One pot broccoli cheddar salmon orzo. Beyond delicious, super easy to make and ready in 30 minutes. Pan-seared salmon fillets served with smooth orzo, plenty of broccoli and creamy cheddar cheese. A hug in a bowl!
Why this recipe works
This pasta dish tossed with cheddar, Parmesan and broccoli shows how satisfying something can be with such simple ingredients. It’s creamy, hearty and immensely comforting at the same time.
This broccoli cheddar orzo is super easy to make and incredibly delicious. The salmon, orzo and sauce are prepared in the same skillet, leaving you behind with almost no dishes. It’s a next-level dinner that will definitely satisfy your pasta cravings, and as an extra bonus it’s ready in just 30 minutes.
When tucking into a bowl of this dish, the first thing that will hit you is the texture. It’s smooth and full-bodied, but not heavy at all. The flavors are balanced, the earthy broccoli combined with creamy cheddar is just divine. With the salmon on top, the result is rich and decadent, and feels like a special treat.
The magic step for a smooth orzo is cooking the orzo in the sauce. This releases the starch and mingles it with the liquids, so it becomes glossy, luscious and creamy without using lots of cream. The other step is stirring the orzo occasionally. This will not only prevent it from sticking to the bottom of your skillet, but will also help to release more of its starches.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.
Ingredients, Tips & Substitutions
Salmon
- Salmon: Use salmon fillets of the same size and thickness so they can cook evenly. If you want to use skin-on salmon, no problem!
- Seasoning: A mix of salt, black pepper, garlic powder and sweet paprika.
- Oil and Butter: By mixing those together, you can increase the smoke point and the flavor.
Brocoli Cheddar Orzo
- Garlic and Onion: Aromatics to lift up the flavor.
- Orzo: It will add a silky texture to this dish, which you’ll won’t get with any other pasta. But if you can’t find it, try to go for a pasta variety that’s as small as possible.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli florets roughly chopped into small bite-sized pieces.
- White Wine: Dry white wine to deglaze the skillet. If you want to keep this alcohol-free, use extra chicken broth.
- Chicken Broth: You can also use vegetable broth.
- Half-and-half: You can substitute with heavy cream or 20% fat cream. But try not to use just milk.
- Cheese: Cheddar and Parmesan. Try different kinds of cheese like Swiss cheese, Pecorino or Gruyère. Best when freshly grated right off of the block so your sauce isn’t grainy.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning and cayenne pepper.
Helpful tips
- It’s important to use freshly-grated cheese for the creamiest result. While you can use pre-shredded cheese, it won’t melt as seamlessly because it has a “coating” which prevents it from sticking in the package, and this coating prevents the cheese from melting smoothly.
- Feel free to add extra veggies! Spinach, green asparagus or peas, they all a great match.
- Try it with shrimp instead of salmon.
- How to sear salmon? The biggest tip I can give you is to use a nonstick skillet and to make sure your pot or skillet is hot before adding the salmon fillets. Use a combination of butter and oil to get a perfect sear without burning. Then sear the salmon for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until crispy. A perfectly seared salmon should have a crispy outer layer and a super flaky center.
- Serve this broccoli cheddar salmon orzo with a leafy salad drizzled with caesar dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- If you have any leftovers, they’ll keep in the refrigerator for 1 day.
- Reheat in a nonstick skillet or pan over medium.
One Pot Broccoli Cheddar Salmon Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 salmon fillets
- 1 tsp salt divided
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 brown onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ cup white wine dry
- 1 small broccoli cut into florets, then roughly chopped
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup half-and-half
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- chili flakes for serving
- freshly ground black pepper for serving
Instructions
- Get your prep done before you start cooking. Pat the salmon fillets dry. Season both sides with pepper, paprika, garlic powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Cut the broccoli into florets, then roughly chop the florets into small bite-sized pieces.
- Heat oil and butter over medium high in a large skillet or pan. Add salmon fillets and cook 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from skillet onto a clean plate.
- Add garlic and onion, sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in orzo, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning and the remaining salt. Cook for 1 minute. Deglaze with white wine, simmer for 2 minutes while stirring and scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon.
- Add broccoli and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered while stirring occasionally to keep the orzo from sticking, until almost al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, shred the cheddar and grate the Parmesan cheese.
- Add half-and-half, shredded cheddar and grated Parmesan to the orzo. Stir until completely incorporated. Return salmon to the skillet and simmer over low for 3 more minutes or until the salmon is heated through.
- Top with lots of freshly ground black pepper and chili flakes. Serve. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
And …IF YOU LOVE THESE RECIPES … please consider supporting my work for just the cost of a cup of coffee.
