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The Instant Pot is a miracle worker and you’ll believe in miracles after trying this Instant Pot Orzo! It’s divine, incredible, and probably the fastest way to prepare orzo! You’re going to love it!
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Orzo is one of the best pastas around, if you ask me. It’s versatile, looks a little like rice, and traditionally made from flour, but can be made from whole grain, too! Often made with semolina, but also can be made of durum wheat. If it’s something you’re not familiar with, you’re in for a treat, no matter the orzo-type!
If you’re eating orzo in North America, you’re likely eating rice-like pasta. On the other hand, if you're in Italy, you’re probably eating Barley and you’re (frankly) probably not reading this blog.
What ingredients does this recipe require?
The ingredients you’ll need are:
- Shallot
- Olive oil
- Orzo
- Broth (chicken or vegetable)
- Spices (oregano, basil, red pepper flakes)
- Tomatoes (any tomato will do, if they’re bite-size, no need to chop them)
- Chopped spinach
- Parmesan
- Heavy cream
- Butter +
- Lemon juice
What is the cooking process like?
For the full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions, please scroll down to the recipe card attached. But here’s a quick idea of how the whole process will go:
First you’ll fire up your Instant Pot and saute the olive oil with the shallot.
Then, you’ll add the orzo, tomato and spices.
Fill the Instant Pot with your broth of choice and secure the lid.
Let the IP (Instant Pot) do its thing!
Stir in the spinach, cheese, cream, butter and lemon juice.
Allow it stand a few minutes to thicken, and serve!
Do I need an Instant Pot?
For this recipe you do need an Instant Pot, I recommend getting this one if you don’t already have one.
What substitutions can I make?
To make this recipe a tad lighter - leave the heavy cream out. Just thin it out as needed with broth.
Extra veggies - If you’d like to add extra veggies you can double the amount of spinach and tomato.
Can I make this ahead of time?
I don’t recommend doing this, it won’t be as good and as orzo is a pasta - it won’t be quite as good the next day!
But if you do make it ahead of time, I recommend following the reheating instructions outlined below…
How do you reheat this recipe?
To reheat, you can add a splash of dry white wine, olive oil, broth of heavy cream to a saucepan and reheat the orzo on low until it’s warmed through.
Instant Pot Orzo
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 shallot minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 cup tomatoes chopped or whole
- 2 ½ cups broth chicken or vegetable
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp basil
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 cup Parmesan grated
- 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp lemon juice fresh
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to SAUTE on high. Add minced shallot and olive oil and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add the orzo and tomatoes. Saute for one minutes and then slowly add the broth and spices.
- Turn the Instant Pot OFF and secure the lid. Turn the knob to SEALING and turn the Instant Pot to PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for one minute. Allow pressure to build and pressure cook.
- When finished, manually release the pressure by hitting the knob with a wooden spoon and hit CANCEL. Carefully remove the lid when it’s finished cooking.
- Stir in the grated parmesan, chopped spinach, heavy cream, butter, and lemon juice. Let stand 2-3 minutes and serve immediately.
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