Creamy Mushroom Orzo (One Pot)

This Risotto Style Mushroom Orzo is wrapped in a creamy sauce and all made in one pot!

orzo in white bowl garnished with parsley with two forks resting on bowl
Baked Chicken and Potatoes
Orzo Mushroom Risotto
One of the awesome things about this recipe is it’s minimal fuss. You get the same gorgeous flavours and texture of a risotto, without having to slave over the stove slowly adding liquid. Orzo is essentially tiny bits of pasta, and like many other pastas, you can get away with cooking it straight in the liquid without spoiling the texture.

One Pot Orzo
Just like a risotto, everything here is cooked in one pot. No need to boil and drain the orzo, the starch will actually help create a thick and creamy sauce.

White Wine
Also similar to a risotto, one of the key ingredients here is white wine. This will help cut through the richness of the creamy, starchy and buttery sauce. It also adds a really gorgeous background flavour to the dish. You’ll simmer it until it’s almost all evaporated, so it’s not overpowering at all, but still makes the world of difference.

Process shots: add mushrooms , fry until brown then remove , melt butter and fry onion , add garlic and reduce down wine , add in mushrooms and orzo , pour in stock and cream, then add thyme and parsley.

How to make mushroom orzo – 6 step by step photos

Mushroom Orzo
The obvious star of the show here is the mushrooms, and as such it’s important to try and get the most out of them. For this recipe you’ll want to fry the mushrooms in 2 batches. Alongside this, here’s another couple of points to consider when frying mushrooms:

Overcrowding the pan – putting too many mushrooms in the pan at once will cause the mushrooms to steam instead of fry.
Don’t annoy them – don’t shake them about every 2 seconds. Plonk them in, spread them out and leave them to brown on one side. Then give them a stir to brown the other side.
Salt – adding salt to the mushrooms will draw out moisture, so do it after they’ve browned. Adding before will again steam instead of fry the mushrooms.
What mushrooms to use?
Here I use chestnut mushrooms. I love their ‘meaty’ texture and flavour. But you can use any variety of mushroom you fancy, just ensure they’re all sliced to even sizes so they cook at the same rate.

Can I store/reheat leftovers?
Yep! Tightly cover in the fridge or freezer, then reheat on a low heat on the stove with a splash of liquid to loosen out the sauce (stock, milk or cream).

CREAMY MUSHROOM ORZO
This Risotto Style Mushroom Orzo is wrapped in a creamy sauce and all made in one pot!

Ingredients (check list):
▢2 cups / 400g Uncooked Orzo
▢1lb / 500g Mushrooms, sliced (here I use Chestnut Mushrooms)
▢3 1/2 cups / 875ml Chicken Stock (not piping hot!)
▢1 cup / 250ml Heavy/Double Cream at room temp
▢1/2 cup / 120ml Dry White Wine (see notes)
▢1/2 cup / 40g freshly grated Parmesan (plus more to serve)
▢2 tbsp Butter

▢2 fat cloves of Garlic, minced
▢1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Parsley (plus a pinch more to garish)
▢2 tsp finely diced Fresh Thyme (can sub 1/2-3/4tsp dried thyme)
▢1 medium Onion finely diced
▢Olive Oil, as needed
▢Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions:
In a large pot over medium heat add a drizzle of olive oil, then place in half your mushrooms. Leave to brown on one side, flip them over then season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue frying until nicely browned then remove to a side bowl and repeat with the second batch, adding more oil as needed. Remove again once done. It’s important to not cram in the mushrooms or they’ll steam and lose flavour. Also important to not move them about too much or they won’t brown.
Melt in 1 tbsp butter, then add your onion. Fry until it begins to brown/soften, then add in the garlic. Continue frying for another min then pour in white wine. Allow the wine to simmer and reduce for a good 5mins, until it’s almost all evaporated, deglazing the pan as necessary. It’s important to ensure you reduce down the wine or it’ll be too strong in the sauce.
Pour in the orzo and add back in your mushrooms. Pour in stock and cream, then sprinkle in parsley, thyme and salt & pepper. Important your cream is at room temp and your stock isn’t piping hot or it’ll curdle the cream. Give it a good stir then bring it to simmer. Keep the heat on low, stirring frequently until the orzo is cooked and the sauce has thickened.
Remove from heat and stir through your second tbsp of butter and your parmesan. If you over reduce the sauce just add a splash more stock. Serve with extra parmesan/parsley!

Notes:
a) Stock – You can substitute veg stock, but chicken stock is preferable. Chicken and mushroom is a classic flavour! In both cases just make sure the stock isn’t piping hot or it may curdle the cream.
b) Wine – The wine cuts through the richness of the sauce and adds a real ‘restaurant quality’ finish. Most, if not all of the alcohol will burn off, but if for whatever reason you don’t want to use it just add more stock.
c) Leftovers – Cool and tightly cover in the fridge (2-3 days, longer at your discretion) or freezer (up to one month). Thaw in the fridge then reheat on the stove on low heat with a splash of stock, milk or cream. Just to loosen up the sauce again.
d) Calories – based on using 1 tbsp olive oil to fry mushrooms, salted butter and no extra parmesan.