Sign up for my NEWSLETTER to receive the latest recipes delivered straight to your inbox.
Simple, fast and tasty. I used a strong cheddar cheese and felt it was too salty. I would recommend a mild cheddar or omit one of the cheeses. Strong cheddar and parmesan made it salty and overpowering. Otherwise a great recipe and will definitively be making this again
Thanks for making!
I was excited to make this and it did make the cut of “worth another try”. In all fairness though, I did mess up a little in my steps with it being fast. But, for us, the main thing was we found it far too salty. This is a personal preference, but I will try it again and cut the salt in half. I should have followed my gut on this instead of the recipe. Many will be happy with the salt, we just don’t use a ton and so more than a tsp in a recipe did make me raise my eyebrows. However, it’s always great to have fast recipes that feel a bit special. If I got the seasoning right and got the sauce to be thicker (very possibly due to my bad direction following) this is a recipe I feel like I’d make for company on short notice.
Hi Caitlin, thank you so much for your comment. I modified the recipe and reduced the salt.
This was pretty bad, not gonna lie. Did all the steps right and it turned up more like pasta soup? Way too saucy. Not what I expected. I many of the other recipes by serving dumplings but just not this one.
Hi there, I’m really sorry to hear that the recipe didn’t turn out as expected for you. It’s possible that the type of orzo pasta used could have made a difference in the outcome. Next time you give it a try, I’d recommend simmering the orzo until the broth is fully evaporated before adding the half-and-half (just like described in step 5). This adjustment might help achieve the desired result. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any more questions or need further assistance. Happy cooking!
I threw this all away. It wasn’t edible. So disappointed. It ended up being a pasta soup. Leaving a comment so others know. Big fan of other recipes on this site but this just doesn’t work.
can this be frozen after cooked for freezer meal prep? And also can this be put in a crockpot instead?
Hi Hannah, yes, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. I haven’t tried making it in a crockpot yet, but I think it will work just fine. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy cooking!
I don’t normally leave comments on recipes but I felt this recipe warranted one. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever left a comment on a recipe in my 12+ years of cooking.
I added this to my meal plan because it looked and sounded so yummy. But then I read the comments about it being too salty or too soupy and almost changed my mind on making it. I ultimately decided to give it a shot. Worst case scenario I’d still have salmon, a veggie, and could make some rice really fast.
Well, I am pleasantly surprised at how well this turned out! It wasn’t soupy at all and I could taste all the flavors in my spices. I normally like to follow a recipe to the T the first time making it. But since the comments mentioned too salty, I left out the salt in the orzo. I figured it would be fine because the Parmesan is normally salty enough for us when I make Alfredo sauce. That was the only change I made.
I let the orzo cook in the broth until it was pretty much absorbed before adding the half and half. Then once I added the cheese it thickened up a bit and due to residual heat, the orzo continued getting thicker. It turned out perfectly for us.
I only rate this recipe 4 stars because the salmon seasoning wasn’t my favorite (I’m used to more spice like with blackened seasoning). I will definitely be making this again, but will be using a different seasoning for the salmon (probably my go to blackened seasoning). I’ll even be using this recipe just for the delicious orzo!
Thanks for sharing this delicious meal!
So glad you enjoyed Morgan! Thank you for giving it a try!
We have made this dish several times over the past few weeks, my husband and even my teenage daughter both love it! Great recipe, thank you!
You’re welcome Jackie! It makes me so happy to hear you’re all enjoying this recipe! x
Wanted to try something new and simple , it was really good , a nice trip to flavor town !
Thank you Yohn! Makes me so happy to hear that!
Haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I do intend to. It looks and sounds amazing! I’d be very appreciative of weight or cup measurements for the onion and broccolini. Thank you !
Hi, It’s 1/3 cup diced onion, and 300 g/12 ounces or 3 cups chopped broccoli florets. Enjoy the recipe!
We have been making this dish for a couple of months now and everyone in the family likes it, even the picky kids who don’t like veggies. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks Jackie! So happy to hear this recipe is a hit!
I made this for my family last night and everyone loved it! I was anticipating leftovers, as there are only 4 people in my family, but we ate all of it. I can’t wait to make this again. It is definitely a new family favorite. Thank you!
You’re welcome Sonia! So glad to hear this recipe was a hit!
This is delicious! I would stray from the exact recipe and use your cooking instincts. Never salt anything until the end. Taste it first, and see if it needs salt. I added about half of what was recommended. My sauce wasn’t as thick as I wanted (orzo was fully cooked and liquid mostly absorbed), but nothing a little cornstarch couldn’t fix!
Overall, I really liked this and will definitely make it again.
So glad you enjoyed Emma. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment!