Leek and Parmesan Orzo
If you're looking for a creamy and savory pasta dish, look no further than my Leek and Parmesan Orzo. Leeks are such a great vegetable to use with their mild flavor that pairs perfectly with pasta and parmesan cheese. I started by sautéing my vegetables and adding my pasta to the pan and cooked it in the style of a risotto so that the starches in the pasta combined with the chicken broth to give an incredibly creamy texture. My Leek and Parmesan Orzo serves as a great side dish, but you can also add your favorite protein and serve it as a main dish.
Leeks are one of my favorite ingredients to use because of their mild flavor and versatility. You can get them just about any time of year in your local grocery store, or fresh in the spring time from your local farmers market. Leeks go well in so many dishes, but one way to really make their flavor shine is in my Leek and Parmesan Orzo. The delicate flavor of leeks along with a bolder parmesan flavor makes for the most delicious pasta side dish that compliments a variety of main dishes from grilled chicken, steak, or your favorite seafood. Orzo is a great choice for the pasta in this dish to achieve a creamy texture without using a ton of heavy cream. In fact, the cream itself is entirely optional in this recipe if you prefer to keep this dish lighter. My Leek and Parmesan Orzo can be made throughout the year from a springtime treat to a heartier winter pasta side dish. In fact, I first made this dish one brisk fall day after my family and I had gone apple picking at our favorite orchard. It was peak apple season and I had just finished picking the perfect peck of apples. My kids and I were hungry from all the hard work so we decided to clean up a few apples and dig in. Unfortunately, our moment of reprieve didn't last very long. Not too far away in the fields was a ravenous murder of crows that quickly picked up the scent of our apples we were eating. As we were sitting on a bench and minding our own business, about 100 crows suddenly descended upon us and attempted to snatch our apples from our hands. We knew this was a fight we couldn’t win, so we surrendered our snack and fled. We learned a hard lesson that fall afternoon that a hungry crow was a force to be reckoned with. After such a scary brush with nature, we felt a delicious dinner was earned. Upon returning home, I rummaged through my produce drawer and found some leeks and made my first ever Leek and Parmesan Orzo.
- 2 T Olive Oil
- 2 Leeks (White parts only, halved and sliced thinly)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Red chili flakes (Optional if you like a little spice)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
- 2 cloves Garlic (Minced)
- 1 cup Orzo
- 4 Cups Chicken Broth (Veggie broth will work great as a vegetarian option)
- 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream (Optional, but it does add a lovely creaminess)
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
- Prepare your leeks
Wash your leeks and separate the white and light green parts from the dark green. Cut the lighter parts of your leeks in half lenghtwise and slice them thinly. Place the cut leeks into a large bowl of water to rinse any sand off of them.
Since we won't be using the dark green parts of the leeks for this recipe, I like to select leeks that have a larger light part so it's less to discard. Once our leeks are rinsed and strained, add your olive oil to a sauté pan, preheat it to medium high heat and add your leeks, salt and pepper and sauté for approximately 3-5 minutes or until your leeks are tender. Once your leeks are tender, add your minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add your orzo to the pan and combine it well with your vegetables. Start by adding enough broth to just cover your pasta. Once your broth is absorbed, add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time until your pasta is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.
Once your pasta is cooked through, stir in your cream and parmesan. Allow the parmesan to melt in and serve immediately. Enjoy!
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