vegetables are nice and soft.
Step 3: Add the remaining vegetable broth, coconut milk, and orzo to the dish. Stir and cover with tinfoil. Bake for 15-25 minutes, until the orzo is cooked.
Step 4: Remove from the oven and stir in fresh spinach. Add vegan feta (optional) and enjoy immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Aside from garbanzo beans (chickpeas), I recommend using white beans or navy beans. They stay intact inside the dish, and add that hearty protein!
As soon as it cools, refrigerate for up to 4 days. Be sure to reheat thoroughly before eating.
If your orzo isn’t fully cooked after 25 minutes, the first step is to check the amount of liquid. If it evaporates too quickly, you can add extra broth and extend cooking time until the pasta is ready.
More Plant-Based Casseroles
- Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Roasted Vegetable Pasta
- Meghan Markle Tomato Pasta
- Creamy Tomato Pasta
- French Onion Pasta
If you loved this recipe, you definitely need a copy of PlantYou Scrappy Cooking in your kitchen! With 150+ amazing vegan low-waste recipes, you’ll never throw away your scraps again.
The Recipe: Baked Orzo With Veggies
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 cups diced vegetables, zucchini, broccoli, bell pepper, eggplant, cauliflower, or a mixture
- 15 oz chickpeas, white beans, or navy beans, 1 can, drained and rinsed
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2¾ cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 16 oz orzo, dry, gluten-free if needed
- 2 cups baby spinach, chopped
- vegan feta, to garnish, optional
Equipment
- Casserole dish 9×5 inch or similar
- Tinfoil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Add the onion, diced veggies, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, salt, tomato paste and a 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth to a 9 x 5 casserole dish. Bake for 25 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the remaining vegetable broth, coconut milk and orzo to the dish, and stir. Cover with tinfoil or a lid and bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until the orzo is cooked.
- Remove from the oven and stir in the fresh spinach. Enjoy immediately – with vegan feta if desired.
Notes
- Learn how to make sun dried tomatoes, and you’ll never have to buy them again! You will also find a homemade sun dried tomato recipe in my book!
- An integral part of this recipe is using the produce you have on hand. That’s why you can use a mix of veggies and beans of your choice.
- You can make this recipe double-scrappy with vegetable broth made from food scraps. You guessed it – the recipe is in the cookbook!
- Gluten-free? This baked orzo with veggies works exactly the same with gluten-free pasta.
- If you find coconut milk too strong-tasting, try adding cashew cream instead.