Quick Pasta Risotto

This Quick Pasta Risotto is an easy and healthy recipe for a one-pan dinner ready in less than 30 minutes. The perfect supper for those busy evenings!

Jump to:

• Introduction
• Directions
• Recipe Variations
• Tips
• Serving Suggestions
• Pea Recipes we love
• Recipe origins
• Recipe

Introduction

Do you have any “genius” recipes – ones that seem obvious when you read them but, for some reason, you couldn’t come up with on your own? I want to share one such recipe called quick pasta risotto.

To avoid all disappointment, let me say right away that this is not your typical risotto recipe. And since I believe in full disclosure: no, I’m not the genius behind this recipe.

This is a recipe for a risotto wanna-be that takes a lot less time and energy to make.

This rice-shaped pasta dish is the type of recipe you make when you get home late because of the crazy traffic. You have all but 20 minutes to feed the kids before running off to soccer or baseball or tennis or swimming or whatever practice you are running late for (because as parents, we are always running late for something…right?).

What you have here is a recipe for a delicious meal that you can make with a few basic ingredients in as little as 20 minutes.

I find myself making this recipe because it’s perfect for the evenings when you’re too tired to cook, in a rush to get somewhere, or in need of some comfort food.

There’s only one pot to wash, so cleanup is quick too. And, well, you have the bonus that it tastes great! And the leftovers are great for lunch the next day.

One of the ingredients in this orzo risotto is pancetta, a type of Italian bacon usually unsmoked.

This recipe also calls for orzo, a type of pasta that has the shape of rice. This small pasta is a great addition to soups, stews, or side dishes. It can easily replace rice in any meal and makes for great salads. It also cooks in no time at all. You will see that once you try orzo-shaped pasta, it will quickly become one of the staples in your pantry.

Once all the ingredients are combined, let them simmer for about 10 minutes and that’s it! Supper is ready!

Are you in?

Willing to give this a try? Let me show you how easy it is to make this rice-like pasta dish.

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.

Add 4 ounces of diced Italian pancetta (about 1 cup) and cook until the fat is rendered, 5-7 minutes.

Add 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 30-45 seconds until fragrant (but not browned).

Stir in 1½ cup of frozen peas, 1 cup of red lentils and 1 cup of orzo-shaped pasta, stir to combine. 

Add 3 cups of vegetable broth and stir to combine.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 7-10 minutes until the lentils are soft and pasta is al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. If necessary, add more broth.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and garnish with a couple of tablespoons of parmesan cheese (if desired).

Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Recipe Variations

• For a vegan variation, omit or replace the pancetta with “fake” bacon; taste to adjust seasonings. 

Tips

• Do not rinse the orzo pasta when making this recipe as the starch contributes to the dish’s creaminess.
• You can find Italian pancetta in specialty shops; in a pinch, you can always substitute with bacon.
• Towards the end of the cooking time, stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Serving Suggestions

Although this pasta recipe is great on its own, why not combine it with a tasty vegetable side dish like sauteed spinach or steamed green beans. These vegetable sides are flavorful, healthy and so easy to make!

Pea Recipes we love

Whether fresh or frozen, peas are versatile legumes with many culinary uses in Italian cuisine. In addition to soups and salads, you can also use them in stews, purées, risotto or pasta dishes. One of our favorite side dishes combining peas and orzo is this orzo risotto recipe. Adding asparagus makes it the perfect recipe for spring, just like this farro salad recipe.

Recipe origins

Whenever channel surfing on The Food Network, I always hope Nigella Lawson will magically appear. I love her passion for food and like so many, I could listen to her talk for hours on end!

I was inspired by Nigella’s “Pasta Risotto with Peas and Pancetta” found in her cookbook Nigellissima.

Over the years, I’ve made a few changes to adapt to my preferences. For example, instead of water, I use homemade vegetable broth. I also like to add dried red lentils to increase the fiber in the recipe. Finally, I replace the butter with one tablespoon of olive oil. 

This orzo pasta dish comes together in less than 20 minutes, so you have lots of time to do the dishes (if you want to) before running off to soccer practice.

Enjoy!

★★★★★ If you have made this orzo with peas, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe

This post was originally published on May 31, 2015, and republished on January 20, 2022, with updated content and photos. Thanks for sharing!