An easy, comforting bowl of pasta is a great thing to be able to whip up at a moment’s notice and this is one of those recipes that gives you just that! One Pot Ground Beef Orzo gives you a flavourful, quick & easy meal with very few dishes to wash when you’re done and let’s face it… We all want or need that sometimes.
I love to eat this hearty bowl of pasta on its own and it feeds two people that way, but if you want to feed up to 4 you can absolutely stretch this with the addition of some sides. Simple garlic bread or toast on the side and or some Chilli Garlic Green Beans would turn this easy pasta dish into a complete meal for 4.
The chopped chives aren’t mandatory, but I definitely think they give One Pot Ground Beef Orzo a bit of zhush, not just with flavour, but also with a pop of vibrant green colour. I mean – you know what they say… We eat first with our eyes.
I like to make this dish in a large lidded pot like I would normally use for making soup or boiling large quantities of pasta, but you could also do it in a casserole, a very large frying pan or probably even a wok. You simply need a pot that’s big enough to stir everything into that has a lid and that’s it. Let’s get started!
Serves 2 or 4 with sides
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons garlic oil (or regular olive oil)
- A pinch of chilli flakes (or more if you want it extra hot)
- 1 tablespoon mixed Italian seasoning (I like Schwartz Garlic Italian Seasoning)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 beef stock pot or cube (I like Knorr Beef Stock Pots)
- 500g minced/ground beef
- Salt & pepper
- 250g orzo pasta
- 700ml boiling water
- 15g grated Parmesan cheese
- 30g unsalted butter
- Finely chopped chives to serve (optional)
Method
- In a large pot or casserole that has a lid and will fit everything later, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chilli flakes, Italian seasoning and tomato paste. Stir to combine and let this sizzle for a minute or so.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and the stock pot or cube. Stir to combine and if using a stock pot, keep stirring this together to let it melt a little.
- Add the beef and season generously with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir to combine, breaking up the beef as you go. Cook this, stirring occasionally until the beef is completely browned and all broken up.
- Add the orzo pasta and stir to combine. Cook this, stirring for about a minute before pouring in the boiling water. Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, pop on the lid and leave this to cook for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to your liking and has absorbed most of the cooking liquid. Stir a couple of times during this cooking time to move it around so it doesn’t stick. If at any time it looks too dry, you can add a little more water.
- When the pasta is done it will be well cooked (slightly al dente) and there should only be a scant amount of cooking liquid remaining. Remove the lid, give it a stir and while still on the low heat, add the butter and Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine, allowing the butter to melt.
- Taste the pasta now and add more salt & pepper as needed. I almost always find I want to add more salt at this stage, but best to do that after the cooking and adding the Parmesan cheese as some of the ingredients are quite salty already.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with some finely chopped chives (optional).
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