One Pot Beef Orzo
This one pot beef orzo is rich, saucy and loaded with flavour. Made with ground beef, tender orzo and a delicious tomato sauce, it’s the perfect easy weeknight dinner.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Pot & Wooden Spoon
- Jug (for stock)
- Fine Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- drizzle of Olive Oil
- 1 medium White Onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 1lb / 500g Ground/Minced Beef (see notes)
- 1 heaped tbsp Tomato Paste/Puree
- 1/3 cup / 80ml Dry Red Wine (see notes)
- 1x 1.5lb/700g jar of Tomato Passata (pureed/strained tomatoes)
- 2 cups / 480ml Beef Stock
- 1/2 small bunch of Fresh Basil, finely diced (1 small bunch is typically 1oz/30g)
- 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/4 tsp EACH: Sugar, Black Pepper, or to taste
- 10.5oz / 300g uncooked Orzo
- 1/4 cup / 20g freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve if desired
Instructions
- Add a drizzle of oil to a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry until soft and golden, then add the garlic and fry for 20 seconds or so. Add the beef and break it up with your wooden spoon until fully browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste and fry for a minute or so, then stir in the wine and allow to simmer for a few minutes to reduce the alcohol (the pungent smell of booze should vanish).
- Pour in the passata and beef stock (I like to swill the jar out using a splash of the stock), then stir in the Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir in the orzo, then bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the orzo is al dente, stirring somewhat frequently to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom. If the sauce thickens up too much before the orzo is cooked, just add a splash of boiling/hot water (or stock if you have it) as needed to ensure the orzo cooks through.
- Stir in the parmesan, then check for seasoning and adjust if needed. Serve with extra parmesan and basil, then tuck in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
a) Beef - I like to use 12% fat, so you get some good flavour, but it doesn't end up too oily. If you've only got very fatty beef (20-25%), you might want to consider draining off some fat before you stir in the tomato paste.
b) Wine - This adds a gorgeous depth of flavour. You'll end up burning off most, if not all of the alcohol, but if you can't use it, then use a non-alcoholic red wine or leave it out.
c) Orzo/Consistency - I find that different brands/sizes of orzo will absorb different amounts of liquid. I've never found 1 jar of passata and 2 cups of stock to be too much liquid, but if it's not quite enough to cook through the orzo, just stir in hot/boiling water as needed (or of course more stock). If it seems a little saucy, don't worry too much as it thickens up quite quickly, especially as it rests.
d) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 4.
Nutrition
Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 71.99g | Protein: 30.54g | Fat: 20.5g | Saturated Fat: 7.586g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.435g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8.206g | Trans Fat: 1.019g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 949mg | Potassium: 1116mg | Fiber: 11.1g | Sugar: 6.7g | Vitamin A: 1821IU | Vitamin C: 27.6mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 4.11mg