Tomato Orzotto (One Pot & Ready in 30 Minutes!)
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This tomato orzotto is my answer to a risotto craving on a busy weeknight, when stirring at the hob for 40 minutes just isn’t happening. It’s orzo cooked the risotto way, so you get all that silky comfort in half the time, and if you loved my Marry Me Orzo you’ll be very happy here. A tube of tomato purée, a drizzle of honey and a spoonful of mascarpone do the heavy lifting in one pot, and it portions up beautifully for the week.
Recipe Summary: Tomato Orzotto
- ✅ Recipe Name: Tomato Mascarpone Orzotto
- 🕦 Ready in: 30 mins
- 🤝 Serves: 5
- 🍴 Calories: 502 kcal
- 🧑🍳 Main ingredients: Tomato purée, Orzo, Mascarpone, Honey
- ✨ Summary: This creamy tomato orzotto is made in one pot with cupboard staples and a spoonful of mascarpone. Ready in 35 minutes and perfect for meal prep.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- No pricey punnets of cherry tomatoes needed. Tomato purée gives you deep, sweet flavour for a fraction of the cost.
- Built for meal prep: Five portions that keep for 4 days, which is why it’s one of my favourite meal prep recipes.
- Creamy without the cream: Mascarpone gives this tomato mascarpone orzo a rich, velvety finish, no double cream required. It’s such a nostalgic flavour combo, so this recipe is really comforting to me.
- Easy protein boost: Top with air fryer chicken bites and each bowl hits 34g of protein.
Table of Contents
Ingredients For Tomato Orzotto
This one pot orzo leans on a handful of cupboard basics.
- Tomato purée: Cooking it off for a couple of minutes turns it sweet and jammy.
- Orzo: The rice-shaped pasta releases starch as it simmers, creating that creamy, risotto-style texture.
- Mascarpone: Stirred in off the heat, it melts into a silky sauce and softens the tomato’s sharpness.
- Honey: Just a teaspoon balances the acidity of the purée.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
- Make it veggie: Use vegetable stock and skip the chicken topping.
- Add greens: Stir spinach or chopped kale through for the last few minutes. For more veg-packed ideas, my Broccoli Stalk Pasta is a zero-waste winner.
- Swap the cheese: Cream cheese or ricotta work in place of mascarpone, or crumble in feta for a salty tang, a bit like my Baked Feta Pasta in orzo form.
How to make tomato orzotto
Step 1: Soften the onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Step 2: Stir in the tomato purée and honey and cook until it darkens.
Step 3: Add the orzo and stir to coat it in the tomato mixture.
Step 4: Pour in the stock and simmer, stirring often, until the orzo is tender.
Step 5: Take the pan off the heat and stir through the mascarpone.
Step 6: Serve and top with parsley and chilli flakes.
Tips for the best result
- Cook the purée out. Give it a full 2 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens slightly. This will remove the harsh metalic taste and will deepen the flavour.
- Stir often, like a risotto. Orzo loves to stick, so use a deep, heavy pan and keep it at a gentle simmer.
- Hold back the last of the stock. Start with 1.2 litres and only add the remaining 200ml if it looks dry.
- Add the mascarpone after turning the heat off. This keeps the sauce smooth and stops it from splitting.
- Serve it slightly loose. Your orzo meal prep will keep thickening in the fridge, so a saucier finish means creamier leftovers.
Serving Suggestions
This tomato orzotto is lovely on its own, but a veg side makes it go even further. Garlicky green beans or a peppery rocket salad dressed in lemon cut through the creamy sauce nicely, while my Panzanella Salad with Halloumi turns it into more of a feast. For a protein hit, pile it next to crispy Baked Chicken Drumsticks, or go smoky with my Chipotle Chicken. Cooking for meat lovers? Juicy Pork Steak in Oven is a brilliant match for the rich tomato flavours.
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
Refrigerator: keep in airtight containers for up to 4 days. It thickens as it cools, which is normal.
Freezer: freeze portions for up to 3 months and defrost overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: add a splash of water and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway, until piping hot.
Tomato Orzotto FAQs
Tomato orzotto (sometimes called an orzo risotto) is orzo cooked like a risotto, so its starch creates a creamy sauce in about half the time.
Usually the stock went in all at once or the orzo came off the heat too early. Keep simmering until most of the liquid is absorbed, and remember it thickens as it rests.
Yes! It keeps for 4 days in the fridge. Just loosen it with a splash of water before reheating.
Top it with the air fryer garlic chicken from the recipe notes for around 597 kcal and 34g protein per portion.
Absolutely. Cream cheese is the closest swap, and ricotta gives a lighter creamy tomato orzo. Stir either in off the heat.
Explore More Pasta Recipes
If you tried this Tomato Mascarpone Orzotto, it would mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Tomato Mascarpone Orzotto
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 7 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp honey
- 500 g orzo
- 1.4 litres chicken or vegetable stock
- 90 g mascarpone
- Juice of half a lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
To serve
- fresh parsley finely chopped
- chilli flakes optional
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato purée and honey and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the purée darkens slightly.
- Add the orzo and stir to coat it in the tomato mixture.
- Pour in 1.2 litres of the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often so the orzo doesn’t stick, until it’s tender and most of the stock is absorbed. Add the remaining stock a splash at a time if it starts to look dry.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir through the mascarpone until creamy. Add the juice of half a lemon and season with salt and pepper.
- Divide between bowls or meal prep containers and finish with fresh parsley and chilli flakes, if using.
Notes
• Stir often. Orzo loves to stick, so use a deep, heavy pan and keep it at a gentle simmer.
• Hold back the last of the stock. Start with 1.2 litres and only add the remaining 200ml if it looks dry. Adding chicken: If you want to add chicken like I did in my meal prep reel, cut 400g chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and toss with 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp garlic granules, 1 tsp dried parsley, salt and pepper. Air fry at 200°C for 12 minutes, shaking halfway, until cooked through with no pink in the middle. Serve on top of the orzotto. With chicken, each serving is approx. 597 kcal, 34g protein, 83g carbs and 15g fat.
Nutrition
