One Pot Cheesy Taco Orzo
One Pot Cheesy Taco Orzo – picture the yumminess with this quick and delicious pot of perfect comfort food, ready in 30 minutes! Enjoy a big bowl of cheesy gooey goodness!
You know, I really feel like a domestic diva when I cook dishes like this, and by dishes like this I mean cook with ingredients I have in my fridge and pantry. Now I know my pantry is probably stocked with a lot more crap than most people, and yes I say crap because I have some stuff in there that I still don’t know what to do with, but needless to say the ingredients for this dish should be pretty easy for everyone to find in their pantry and fridge. I probably have at least 2 dozen different pastas, but I have to admit that my favorite pasta is orzo, probably because it looks like rice and it cooks really fast.
The thing is, I really dig this dish (do people still say dig?) because I’m a sucker for anything cheesy, especially cheesy pasta. And I even like to fool myself into thinking this dish is healthy because I did add some veggies to it, like the bell pepper and all those toppings like the tomatoes, green onions and olives.
At the very least, I think you should bookmark this recipe for a busy weeknight or when you’re in a pinch because you couldn’t get off any easier with making dinner. I even went ahead and made another video for you guys, which was another big struggle. After everything was said and done, I realized that for a lot of the video, I was actually in front of the camera and you couldn’t see much of what I was doing, thank God for cropping.
Another thing I love about this dish is how pretty and colorful it is, because as you all know we first eat with our eyes, and I’m all about colorful and pretty dishes. One last thing to mention here is the more cheese the better, although I only list one cup of shredded cheese in the ingredients list, go big or go home, especially if you’re looking for that super cheesy dish. Calories shmalories, forget about them, go for the cheese!
Do you love cheese as much as I do? Try these recipes!
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!
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One Pot Cheesy Taco Orzo
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Serves: 6
One Pot Cheesy Taco Orzo - picture the yumminess with this quick and delicious pot of perfect comfort food, ready in 30 minutes! Enjoy a big bowl of cheesy gooey goodness!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cups dry orzo
- 2 cups taco skillet sauce
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
- 1 tbsp hot sauce such as Sriracha
- 1 cup shredded cheese I used a blend of Mozzarella and Cheddar
Toppings (optional)
- tomatoes chopped
- olives chopped
- green onions chopped
- fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Add the ground beef to a large skillet and brown it over medium-high heat until it's no longer pink, breaking it up as you go along.
- Add the chopped onion and garlic to the skillet and let it cook for about a minute, then add the chopped bell pepper. Stir everything together and cook for about 3 minutes until the onion is translucent and the pepper is tender.
- Add the dry orzo to the skillet and turn the heat down to medium low. Stir in the taco skillet sauce and the chicken broth, season with salt and pepper then add the hot sauce. Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the cheese and remove from heat.
- Top with tomatoes, olives, green onions and fresh cilantro before serving.
Video
Recipe Notes
If you cannot find taco skillet sauce, regular taco sauce or enchilada sauce can be used. You can use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef. If you can't find orzo, small pastas such as shells or farfalle will work as well. If you use rice as a substitute, make sure to adjust the amount of chicken broth to suit the cooking instructions for the rice you're using. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used. ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 438kcal (22%)Carbohydrates: 49g (16%)Protein: 29g (58%)Fat: 13g (20%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Cholesterol: 63mg (21%)Sodium: 1145mg (50%)Potassium: 527mg (15%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 8g (9%)Vitamin A: 1280IU (26%)Vitamin C: 30.4mg (37%)Calcium: 125mg (13%)Iron: 3.2mg (18%)
Nutrition Facts
One Pot Cheesy Taco Orzo
Amount Per Serving
Calories 438 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 63mg21%
Sodium 1145mg50%
Potassium 527mg15%
Carbohydrates 49g16%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 1280IU26%
Vitamin C 30.4mg37%
Calcium 125mg13%
Iron 3.2mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Love this simple 30 minute recipe? Check out my cookbook, 30-Minute One-Pot Meals, 80 recipes in total!
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Natalie says
Very good recipe! I suggest eating it like nachos with tortilla chips!
Mike says
Another recipe we regularly use.
Mary says
I love this recipe, and my partner loves it even more! My only change is the amount of liquid. I usually have to double the amount of chicken stock or add the same amount of water as stock to get the orzo fully cooked. It’s an easy fix!
Jennifer says
Made this tonight for my very picky husband instead of regular tacos and he loveddddd it! (He had three servings!) This recipe makes so much and was delicious and very filling!
I omitted the olives and green peppers and finished it off with a teaspoon of sour cream. Fantastic.
I’m so glad I ran across your site. I have already bookmarked and will be sharing with my friends.
Nicole Beaulieu says
That’s awesome to hear! Thanks so much for sharing our recipes, we’re happy to have a new reader 🙂
Nancy Bryson says
I had hoped to try this recipe but I had never heard of Taco Skillet Sauce. So I then went to Amazon, hoping I could order some. I live on Vancouver Island in Campbell River and apparently they cannot deliver to my address. Do you have a recipe for Taco Skillet Sauce that I can make myself or is there something I can use in place of it?
Nicole Beaulieu says
We live in Calgary, and I’ve bought lots of skillet sauces from Safeway and Superstore if you have either of those nearby! We have a recipe for some homemade enchilada sauce. You can add a bit more cumin to bump up the taco flavor.
Nancy says
Thank you very much! I will look in Superstore that is here but it is nice to have the recipe you also provided.
Nicole Beaulieu says
No problem! Superstore is my go-to for all odds and ends 🙂
Kirami says
i love to replace orzo with a small spiral pasta and its SO GOOD