Carrot Orzo
I tend to not be a total carrot lover. In fact, when I was little the only way I would eat them was with a lot of ranch dressing or baked with brown sugar. Great diet right!
One thing I do love is risotto. Who doesn’t love an amazing creamy yummy risotto. It is one of the easiest dishes to mess up but when you get it right, yummy. I was looking to incorporate more vegetables and just overall health into our diet a couple of years ago and stumbled upon this great carrot dish.
It is a spin on a risotto for those who do not have the time, patience, or money. Arborio rice is super expensive. It uses Orzo. That is the pasta you probably never noticed on the shelf. It is at the very top and in a tiny box. The pasta looks like rice but its obviously not.
This is actually a really cool little trick to save money when craving risotto. It is not 100% the same but it does have a pleasantly similar texture, flavor, and when you cook it right, taste.
This is also a great spring dish. Carrots are amazing in spring when you get them from the farmers market. Check out other great Spring seasonal fruits and veggies on my upcoming blog post! My hope is they inspire you to try new things this year.
I found this recipe in a magazine a while ago. Pretty sure it was Better Homes and Gardens.
I went through a phase where I could not find a cookbook I loved. My solution was to subscribe to a bunch of food magazines. I would rip out the recipes I loved and slowly made my own cookbook. Worked like a charm. Everything I like or wanted to try was in there. It is still my go to for dinners.
Of course, I have edited the recipe to make it my own. I do not like mint and the original called for it. Still doesn’t sit right with me. I have also changed the cheese. They recommended feta but there is nothing better than melted goat cheese. It gives the orzotto a nice creamy texture you cannot get without it. I also a bit more of certain ingredients.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 6 people | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 30 minutes |
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|
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Fresh carrot juice and carrots give you vitamin packed indulgent dinner. The orzo cooks in half the time but tastes and feels like a luxurious risotto. You will not be sorry you tried this wonderful dinner.
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- 3 cups Carrot Juice bought or juiced
- 1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 box Orzo pasta
- 1 1/2 cup Shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 small Lemon zested and juiced
- 1/2 cup Crumbled Goat Cheese
- Combine and heat the carrot juice and chicken broth in a medium sauce pot. Cover and keep warm.
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan until melted.
- Add orzo to butter mixture. Stir for 3-5 minutes until it gets toasty and golden. Add the shredded carrots, combine. Cook for an additional minute.
- Add one label of carrot juice/broth mixture. Stir until absorbed. Continue adding juice/broth mixture in this fashion until it is all absorbed. Add 1-2 ladles at a time. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in water, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir until creamy.
- Top with goat cheese. Stir in and let it melt. Enjoy!
We eat this as our main dish but it would also rock as a side dish. Just add the cheese upon serving, not before.
I added a lot of goat cheese on the Orzotto in the picture! I love to have it melt in and have a heavy flavor. A sprinkle would be more than enough for the average person.
Also, if you are pregnant be careful and make sure the goat cheese is pasteurized. It is a soft cheese.
MOMentous Moms
Welcome to MOMentous Motherhood. My name is Kristin and we are a mommy blog like no other. We love to share our crazy stories about becoming moms and building a home and family. From the moment you find out you are pregnant to the time they head off on their own parenting is a group sport. It takes a village and we are here for you!
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