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This easy Orzo Rice recipe is a homemade version of classic rice pilaf, made with toasted orzo, fluffy rice, and savory broth. It’s a simple side dish that’s full of flavor and perfect for pairing with chicken, fish, or beef.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Made this in my rice cooker, it was AMAZING! So glad I can also saute in the rice cooker . Making your yellow rice tonight, another favorite of mine. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us!” – Elizabeth
“Absolutely delicious! It was still as fast to make and even more delicious! No more rice-a-roni in this house 🙂” – Cashey
“This is the easiest recipe I’ve ever made. It is so good, almost ate it all by myself” – Stella
A Simple, Flavorful and Versatile Side
I have been making this orzo rice for years and it never gets old. What makes it so good is the step of toasting the orzo in butter before anything else goes in the pot. That little bit of browning adds a nutty, rich flavor that you just can’t get from dumping everything in at once. It is one of those techniques that makes a big difference for very little extra effort!
On busy weeknights when I want to keep dinner simple, this is my go-to. I will throw together some seasoned fish or baked chicken, steam some veggies, and this rice is ready in the same amount of time. Dinner is on the table in under 30 minutes and everyone is happy.
The other thing I love about this recipe is how versatile it is. The base recipe is mild and savory enough to go alongside almost any main dish, but you can also dress it up with different add-ins and toppings depending on what you are in the mood for. I have made it probably every way imaginable at this point and love it every time!
🩷 Erica
What is Orzo?
Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta that originated in Italy and is made from durum wheat semolina. It has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and a smooth, firm texture when cooked. Despite looking exactly like a grain of rice, it is actually pasta. When you combine it with rice in this recipe, the orzo adds a subtle creaminess and chewiness that takes the whole dish to another level. It is particularly great in pilafs, salads, and soups.
Ingredients in Orzo Rice
- Butter – helps toast the orzo and gives the whole dish rich flavor.
- Orzo pasta – the small, rice-shaped pasta that gets toasted golden brown and gives this dish its signature texture.
- Onion and garlic – adds lots of savory flavor to the rice as it cooks.
- Long-grain white rice – the best variety for this recipe since it stays fluffy and doesn’t get mushy.
- Black pepper and Kosher salt – season to taste.
- Turmeric – just a small amount, mostly for the signature golden color; you can skip it if you don’t have it on hand.
- Chicken broth or chicken stock – adds much more flavor than plain water. Vegetable broth works too.
- Fresh parsley – optional, but I like to sprinkle a little on top before serving.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Add chopped vegetables like peas, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, or red bell pepper.
- Stir in grated Parmesan cheese at the end for a richer flavor.
- Top with toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds for crunch.
- Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth to make it vegetarian.
- Add lemon zest and fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or chives for a lighter version.
- Try feta cheese, olives, and tomatoes for a Mediterranean-style Orzo Rice.
Fun Variations to Try
- Mediterranean Style: Stir in diced tomatoes, chopped Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and dried oregano.
- Lemon Herb Infusion: Finish with lemon zest, fresh parsley, thyme, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Add Some Veggies: Mix in sautéed vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, and onions.
- Nutty Textures: Incorporate toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds.
- Parmesan Cheese: Stir in freshly grated parmesan and a pinch of garlic powder for a cheesy twist.
- Mexican Style: Add black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and chili powder.
- Spinach and Feta Fusion: Fold in wilted spinach leaves and crumbled feta cheese.
- Moroccan Spice: Use cumin, coriander, and cinnamon and toss in some golden raisins and slivered almonds.
- Pesto Pilaf: Mix in a generous amount of homemade or store-bought basil pesto.
- Spicy Cajun: Season with Cajun seasoning (we love Tony Chachere’s) for a bold, spicy kick.
How to Make Orzo Rice
- Toast the orzo. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the orzo and stir frequently, cooking until it turns a deep golden brown. Keep a close eye on it here – it can go from golden to burnt pretty quickly!
- Saute the onion and garlic. Add the diced onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and saute for about one more minute until fragrant.
- Add the rice and broth. Add the rice, chicken broth, turmeric, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir everything together and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Fluff and serve. Remove from heat, take off the lid, and let it stand for a few minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve!
Make Ahead and Storage
This orzo rice is great for making ahead! Here are a few tips:
- Make ahead: You can make a full batch and store it in the fridge. It reheats really well with just a splash of water or broth to bring the moisture back.
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: If you want to keep it longer, freeze in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm gently in the microwave or on the stovetop in a non-stick pan with a small splash of water or broth to keep it from drying out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Orzo is actually a type of pasta, even though it looks like grains of rice. It is made from wheat and has the same mild flavor as pasta.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
Yes, but brown rice takes longer to cook and you may need extra broth. Add about 15 to 20 more minutes of cooking time.
