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This Peppery Pumpkin Orzo is the perfect fall lunch or dinner. It's inspired by cacio e pepe, so it has lots of freshly cracked black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Then, we bring in the best of fall/winter by stirring in roasted pumpkin (or butternut squash). The result is a silky, cozy, spoonable orzo that totally hits the spot.
It's no secret we're big fans of one-pot orzo recipes. Case in point: Lemon Spinach Orzo with Feta and One Pot Tomato Harissa Orzo. They're an easier version of risotto, with a lot less stirring and a faster cook time. (Although, this Mushroom Risotto recipe is downright delicious, if you're up for it!).
Why you'll love this recipe
- The perfect fall dinner: This cozy recipe is made with roasted pumpkin and silky orzo. The orzo is flavored with lots of black pepper and Parmesan cheese. It's a cacio e pepe inspired orzo, but with autumnal vibes!
- One pot: Usually orzo is boiled in a big pot of water like other pasta noodles. But in this recipe, the orzo gets cooked directly in the sauce. This method cuts down on dishes (one pot!), makes the orzo more flavorful, and the pasta starch helps thicken the sauce.
- Customizable: This recipe is flexible to suit your pantry and tastes! You can easily swap the pumpkin for butternut squash. If you're craving greens, stir in some spinach or kale. Want to make it vegan? Just use vegan butter and cheese.
Recipe Video
Watch a step-by-step video on how to make this pumpkin orzo!
Ingredients (and substitutes)
This Peppery Pumpkin Orzo recipe uses basic pantry ingredients and pumpkin. Here are the ingredients you need:
- Pumpkin: Roasted pumpkin makes this a perfect fall or winter main dish. Sugar Pie pumpkins are great for cooking. They're smaller in size and less fibrous. Alternatively, substitute a Butternut Squash or a similar winter squash. Don't use "Carving pumpkins" because they're grown more for decor than flavor.
- Orzo: Orzo (or Risoni) is a small rice-shaped pasta. Don't substitute a different pasta noodle because it'll need a different amount of liquid to cook properly.
- Vegetable broth: This recipe cooks the orzo in broth, rather than water, for more flavor. If you're not vegetarian, then you could use chicken broth instead. (We love this vegan/vegetarian No Chicken Bouillon.)
- Parmesan: Gives the orzo a rich, cheesy flavor. You could substitute Parmesan with another hard Italian-style cheese, like Grana Padano or Asiago.
- Tip: Some traditional cheeses (such as Parmigiano Reggiano DOP) are made with animal-derived rennet. If you need a vegetarian option, look for a cheese made with "microbial enzymes" (instead of "rennet").
- Pepper: This recipe uses lots of black pepper. It channels Cacio e pepe pasta vibes, which is delicious on its own. But even better paired with roasted pumpkin. Always use freshly ground pepper because it's more flavorful than pre-ground pepper.
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Looking for other pumpkin recipes? Check out Curried Pumpkin & Lentil Soup, Pumpkin Pie Parfaits and Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Biscotti.
How to make (step-by-step photos)
This flavorful dish starts with roasting pumpkin in the oven. While it bakes, you'll cook the orzo and sauce together in one pot. Here's how to make this recipe:
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Tips
- Use a sharp knife for cutting hard veggies: It might seem counter-intuitive, but a sharp knife is actually safer when cutting hard veggies, like squash. If your knife is dull, then it's time to get it sharpened!
- Roast extra pumpkin (or veggies) for meal prep: Since the oven is already on, you might as well bake extra veggies for the week. Just make sure to use a second baking sheet (and rack). Otherwise, if you crowd the pumpkin, it'll steam rather than roast.
- A food processor quickly grates Parmesan: If you don't want to grate a lot of Parmesan by hand, then whip our your food processor! We detailed this cooking hack in our cookbook (with step-by-step photos). But essentially all you have to do is chop the cheese into chunks, then pulse in the food processor until crumbled.
