Tomato & Bacon Orzo Recipe
Orzo is so underrated! It makes a brilliant alternative to risotto, and you can cook it directly in your sauce – meaning it absorbs all the lovely flavour! The bacon, sun-blushed tomatoes and crumbled chunks of cheddar all add little zings of flavour when you’re eating it too. So tasty!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 200 g (7oz) streaky bacon
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 400 g (14oz) tin finely chopped tomatoes
- 360 ml (1 ½ cups) chicken stock
- 200 g (7oz) dried orzo
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree (tomato paste)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 100 g (3.5 oz) baby spinach
- 250 g sun-blushed/sun-soaked tomatoes in oil drained
- 100 g (3.5 oz) cheddar cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat.1 tablespoon oil
- Add the bacon, and fry for 5-6 minutes, until crispy. Remove from the pan, leaving the oil behind. Turn the heat down to low.200 g (7oz) streaky bacon
- Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds, then add the tinned tomatoes, stock, orzo, tomato puree, salt and pepper.2 cloves garlic, 400 g (14oz) tin finely chopped tomatoes, 360 ml (1 ½ cups) chicken stock, 200 g (7oz) dried orzo, 1 tablespoon tomato puree (tomato paste), ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Stir together and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer, place a lid on and cook for 12-14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is cooked through.
- While the orzo is cooking, chop the bacon into small pieces.
- When the orzo is cooked, remove the lid and stir through the spinach, sun-blushed tomatoes and cooked bacon.100 g (3.5 oz) baby spinach, 250 g sun-blushed/sun-soaked tomatoes in oil
- Sprinkle the crumbled cheddar on top and serve.100 g (3.5 oz) cheddar cheese
Video
Notes
Tip: Be sure to give the orzo a good stir a few times during cooking. It takes a little longer to cook in the sauce then it would in water, and you need to stir it to ensure it cooks evenly, and doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan.
Make it vegetarian: Swap out the bacon for chopped up vegetarian sausages or vegetarian-style bacon alternative. Swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock.
Nutrition
Calories: 695kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 1835mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g
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