Read Next: 35+ Quick and Easy To Follow Dinner Ideas Your Family Will Surely Love
More Rice Recipes to Try
If you loved this orzo rice, here are some other rice and side dish recipes worth trying:
Lemon Orzo Salad
How to Cook Long Grain Rice
Steak Fried Rice
Easy Cheesy Rice
Spanish Chicken and Rice Skillet
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Restaurant Ham Fried Rice
Lemon Pesto Rice
Cheesy Beef and Rice Skillet
Skillet Sausage and Rice
This Orzo Rice is simple, flavorful, and SO much better than anything from a box. It is easy enough for a busy weeknight, but good enough to serve with a nicer dinner too. If you try this recipe, I would love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating below 🍚😊
Orzo Rice
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup rice
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, for yellow color
- 4 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan/pot. Add orzo and cook until golden brown.
- Add onion and saute until onions become clear. Add garlic and saute for another minute or so.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and remove lid. Let stand for a few minutes then fluff with a fork and serve!
Notes
- Toast the orzo well for the best flavor.
- Chicken broth gives the rice much more flavor than water.
- Turmeric is mostly for color and can be left out.
- Let the rice rest before fluffing so it stays light and fluffy.
- Great with fish, chicken, steak, or vegetables.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Made this in my rice cooker, it was AMAZING! So glad I can also saute in the rice cooker . Making your yellow rice tonight, another favorite of mine. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us!
So glad it turned out great!
Wow! Tastes amazing even with only 5 ingredients. So yummy 😋
Great base recipe, and as all cooks do, I made some adjustments. I started by halving the recipe because it was just for my husband and I. If you half, 1 tin or 14.5 oz of homemade chicken stock will be enough liquid (I topped up to 2 cups in my liquid measure to follow the recipe, but it wasn’t as ‘al dente’ as I like it).
It was a bit buttery for me because I always do half butter/half olive oil (so I’ll do that next time). The orzo can all of a sudden brown (note to self, put in onions and garlic when its ‘just’ starting to brown). I added 1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning + 1 tsp of dried parsley and reduced the garlic to one clove. Came out delish! Great alternative to package rice pilaf, the brand I used for years (NE) has become very bland the last few years. This is going to be my new go to. Thanks so much for sharing!!!
I didn’t love making this recipe the first time. My orzo browned very quickly so my advice would be to make sure you have all your other ingredients ready to go before your start with the stovetop.
I added dried parsley, frozen peas, and diced carrot and it came out tasting like a box of fried rice mix from the store. Oh, and there was an earthy deep flavor that I lightened by squeezing a lemon wedge in before the simmer. I had some sliced for ice tea so it was just a little and did the trick to correct my very browned butter and orzo flavor.
Absolutely delicious! It was still as fast to make and even more delicious! No more rice-a-roni in this house 🙂
Delicious and so easy! I left out the onions because the hubs detests them…and it still came out great! I made it as is minus the onions and turmeric.
Delicious! Easy! I stuck to the recipe but will add slivered almonds next time as one of your mentioned in one of the other comments. Diced carrots sound good, too.
Very good, I added diced carrots it was really good
Used washed jasmine rice. My whole family loved it. I will definitely be making this over and over again! I think adding toasted almonds on top would be a nice addition.
I didn’t use the orzo pasta and it was a perfect with a roasted eggplant and potato dish.
Just needed a little more water otherwise delicious. Thank you 😊
Loved this easy recipe I just didnt use the tumeric
What kind of rice do you use?
Long-grain white rice, usually!
Found this recipe a couple of years ago. We absolutely love it. I serve it with toasted almond slices and some freshly grated Parmesan. Delicious! I usually use Better than Bouillon chicken base with water instead of chicken broth. Thanks for this awesome recipe that is now a permanent part our dining experience!
Thank you so much for this nice comment and for the 5-stars! We love Better than Bouillon too. That is a great substitution to make 🙂 So glad you liked this recipe!
This is the easiest recipe I’ve ever made. It is so good, almost ate it all by myself ..
So glad you liked it! Who needs rice-a-roni amiright?
The make sure you add the rice and cook in the butter mixture before you add the broth. This way your rice doesn’t stick together.
I use used Saffron instead of Tumerac.
And Powdered garlic was added at the same time the rice was.
Yum! Saffron would be delicious in this recipe, thank you for sharing!
Can I use brown rice versus white? J
I haven’t personally tried it with brown rice, but I don’t see any reason why that wouldn’t work. Let me know how it turns out!
a 3 quart sauce pan is “medium” in this case otherwise it will be a little overfull. I agree the garlic should be sautéed with the onions and orzo before adding chicken stock, I didn’t sauté the rice, sticking didn’t seem to be an issue but I believe I will try that next time.
I have used near east packaged mixed for years while all the ingredients to make this were in my cupboard. Fresher is better!! It was delicious I may “tweek” a few things but will make it again soon.
Thank you for sharing how you made this recipe a success! So glad you liked it! Let us know what tweaks you make and how they turn out!
Lovely, doubled everything except butter. Remember to fry rice in mixture before you add broth. This will keep rice from getting sticky. Skipped turmeric. Added saffron.
How much rice? Looks like something my kiddos will really like.
It is 1 c. rice
This looks wonderful. One cup rice?
Yes. 1 cup