Roasted Tomato Pesto Orzo

This Roasted Tomato Pesto Orzo is a simple vegan dinner idea that has tons of flavor with very little effort. Tomatoes, garlic & shallots are roasted until they burst. Then they are added to toasted orzo with broth and cooked until the orzo is tender. Topped off with vegan pesto & fresh basil. This is an easy, tasty orzo recipe that you will want to make again & again!

Step One: Roast the Tomatoes

Roasting the tomatoes before adding them to the orzo makes them super tender! It does add some extra time to this recipe, but trust me, it’s worth it!

Add tomatoes, smashed garlic, chopped shallot, oil and a pinch of salt & pepper to a baking dish. Toss to coat and place in the oven for 40 minutes.

When they come out of the oven the tomatoes should have burst and the garlic & shallots should be super tender!

You can use any kind of tomatoes. I used mini heirloom tomatoes. My second choice would be cherry or grape tomatoes. If you decided to use a larger type of tomato, you will want to half or quarter them before roasting.

Step Two: Prep the Orzo

After the tomatoes have roasted heat some oil in a skillet. Add dry orzo and toast for a couple of minutes. Add some tomato paste and continue to toast for another couple minutes. Add Italian seasoning, pepper & red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. The orzo should smell toasted and have a nice brown color to it.

Pour in everything from the baking dish (including the juices), some broth and vegan pesto. Gently smash the tomatoes & garlic with the back of a wooden spoon.

Bring to a boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the lid add some non-dairy milk and smash the tomatoes again. Bring to a boil again, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Smashing the tomatoes at each step ensures that they are fully broken down and incorporated in the orzo.

Step Three: Serve

When you remove the lid for the second time, the orzo should be cooked through and the tomatoes should have created a luscious sauce. Taste and add salt if needed – my broth had enough salt in it, so I didn’t add any. If for some reason the orzo isn’t cooked through all the way, you can add a little more liquid and let it cook for another 5 minutes.

Plate the orzo and top it with a little more pesto and some fresh basil. This is best served right away – the longer the orzo sits, the tighter the sauce will get. If you have leftovers, you can add a little bit of broth when reheating to loosen it back up.

This orzo dish is a must make. It has simple ingredients and delicious flavors.