Easy Cheesy Orzo (One Pot)

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Rich, creamy and packed with cheesy goodness, this One Pot Cheesy Orzo is easy to make and perfect as a quick dinner or flavour-packed side dish.

By this point, I’d like to appoint myself as Orzo’s number 1 fan with the amount of Orzo Recipes I’ve uploaded to the blog. Just like my other orzo dishes, this recipe is easy, outrageously delicious and something you’ll end up making on repeat. It’s essentially an orzo mac and cheese that is made in one pot. Follow me…

close up shot of serving spoon in pan of cheesy orzo

Cheesy Orzo Ingredients

The awesome thing about this dish is you only need a handful of simple, store-bought ingredients. Nothing fancy, but they all come together to create the most gorgeous, creamy, cheesy orzo. Here’s what you’ll need:

Orzo – you’ll find this in pretty much all supermarkets these days.
Milk, Cream & Stock – this is what cooks the orzo directly in the pot. I find this trio of ingredients offer the best sauce consistency, whilst also offering depth of flavour and a creamy taste.
Seasoning – not too much, but a combination of smoked paprika, mustard powder, onion & garlic powder and the obvious salt and pepper will help bring this orzo to life.
Butter – to toast the seasoning.
Cheese – I love a combination of Gouda and Cheddar.

overhead shot of cheesy orzo ingredients with text labels

Recipe Tip

Make sure you buy blocks of cheese, not pre-grated. Freshly grated cheese melts into a grain-free sauce with far more ease.

One Pot Cheesy Orzo

The awesome thing about this dish is that unlike other mac and cheese style recipes, you don’t need to cook the pasta separately. You also don’t need to make a roux. Everything is cooked in the same pan for complete ease! The method is stupidly simple, but here are a few tips to help you along the way:

Stirring – you’ll want to stir fairly consistently to ensure the orzo doesn’t stick.
Consistency – the measurements in the recipe card should give you the perfect, saucy consistency. But if it dries up at all, you can easily add a splash more liquid.
Work the cheese in – don’t bung it all in at once; swiftly stir it in a handful at a time to ensure it doesn’t clump up. That way you can also taste test when it’s cheesy enough for you.

Process shots: toast seasoning in butter (photo 1), stir in orzo (photo 2), simmer in liquids (photo 3), stir in cheese (photo 4).

4 step by step photos showing how to make cheesy orzo

Cheesy Orzo FAQ

can I use different cheese?

I love the combo of Cheddar and Gouda, but you could sub similar cheese like Gruyere or Red Leicester.

Can I use a different shape pasta?

I recommend macaroni or other small-shaped pasta if you don’t want to use orzo.

Can I use rice?

Rice would require different measurements and cooking times, so it’s not a suitable direct substitute for this recipe.

Can I make this ahead of time?

This is best served fresh. But if you were to make it ahead of time, I recommend very gently warming it in a pan with a splash of milk to make it saucy again.

cheesy orzo served in a bowl with fried chicken tenders

How to serve Cheesy Orzo

I typically serve this as a Side Dish, because it goes with so many different things. Here are my favourite options:

Fried Chicken (specifically Spicy Chicken Tenders or Nashville Chicken Tenders)
Tacos (my favourites are Jalapeno Popper Chicken Tacos)
Burgers (Smash Burgers or Patty Melts)
Pizza (No Yeast Pizza or Garlic Bread Pizzas for an even easier dinner)
Pulled Pork (my Dr Pepper Pulled Pork to be precise)
Steak (pictured below)

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this cheesy orzo shall we?!

cheesy orzo served on white plate with steak and salad

How to make Cheesy Orzo (Full Recipe & Video)

Cheesy Orzo

By: Chris Collins

Rich, creamy and packed with cheesy goodness, this One Pot Cheesy Orzo is easy to make and perfect as a quick dinner or flavour-packed side dish.

Prep: 5

Cook: 15

Total: 20

Servings: – 6 as a side

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Equipment

Large Pan & Spatula
Jug
Cheese Grater
Serving Spoon

Ingredients

▢ 1 tbsp Butter
▢ 1/4 tsp EACH: Smoked Paprika, Mustard Powder, Salt (or to taste)
▢ 1/8 tsp EACH: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, White Pepper (or to taste)
▢ 1 1/4 cups / 250g uncooked Orzo
▢ 1 1/2 cups / 360ml EACH: Milk, Chicken Stock (see notes)
▢ 1/2 cup / 120ml Heavy/Double Cream
▢ 1 cup / 100g Cheddar, grated
▢ 1 cup / 100g Gouda, grated (see notes)

Instructions

Place a large pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Toast the seasoning for a minute or so, then stir in the orzo until coated in the seasoned butter.
Pour in the stock, milk and cream, then give everything a good stir and bring to a simmer.
Cook the orzo until al dente, stirring as you go to prevent it from sticking. If you run out of liquid before the orzo cooks, just add a splash of stock, milk or hot water to cook it through.
Turn off the heat and swiftly stir through both of the cheeses a handful at a time. Once the cheese has melted through the sauce, check for seasoning and adjust if needed, then serve and enjoy.

Video

Notes

a) Consistency – you should have the perfect amount of liquid to cook the orzo, without it drying out. It should end up perfectly al dente, but still a little saucy. The excess sauce will be enough for the cheese to melt through. If at any point it becomes too stodgey/thick, just thin out the sauce with a splash of stock, milk or even hot water.

b) Cheese – I like the balance of Gouda and Cheddar, but you could use all of one or the other. 2 cups of cheese will end up with the orzo being pretty cheesy (it’s supposed to be), but I recommend taste-testing after each handful so you can stop at your perfect level of cheesiness.

c) Calories – whole recipe divided by 5.