Orzo with Vegetables, A Great Side Dish

Summer is not over yet. I want to share with you this orzo recipe I do over and over during summer time. It makes for a great WARM side dish. You can have it cold as a salad as well but Lucas and I prefer it warm. I have been lucky so far with my son. He eats almost everything and I never have to struggle to feed him. This orzo recipe is definitely on his favorite list. 

If you have never cooked with orzo before this is a good recipe to start. It's easy and delicious and I have a little secret to enhance the flavor, paella seasoning. It doesn't have to be a specific brand, the saffron particularly adds a nice flavor to it and gives it that beautiful, rich, yellow color. Also, orzo makes a great risotto dish, I promise I will soon be posting a recipe, I have a really good one with truffle oil, yum!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cup of mushroom, sliced

1 small zucchini, sliced

1/2 cup of onion, finely chopped

2 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 pint of cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon paella seasoning

1/2 pound orzo

parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Cook orzo according to package directions. In a pan, heat the olive oil, add the onions and cook,  stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms, cook for another minute. Then add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, cover the pan, lower the heat and cook slowly for 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cooked orzo and the paella seasoning, toss well and cook in low heat for just 30 seconds more. Turn off the heat and add parsley. Serve warm.