Tomato beef orzo, a one pot meal that’s immensely satisfying and so easy to make. Orzo and ground beef simmered together in a silky tomato sauce for a super hearty and ultra flavorful dinner. Top with chopped parsley, add plenty of grated Parmesan and dig in. Everyone in the house will enjoy this dish. Extra bonus? It’s ready in 30 minutes!
Why you’ll love this one pot pasta recipe
One-pan dinners are a busy weeknight’s best friend and definitely win the best-thing-ever-created-award. This Greek-inspired orzo and ground beef dish bursts with flavor and is ready in no-time. It’s a seriously easy meal, but it’s so good!
We start by cooking the ground beef with garlic, onion and spices until your kitchen smells amazing. Stir in tomato paste and add the orzo. Next, slowly pour in the chicken broth. Cook the orzo risotto-style, stirring every few minutes until it’s al dente and silky. This takes about 10 minutes, so no worries, no standing at the stove for an hour. Once the orzo is al dente, stir in some parsley and plenty of freshly grated parmesan.
This is a busy weeknight’s dinner dream… everything comes together in just one pot and is fuss-free and crazy delicious. Try it with ground chicken or lamb, and don’t forget to add a simple cucumber-tomato salad on the side.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.
Helpful tips
- Swap beef for ground veal, chicken or lamb.
- Serve without meat for a vegetarian version.
- Stir in spinach, zucchini or peas for an extra hit of green.
- Serve with green beans, roasted broccoli, a Greek feta salad, leafy greens salad or this cucumber-tomato salad or creamy cucumber salad.
- Sprinkle with crumbled feta.
How to store one pot orzo with ground beef
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stove when ready to serve. It will keep for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Feel free to freeze leftovers or prepare a large batch for future meals. Store in airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
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One Pot Tomato Beef Orzo
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small brown onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup red wine optional
- 5 ounces tomato paste
- 1 cup orzo uncooked
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan
- crushed red pepper flakes for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium and butter in a large nonstick skillet. Add ground beef and break it up into pieces. Cook until it starts to brown. Add garlic and onion. Stir in salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme and cinnamon. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in red wine, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add orzo, stir until combined. Pour in 3 cups broth, add bay leaf and bring to a boil. Simmer over low for 10-15 minutes, until orzo is al dente (according to the package directions). Stir occasionally to prevent orzo from sticking to the bottom of your skillet. Add the remaining broth.
- When ready, sprinkle with lemon juice and stir in grated parmesan. Taste and adjust salt. Finish off with chopped parsley, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
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I was having a frantic day, and needed a big bowl of comfort. I’m so glad I saw this recipe, it was fantastic. I added broccoli too, and it turned out great. Thank you, Anna! My boyfriend loved it too
You’re welcome Ameer!
Very quick to make, I had all the ingredients already as tasty
So glad you enjoyed it Maree!
Hi 🙂 Do you know if you can freeze this recipe and if it reheats well? Thanks!
Hi Holly, yes, you ca freeze it for up to 3 months. To reheat; let thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat over medium until heated through. Happy cooking!
Made this tonight and so so good. Directions were spot on. It smelled delicious cooking and was so easy. Luckily I did stir every couple minutes as that orzo wants to start sticking pretty fast. But a flat wooden spatula kept it moving! The cinnamon then the dash of lemon at the end were so unusual but don’t skip them!! They added so much to this recipe. It reminded us of a more complex tasting spaghetti without all the pasta.
We will make it again for sure!
So glad you enjoyed it Stacy!
Loved it! I kept it halal so didnt use the red wine. Also only had just a little of parmesan. I skipped all the spicy ingredients and still it was great. Had 2 bowls and wanted more of it. I topped it with some feta cheese
It makes me so happy to hear that. Thanks for making Hafi!
This is a wonderful meal full of mediterranean herbs and spices. The thyme gives it a wonderful lemon note and this is encouraged by the dash of lemon at then end. I will be making this for my family again and again!
Thanks so much Robin!
So easy and so delicious! There’s only 2 of us so having it again tonight. I chopped a zucchini and threw in a handful of spinach. So good
Glad you enjoyed it Kathleen!