It is not often I share a recipe on here. So you know when I do it is a good one. I am obsessed with BASIL. Ever since growing it last year for the first time, I devour it any chance I get. In fact, on my 35th birthday last year, my hubby was talking to my son about what they should get me for the big day. My son replied “I don’t know but it must have basil in it, she LOVES BASIL.” It’s true! While most green leafy things turn me off I give anything with BASIL a chance. Last year I experimented and made basil butter, which is divine, and now I am have another basil yum yum for you. Parmesan Basil Orzo. It is a quick and simple side dish perfect for summer meals.
Tip: If you, like me, didn’t know what orzo is it is a small pasta shaped like rice. You can find it in the pasta section of your grocery store.
Ingredients:
1 cup orzo
1 cup water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 cup of shredded parmesan
1/4 cup of finely chopped basil
2 tablespoons of butter
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1. Heat a skillet on medium-high. Mix the orzo with the butter and brown the it slightly.
2. Add a cup of water and the bouillon cube. Cover and turn to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
3. While the orzo is simmering, finely chop the basil. I like to use my Pampered Chef Food Chopper.
4. Add parmesan, basil, salt and pepper to the orzo. Stir well and serve.
The perfect summer side dish. Yum!
We are soul sisters! Well, okay, I’m too old to be your sister. So maybe we could be soul aunt-and-niece. Anyway, I’m a basil fanatic, too! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Do you also like tomatoes? If so, I’ll share my recipe for bruschetta with you. For me, tomatoes AND fresh basil make life in July wonderful!
WOW! Never thought of using ORZO for a side dish! DUH!! I always used it in soups!! Love this idea!! Thanks so much!!
You’re welcome! Let me know what you think it you try it.
{Giggle} I love bruschetta and would love to try your recipe! Interestingly, I used to hate tomatoes, but now that I am older I am starting to enjoy them. I think my garden helped me!
I already know we’ll love it! In the winter we like to make our soups really THICK with any kind of pastina type macaroni. Sometimes we tease we like a little “soup” with our pasta! LOL! So this should really be a great side for us. Heavens, even orzo with just butter, salt/pepper, & parmesan cheese is good! LOL!
I hope you get a chance to try it. I will definitely be using orzo in pasta come winter – with basil of course {wink}.
The Orzo recipe looks wonderful and I’m eager to try it. I’m looking for an easy print button though, so it doesn’t print off as a six page recipe! Are my eyes missing this or do you have a suggestion?
Thanks so much!
Trudi
Could you copy and paste what you want into Word to print?
Could this recipe work with quinoa as well?
Sure, you could definitely try it.