We love orzo pasta in our house. Not only is it a nice change from a traditional pasta, but it is fun to make into different recipes. This recipe for a Creamy Orzo Pasta is so delicious with bacon and cooked celery and onion. Additionally, this recipe can be used with salmon or just as a plain side dish.
Disclosure
Published May 13, 2022
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Cost for this recipe
Food prices are slowly becoming ridiculous. Last year, a box of orzo would have been close to $1, now it is $2.39! One way to cut down on containers in our fridge and pantry is by using soup bases instead of pre made stock. A 1-pound container of L.B. Jamison’s soup base has 89-110 tsp, with 2 tsp per cup of water. This makes 3 cups cost $0.60 instead of closer to $2-$4 for a container of stock. Using a soup base helps cut down on cost and waste, and you can use the soup base for stock, gravy, soup, sauces and more.
Onion $0.25
Celery $0.20
Bacon $4.75
Lemon $0.25
6 cups Chicken Broth $1.20
2 cups Orzo $2.39
The total cost to make this Creamy Orzo Pasta was $9.04 for a double recipe.
A single batch, with half the bacon, orzo and stock would cost $4.87.
Why this recipe works
One reason this recipe is a hit in our house is because it has bacon. Bacon is just the most delicious food, and then fry it on the stove with onion and you’ve got yourself a delicious start to a pasta recipe. If there was one thing that could be different, the next time this recipe is used, is to cut down on the amount of celery. Not that it was bad, but there was just a lot of it!
Originally, the first time this was cooked, I nestled salmon filets into the orzo before it was baked in the oven. On top of the orzo, the coriander, pepper and salt was sprinkled on top and added a great flavor to the salmon. As we had this Creamy Orzo Pasta with Reubens, we did not have it with salmon, and yet the recipe turned out delicious, zesty and so creamy.
Creamy Orzo Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
2-4 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion
2 celery stalks
1 cup orzo
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
Directions
1. Rinse two stalks of celery, slice the ends off and then thinly slice the celery.
2. Secondly, on a cutting board cut an onion in half, peel the skin off, then dice the onion.
3. Warm a large saucepan on the stove, spray with non-stick spray, and then add the diced onion and celery stirring often.
4. On a cutting board, cut bacon into 1/2 inch strips and then add the slices to the hot saucepan with the onion and celery, cooking until the bacon is browned, around 5 minutes.
5. Measure out 3 cups of stock and then set aside. I used L.B. Jamison’s soup base to make my chicken stock, and while this recipe is doubled, the stock was also doubled.
When using soup base, it works best to warm the water prior to adding the base, that way it can be whisked in easier. Just make sure to use a microwave safe measuring cup.
6. Zest 1 lemon and then use a juicer to juice the liquid from the lemon. If you are using bottled lemon juice, measure the amount in a measuring cup.
7. Add the orzo to the saucepan and then stir it into the bacon and celery mixture, stirring often. Cook the orzo for 1-2 minutes.
8. To the orzo in the saucepan, add the lemon juice and stock and then stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, around 8 minutes.
9. In a small bowl, mix together ground black pepper, salt if using, and coriander, then sprinkle on top of the orzo pasta in the saucepan. At this point, you can choose to nestle salmon filets into the orzo and bake it in the oven with the seasoning sprinkled on top. For dinner this day, however, we had it with Reubens and not salmon.
10. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and then cover the saucepan and place it into the oven for 6-7 minutes to finish cooking.
11. When done, remove the pan carefully from the oven and let rest 5 minutes. Finally, serve and enjoy!
Recipe for Creamy Orzo Pasta
Creamy Orzo Pasta
Equipment
- Sink Colander
- Cutting board
- Large Saucepan oven safe
- Small Bowl
Ingredients
- 2-4 oz Bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 Onion
- 2 Celery
- 1 cup Orzo
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Zest grated cheese
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- 3 cups Chicken Broth
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tap Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
Instructions
- Rinse two stalks of celery, peel and then slice the ends off and then thinly slice the celery.
- Cut an onion in half, peel the skin off, then dice the onion.
- Warm a large saucepan on the stove, spray with non-stick spray, and then add the diced onion and celery.
- Cut bacon into 1/2-inch strips and then add the slices to the hot saucepan with the onion and celery, cooking until the bacon is browned.
- Measure out 3 cups of stock and then set aside. I used L.B. Jamison's soup base to make my chicken stock, and while this recipe is doubled, the stock was also doubled.
- Zest 1 lemon and then use a juicer to juice the liquid from the lemon. If you are using bottled lemon juice, measure the amount in a measuring cup.
- Add the orzo to the saucepan and then stir it into the bacon and celery mixture, stirring often.
- Cook the orzo for 1-2 minutes.
- To the orzo in the saucepan, add the lemon juice and stock and then stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, around 8 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together ground black pepper, salt if using, and coriander, then sprinkle on top of the orzo pasta in the saucepan.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and then cover the saucepan and place it into the oven for 6-7 minutes to finish cooking.
- When done, remove the pan carefully from the oven and let rest 5 minutes.
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