I love Italian food, and I adore making risotto. This orzo risotto with tomatoes, saffron, mushrooms, and chorizo is easier to make with rice and is incredibly delicious.
Orzo, or risoni, is a rice‑shaped pasta that serves as a perfect substitute for Arborio rice. Like rice, it should be cooked al dente so it doesn’t become mushy in the dish. Another great thing is that you can have all the ingredients ready and cooked in advance, then simply add the cooked orzo just before serving.
I love the flavors in this risotto. The tomato and saffron go deliciously together, and the chorizo and mushrooms add even more flavor to the dish. It’s creamy, rich, and highly addictive.
Main course
Kitchen: Lower
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Servings: 3 people
Author: Lorena Salinas of Cravings Journal
Ingredients
For the baked cherry tomatoes
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Cherry tomatoes, halved | 12 |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp |
| Salt and pepper | to taste |
| Garlic | 1 clove |
For the orzo risotto
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Spanish or Italian chorizo | 100 g |
| Finely chopped onion | 100 g |
| Garlic, finely chopped, ground or grated | 2 cloves |
| Saffron | a pinch |
| Canned chopped tomatoes (with the tomato juice it comes in) | 300 g |
| Portobello mushrooms or small white mushrooms | 200 g |
| Fresh cream | 200 g |
| Thyme, leaves only | 4 branches |
| Orzo / risoni type pasta | 200 g |
| Salt and pepper | to taste |
Instructions
For the baked cherry tomatoes
- Place the tomatoes and garlic clove on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and toss with olive oil.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20‑30 minutes, or until softened and beginning to brown.
- Set aside.
For the orzo risotto
- Toast the saffron over very low heat, stirring constantly. When you smell its aroma, it’s ready. Set aside.
- Cut the chorizo into half‑moons and cook over medium‑low heat until the fat renders and it’s cooked through. Once cooked, remove it and set it aside.
- Cook the onion in the chorizo fat until soft and translucent. (If you’re sautéing the chorizo to make it vegetarian, use a drizzle of olive oil to cook the onion.)
- Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they release liquid and it has completely evaporated.
- Add the tomatoes and their juice to the pan and heat. When it starts to steam, add the cream, salt, pepper, thyme, and saffron.
- Cook until the amount of liquid has reduced by 1/3 and it becomes creamy.
- Add the orzo or risoni, cooked slightly less than al dente. (If you took it out of the oven well in advance, toss it with olive oil to prevent sticking.) Finish cooking it in the sauce.
- Serve with oven‑roasted cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese to taste.
Video Guide 🎀
Grades (Notes)
If you can’t find canned tomatoes, replace them with 600g of fresh tomatoes (peeled and seeded) and 4 tbsp of tomato paste or concentrate. First, add the tomato paste and garlic and cook them together, then add the finely chopped tomatoes.