Soften the onion in two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add finely sliced garlic. After two minutes, add halved courgette slices and let them roast undisturbed until they take on colour.
See all recipesSunshine orzo
Recipes · Frequency Cooking Journal
Sunshine orzo
for days that
taste like summer.
Tomato, courgette, roasted garlic and the right warmth from spices. An uncomplicated vegetarian orzo recipe that still tastes like a proper meal.
From my kitchen
Sometimes all you need
is one pan.
This dish came from a late afternoon when the day had already been full enough. There were courgettes, cherry tomatoes and Parmesan in the fridge, the kitchen was still bright and I did not want a meal that simply had to be finished quickly.
So I started with onion and plenty of garlic, slowly enough for the flavour to open up. Smoked paprika gives depth, fennel seed a Mediterranean note and lemon keeps the creamy orzo fresh. That is everyday cooking to me: not perfectly planned, but cooked with attention.
40 minutesfrom pan to table
4 servingsor two relaxed days
about 610 kcalper serving, as a guide
Vegetarianvegan with vegan hard cheese
Contains glutenadaptable with gluten-free orzo
Contains milkbecause of Parmesan
Mediterranean everyday cooking
Why orzo can be
more than pasta.
Orzo, also called kritharaki, looks like rice but cooks like pasta. It absorbs sauce, spices and the flavour of the vegetable stock while staying uncomplicated. One pan can become a dish for a long dinner and still work on a Tuesday.
For this Mediterranean orzo recipe, let the courgette roast rather than simply soften. It develops colour and sweetness. Then come tomato paste, passata and stock. It is a small step, yet it gives a quick vegetable pan real depth.
On Mallorca I would use ripe cherry tomatoes and fresh basil in summer. When produce is less aromatic, garlic, lemon, smoked paprika and black pepper can guide the dish. Seasoning is not about covering food. It is about giving it direction.
For 4 servings
What goes
in.
The base
- 350 g orzo or kritharaki
- 2 medium courgettes
- 350 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 large red onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp good olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 500 ml passata
- 750 ml hot vegetable stock
The flavour
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- ½ tsp ground fennel seed
- zest of ½ unwaxed lemon
- 70 g finely grated Parmesan
- fresh basil
- sea salt & black pepper
How it comes together
Layer by layer,
flavour builds.
Stir in tomato paste, paprika, oregano, chilli and fennel seed and toast briefly. Add the dry orzo and toast it in the fragrant oil for two to three minutes until it smells warm and takes on the spices. Only then add passata and hot stock. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft and creamy. Add a little more stock if needed.
Meanwhile roast the cherry tomatoes with the remaining oil, salt and pepper in a hot pan or oven. Fold Parmesan, lemon zest and basil through the orzo. Season, spoon over the tomatoes and serve immediately.
Allergens & adjustments
Worth knowing
before you eat.
This recipe contains gluten through the orzo and milk through Parmesan. For a gluten-free version, use certified gluten-free orzo and separate utensils if coeliac disease is relevant. Parmesan can be replaced by a good vegan hard cheese. No nuts are planned, but always check the products you use when allergies are involved.
For meal prep, cool and refrigerate the orzo in a sealed container and eat it within two to three days. Add a small splash of water or stock when reheating it slowly in a pan. It becomes creamy again instead of dry. Fresh herbs and a little Parmesan are best added just before eating.
For a stronger version, roast a little lemon zest with the courgette or add capers at the end. Pan-fried prawns or white fish work beautifully if you want fish. Basil, Parmesan and a good salad are more than enough when it stays vegetarian.
From the Frequency Cooking kitchen
Save it for your next
late-summer day.
And if you are in Mallorca and would rather be cooked for, I bring this feeling to your finca, villa or table.
Discover private cooking
From my kitchen in Mallorca
Hi, I am
Jessica.
I cook in Mallorca for people who do not want to experience good food as one more task. This orzo is exactly the kind of dish I love: seasoned, uncomplicated, full of vegetables and with enough garlic to taste like a real meal.