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Mushroom orzo is a tasty, comforting side dish! It combines tender orzo pasta with rich, earthy mushrooms in a creamy sauce. It’s easy to make and sure to impress with satisfying texture and savory flavors.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Incredibly Delicious: This creamy mushroom orzo is full of wonderful flavors and a luscious texture that will leave you craving more.
- Comfort Food with a Twist: Enjoy classic comfort food vibes but with a more elevated taste from the mushrooms and herbs.
- Versatile Serving Options: Serve this as a main or a side to pair perfectly with any meal. It’s amazing with my air fryer steak or garlic butter chicken. You can even swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and use plant-based butter to make it vegetarian-friendly.
Delicious Mushrooms
I used to not like mushrooms. As a kid, my mom would make them all the time. I always picked them out of whatever she put them in. Now, I can’t get enough. I love how they absorb the flavors of whatever you cook them in. They bring out a delicious earthiness that complements everything! This orzo with garlic and herbs and yummy parmesan goes perfectly with mushrooms! You have to try it!
Ingredients Needed
How to Make Mushroom Orzo
Mushroom orzo is incredibly easy to make, with just a few simple steps that result in a dish full of flavor. You’ll sauté the veggies, cook the orzo, and combine them with a creamy sauce all in the same pan. It’s a satisfying side that comes together with very little effort, making it perfect for when you want a hearty dish without the hassle.
- Sauté the Onion: Add the butter to a large skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it turns translucent and soft, about 2-3 minutes.
- Cook the Mushrooms: Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it reduces by half.
- Add the Seasonings and Orzo: Add the salt, thyme, parsley, pepper, and orzo to the skillet and stir until combined.
- Simmer: Add the chicken broth and half and half, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 10-11 minutes, stirring occasionally to help the orzo cook evenly and to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
- Serve: Once the orzo is cooked through, add the spinach and parmesan to the skillet. Stir and continue to cook until the spinach wilts. Top with fresh parsley and serve.
Mushroom Orzo Tips and Variations
Use these simple tips and tricks to make sure your mushroom orzo turns out perfectly!
- Give the mushrooms space while cooking! Make sure you give the mushrooms enough time and room to cook. Sometimes, it can take a while for them to release their water, but this is essential to avoid having watery orzo. Use a 12 or 14-inch skillet to give them enough space to spread out and avoid stirring them around too much.
- Can I toast my Orzo? If you would like to toast the orzo, remove the mushrooms from the pan and add the orzo. Stir it around in the pan for a few minutes until it smells toasted and nutty, then resume adding the remaining ingredients in step 3.
- How do I know when the orzo is done? After the orzo cooks for 8 or 9 minutes, test it for doneness. Continue to test and cook it until it reaches the desired doneness, typically about 10-11 minutes.
- Can I use fresh herbs? To replace the dried herbs with fresh herbs, use 1 ½ teaspoon of the fresh minced herbs for every ½ teaspoon of dried herbs.
- Make it cheesy! You may add more parmesan cheese if you like your pasta dish extra cheesy!
Mushroom Orzo Leftovers
Mushroom orzo is great heated up for lunch the next day! Add some grilled chicken and make it a meal!
- Fridge: Store leftover mushroom orzo in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between increments, until heated through.
- Make Ahead: I don’t recommend preparing this ahead of time. It is best served fresh!
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Mushroom Orzo
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup diced onion, about ½ an onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 16 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup dried orzo pasta
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ⅔ cup half & half
- 2 cups chopped baby spinach
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to a large skillet and melt over medium heat. Add ½ cup diced onion, and cook until it turns translucent and soft about 2-3 minutes.
- Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 16 ounces sliced mushrooms and cook over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it reduces by half.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried parsley, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 cup dried orzo pasta to the skillet and stir until combined. Add 1 ½ cups chicken broth and ⅔ cup half & half, reducing the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 10-11 minutes, stirring occasionally to help the orzo cook evenly and to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
- Once the orzo is cooked through, add 2 cups chopped baby spinach and ½ cup grated parmesan cheese to the skillet. Stir and continue to cook until the spinach wilts. Top with fresh parsley, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This sounds delicious!!!! Want to make it this week. However, is there something that I could replace the mushrooms with. Not my favorite. Thanks so much.
Hi Lynda, if you are not a fan of mushrooms, I would recommend making my lemon chicken orzo. It has similar ingredients without the mushrooms.
Can I use my own veggie broth and omit the salt? Just wondering if it will turn out the same?
Yes! Using your own veggie broth and taking out the salt will turn out just fine. It will have a slightly different taste, but I am guessing it will be delicious!
Will this be OK to eat cold as a dish in a buffet? Will it need more liquid
I think it would be pretty good chilled and I would add a little extra liquid, not a whole lot just because when it’s cold, it solidifies a little bit. I would chill it and then add broth until the consistency is how you want it. You could keep it warm in a crockpot for a buffet as well if you prefer it warm.
What is half and half please.
Hi Janet, Half and Half is a creamier milk. It combines equal parts of whole milk and heavy cream. Here is a link so you can see one version.
Why do you always blank out some of the instructions on all of the instructions when I try to copy them?
Hmmm, I am not blanking anything out. Have you clicked on Print Recipe? You should be able to copy and paste anything from there much easier.