Easy orzo pasta with roasted garlic and tomatoes and fresh basil is just what I crave on a hot summer night. In the summer, I’m all about the quick and easy meals that are light and refreshing.
When Cade and I first started the blog I was whisked off on a fun little business trip where we got to try small servings of an entire menu. During the tasting a roasted garlic pasta was served to us with huge whole garlic cloves that were heavily fragrant.
I carefully ate around them only to notice my seat mate was enjoying the entire dish, full cloves of garlic and all. “Do people really eat garlic?” I thought. I mean, I knew it went in dishes but to be an actual component felt odd.
I sliced a chunk off of a clove, swirled and twisted my noodles up around it and the fork and I’ve been sold ever since. The sweetness of the garlic comes out in the roasting time and no, it doesn’t remove the smell off your breath, but it’s worth it!!
Ingredients in this Orzo Recipe
This orzo recipe may give you garlic breath, but we are going to add a few more flavor to it! Here is what you will need:
- Cherry Tomatoes: black cherry, piccolo or Vittoria varieties are our favorites
- Olive Oil: for roasting the tomatoes and cooking the garlic
- Salt and Pepper: for seasoning the roasted tomatoes and for seasoning the whole dish
- Garlic: flavor, flavor, flavor
- Butter: helps pan roast the orzo and adds loads of flavor
- Orzo: sauteing the pasta beforehand adds a delicious nutty flavor
- Lemon Juice: fresh is best
- White Wine: we use cooking wine, but feel free to use whatever brand you want
- Chicken Stock: could easily swap this out for vegetable broth to make this dish vegetarian
- Water: helps cook the orzo
- Basil Leaves: I highly suggest using fresh basil only.
- Parmesan Cheese: freshly grated parm on top is the best
- Red Pepper Flakes: adds heat, add as much as you want!
- Pine Nuts: adds texture and flavor
The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
How to Make Roasted Garlic Tomato Basil Orzo
This recipe comes together so easily and most of the time is spent waiting for the tomatoes to roast and the orzo to cook. Here are the basic steps:
- Roast the tomatoes.
- Pan roast the garlic and then the orzo.
- Let the orzo simmer in all the flavors.
- Add the liquids to cook the pasta.
- Season to taste and top with the pine nuts, basil and parmesan.
All the details can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. You can also save or print the recipe from there.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
We have so many recipes that use garlic, tomatoes and basil. It is a classic combination of simple flavors that you can just never go wrong wi