Orzo Fried Rice Style (Print Version)

Orzo pasta stir-fried with veggies, savory soy sauce, and aromatic seasoning for a quick, delicious main.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1½ cups orzo pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup diced carrots
03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
05 - 3 spring onions, sliced, separated into white and green parts
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce & Seasoning

07 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
08 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
10 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Eggs (optional)

11 - 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
13 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Boil orzo pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente, following package instructions. Drain with a colander and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the white parts of spring onions, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Sauté for 1 minute until aromatic.
03 - Add diced carrots, red bell pepper, and frozen peas. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.
04 - Push vegetables to one side of the skillet. Pour beaten eggs into the empty space and scramble just until set, then combine with vegetables.
05 - Add cooked orzo to the skillet. Drizzle with soy sauce and toss thoroughly to mix. Cook for 2–3 minutes until heated through.
06 - Season with ground black pepper and adjust soy sauce to taste. Stir in green parts of spring onions and take off the heat.
07 - Transfer to serving plates. Garnish with cilantro or parsley and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Uses quick-cooking orzo so dinner is on the table fast
  • Packed with veggies and easy to adapt to whatever you have
  • Great for meal prep or next-day lunches
  • Kid approved and easily scaled up for a crowd
02 -
  • High in fiber thanks to plenty of veggies
  • Quick to prep and even quicker to clean up
  • Vegetarian and easily made vegan
03 -
  • Cook orzo until just barely al dente so it keeps its bite when tossed in the pan
  • Never skip rinsing orzo after boiling because it stops the pasta from turning mushy and sticky
  • Let veggies sear for a good thirty seconds at a time for that wok hei flavor you crave in restaurant fried rice
  • Always taste and tweak soy sauce and black pepper at the end so you hit your perfect salt level

Return