Creamy One-Pot Beef Orzo
Everything you love about spaghetti and meatballs made so much easier in this one-pot, no-chop dinner.
Serves4 to 6
Prep10 minutes
Cook18 minutes
I live for lazy recipes all year long, but especially as the tinsel settles at the start of a new year. Recipes that can be made on a sheet pan or require the bare minimum of ingredients, but still taste cozy and nourishing are the ones I always return to.
This recipe for creamy beef with orzo has all of the best parts of classic spaghetti with meatballs, but it’s even easier. Everything from the tender pasta to the ground beef and the creamy sauce cook in a single pot so that every bite is full of flavor, and nobody is left with a pile of dishes at the end of the meal. Here’s how to make it.
Ingredients in Creamy One-Pot Beef Orzo
- Ground beef: Use lean ground beef so that there is no need to drain excess rendered fat.
- Herbs and spices: Opt for dried herbs and spices so that you can skip the chopping and get right to cooking.
- Beef broth: You can use either 1 (14.5-ounce) can or 2 cups regular beef broth. If you pick up unsalted or low-sodium beef broth, taste and add more salt, if necessary.
- Canned tomato sauce: Use a can of plain tomato sauce, rather than jarred marinara sauce.
- Heavy cream or half-and-half: A mere 1/4 cup of heavy cream or half-and-half adds enough creamy richness to the tomato sauce.
- Parmesan cheese: You can’t serve a bowl of pasta and creamy tomato sauce without cheese. Stir it in at the end and top each serving with a bit more.
How to Make Creamy One-Pot Beef Orzo
- Brown the beef. Add lean ground beef to a Dutch oven (or pot) and let it cook for a few minutes to brown, before breaking it up. Continue to heat until it is cooked through.
- Add the orzo and liquids. Add orzo, beef broth, and tomato sauce, then cook until the orzo is cooked through. Stir almost constantly to make sure that the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot, and you’ll be rewarded with a rich, saucy risotto-like dinner.
- Finish with cream and Parmesan. Stir in heavy cream or half-and-half plus the Parmesan cheese to finish off this one-pot meal.
Tips for Making Creamy One-Pot Beef Orzo
- Rely on the spice cabinet, not the produce department. This is the perfect pantry-friendly meal because it relies on dried herbs and spices rather than fresh. Make sure ground spices have been refreshed recently to enjoy their fullest flavor.
- Stir constantly once orzo has been added. Orzo will stick to the bottom of the pot if left unstirred, especially as it cooks in such a thick sauce. Stirring also helps to incorporate the rice-shaped pasta’s starches into the sauce, giving it a risotto-like consistency.
How to Store Creamy One-Pot Beef Orzo
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days. Add more broth or water to return to desired consistency when reheating.
This is part of How to Be a Lazier Cook, highlighting the super-easy recipes, cooking tricks, and grocery items you need to start off the year a little lazier and a lot more delicious.
Creamy One-Pot Beef Orzo Recipe
Everything you love about spaghetti and meatballs made so much easier in this one-pot, no-chop dinner.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 18 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 ounce
Parmesan cheese (1/2 packed cup freshly grated or 1/4 cup store-bought grated), plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon
olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon
red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 pound
lean ground beef
- 3/4 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon
onion powder
- 1 teaspoon
garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon
dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 2 cups
or 1 (14.5-ounce) can beef broth, plus more as needed
- 1
(15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup
dried orzo pasta (about 6 1/4 ounces)
- 1/4 cup
heavy cream or half-and-half
Fresh basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Finely grate 1 ounce Parmesan cheese on the small holes of a box grater if needed (about 1/2 cup), or measure out 1/4 cup store-bought grated. Grate more for serving if desired.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, if using, in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add 1 pound lean ground beef and season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add 2 cups or 1 (14.5-ounce) can of beef broth, 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce, and 1 cup dried orzo pasta. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring constantly so that the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is al dente, about 8 minutes or according to package instructions. (If the orzo isn’t completely cooked at this point, add more broth or water to the pot and continue to simmer until it has.)
Remove the pot from the heat. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half and the Parmesan, and stir to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Serve topped with more Parmesan cheese and torn fresh basil leaves if desired.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Add more broth or water to return to desired consistency when reheating.