- Stir frequently to avoid sticking: If you don't stir the orzo frequently, it could stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Watch cook time—especially when using cast iron: Keep testing the orzo as it nears the end of its cooking time, to avoid overcooking it. It's important to remove the pasta from the heat when it's al dente. Because, the residual heat in the pan will keep cooking it. This is especially the case if using a cast iron skillet, because it retains heat well after it's removed from the stove.
- Add spinach or shredded kale for more greens: If you want to add more veggies to this dish, simply stir in chopped spinach or kale at the end.
- Freshly grind your pepper but not your salt: It's imporant to freshly grind your own pepper for the best flavor. But, there's no need to invest in a salt mill. Freshly ground salt makes no difference to flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Instead of pumpkin, you could substitute butternut squash or another winter squash.
All you need to do is use vegan butter and a meltable vegan Parmesan substitute.
We recommend scooping a portion into a bowl, stirring in a splash of water (about 1-2 tablespoons), then reheating in the microwave until warmed through. Top with a pat of butter, Parmesan cheese, and/or more black pepper.
Sides to serve with pumpkin orzo:
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📖 Recipe
Peppery Pumpkin Orzo
Ingredients
Roasted Pumpkin
- 2 lb sugar pie pumpkin (about 5 cups chopped, see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and black pepper
One Pot Orzo
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 diced yellow onion
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 12 oz dried orzo (2 cups)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons butter (see note 2)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper (see note 3)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (see note 2 and note 4)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Position an oven rack in the top-third of the oven. Preheat to 425℉ (218℃).
- Roast pumpkin: Peel and cut 2 lb sugar pie pumpkin into ⅓-inch (1 cm) cubes. Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Bake until golden-brown on the edges and tender in the middle, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Saute aromatics: Meanwhile, warm 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 3 cloves minced garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add orzo: Add 12 oz dried orzo to the skillet, toss to coat. Pour in 4 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce heat back to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until orzo is al dente (8 to 12 minutes).
- Finish: Remove skillet from heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons butter, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, and 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese until evenly mixed. Stir in roasted pumpkin. Taste and adjust season if needed. (To loosen orzo, you can add a splash more broth.)
Notes
- Pumpkin: You'll need a small pumpkin, such as a Sugar Pie pumpkin for this recipe. A 2 lb (0.9 kg) pumpkin will yield about 5 cups cubed, after de-seeding and peeling. You can substitute pumpkin for 5 cups of cubed butternut squash or a similar winter squash.
- Vegan option: Use vegan butter and a meltable vegan Parmesan cheese.
- Black pepper: Use freshly ground black pepper. Yes, this recipe intentionally uses a lot of pepper! We wanted the orzo to have flavors reminiscent of cacio e pepe. So, personally, we add even more black pepper as a garnish at the end. But, as always, use your tastebuds as a guide and adjust if needed.
- Parmesan cheese: You can substitute another hard Italian cheese, such as Grana Padano or Asiago. If you need a vegetarian-friendly cheese, look for "microbial enzymes" on the ingredient list (rather than "rennet", which is animal-derived).
- Storage and reheating tips: Keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Our preferred method of reheating is in the microwave. Scoop a serving in a pasta bowl, then stir in a splash of water (1 to 2 tablespoons), and microwave until warmed through. Top with more Parmesan, pepper, and/or a pat of butter if desired!
Andrea says
Another fantastic recipe! Made it as is (using butternut) the first time, and added spinach as well today. Such a winner.
bri says
Hi Andrea! Yay, so glad you enjoyed this orzo dish! The addition of spinach sounds delish. Thank you so you much for sharing!
Sarah S says
I made this using butternut squash. So yummy!
bri says
Hi Sarah! Yay, glad you enjoyed the butternut squash version. Thanks so much for sharing
Katie says
This risotto was a delight. I've had a pumpkin sitting on my counter (it was too small to carve for halloween!) for weeks and this finally inspired me to use it.
bri says
Hi Katie! So glad you enjoyed this pumpkin orzo recipe. Happy Halloween!