Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes, Zucchini and Fresh Cheese
A generous Mediterranean dish where pasta meets summer vegetables.
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
When garden zucchini is overflowing and cherry tomatoes are bursting with flavor, this orzo dish becomes a no-brainer. Small rice-shaped pasta, sautéed vegetables, black olives for character, and crumbled cheese for indulgence. A complete meal that comes together in a flash and takes you on a trip without leaving your kitchen.
Ingredients
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olives
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cherry tomatoes
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dill
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clove of garlic
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lemon juice
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salt
-
olive oil
-
orzo
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cream cheese
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white button mushrooms
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onions
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green zucchini
Recipe steps
Cook the pasta
Cook the orzo according to package instructions in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain and set aside.
Prepare the vegetables
While the pasta cooks, cut the cherry tomatoes in half, slice the zucchini into half-moons, chop the mushrooms and onion, and roughly crush the black olives.
Sauté the vegetables
In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil. Add the minced garlic, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, onion and olives. Stir well and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still slightly crisp.
Assemble the dish
Add the drained orzo to the skillet along with the lemon juice. Gently toss to coat the pasta with all the flavors.
Finish and serve
Fold in the crumbled queso fresco, season with salt to taste and sprinkle with freshly chopped dill. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips and variations
- No fresh cheese? Feta works wonderfully, as does ricotta, or even crumbled fresh goat cheese.
- For a heartier version, add roasted chickpeas or chicken pieces.
- Dill can be swapped for fresh basil or mint for a different twist.
Anti-waste tips
Don’t throw away that squeezed lemon!
For example, you can:
- Zest the lemon before juicing to add flavor to your dressings or desserts
- Freeze the zest for future use
- Rub the squeezed lemon on your cutting board to deodorize it
Mushroom stems that are often discarded can be finely chopped and added to the sauté, or frozen to enrich a future vegetable broth.
