Zucchini Pesto Orzo
Description
Highlighted by fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, this beauty from NYT Cooking is great on it’s own, or as a fabulous side with just about anything – enjoy!
Ingredients
2 medium zucchini, diced – about 2 1/2 cups
1 large onion, thinly sliced (or zipped through a chopper)
1/4 c. olive oil
1 t. sea salt AND 1/2 t. red pepper flakes – or more to taste
1 1/2 to 2 c. vegetable (or chicken) broth
1 c. orzo
zest from 1 lemon
1/2 c. grated Parmesan AND 1/4 c. chopped fresh mint
1/2 c. (nut-free) basil pesto AND the juice from half of the lemon
Tomato ‘Topper’
~1 c. halved (or quartered) cherry (or grape) tomatoes
~1 c. cubed mozzarella (I used halved mini bocconcinis)
a splash of olive oil + a pinch of salt + a pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
Stir together the zucchini, onion, olive oil, salt and red pepper flakes in a large (non-stick) skillet over medium-high heat and cook for several minutes, stirring only occasionally, until the mix is softened and ideally has a good portion of browned bits.
Stir in the broth and when the new mix comes to a simmer, stir in the orzo and lemon zest. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the orzo is nearly tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed – add in a bit more broth if you think it needs it. As this is cooking, stir together the tomato ‘topper’ in a small bowl and set aside so it can marinate until the orzo is ready.
When the orzo is barely chewy, stir in the Parmesan, mint, pesto and lemon juice, give it all a minute to heat through and taste for seasonings – super doubtful you’ll need to add anything with the pesto power. Serve up with a generous spoonful of the tomato topper – this is also a very pretty dish!
