Best Baked Tomato Mozzarella Orzo Recipes

CHEESY BAKED ORZO

Steps:

• Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the grated garlic.
• Once the cream is hot, mix in 1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese.
• Cook the orzo according to the package, making sure to salt the pasta water. Once cooked, drain the water out.
• Add the hot cheesy cream into the pot of pasta and stir to combine.
• Place the pasta in a buttered 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
• Shred the mozzarella and sprinkle 1 cup over the orzo along with 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes or until the cheese becomes golden brown.

BAKED TOMATO & MOZZARELLA ORZO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the orzo into a medium casserole dish, then stir in the oil, red peppers, olives, chilli flakes and dried oregano. Tip in the chopped tomatoes, then refill the can halfway with water and pour that in too. Give everything a good mix, season, then cover and bake for 20 mins until the pasta is almost cooked. Take it out of the oven and give the orzo a stir. Remove the foil and return to the oven for a further 5 mins.
• Heat the grill to high. Take the orzo out of the oven and tear the mozzarella over the top, then grill until melted and bubbling. Serve with salad on the side, if you like.

BAKED ORZO WITH TOMATOES, ROASTED PEPPERS AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, and add the orzo. Cook eight minutes, or until it is cooked through but still firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the diced roasted pepper and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, wide skillet. Add the zucchini and cook - stirring and turning over the slices, or tossing them in the pan - until just cooked through and lightly colored, about five minutes. Scrape into the bowl with the orzo.
• Return the pan to the heat, add the final tablespoon of oil and the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds, and add the tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and smell fragrant. Taste and adjust seasoning. Scrape into the bowl with the orzo, add the Parmesan or goat cheese, and mix everything together. Add freshly ground pepper to taste, and adjust salt. Transfer to the baking dish.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is just beginning to color. Serve hot or warm.

BAKED TOMATOES WITH ORZO AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Halve the tomatoes, hollow and place in an oven to table baking dish. Mix the rest of the ingredients, except the cheese together in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Carefully stuff the tomatoes and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes and serve immediately.
• FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
• Slice green tomatoes. Dust with flour, shaking off excess. Dip into beaten egg and coat with bread crumbs. Heat vegetable or peanut oil and fry slices until golden brown on both sides.
• TIP:
• ROASTING TOMATOES
• Heat a dry cast iron skillet until almost smoking, and add your whole tomatoes. Or place the whole tomatoes on a broiler tray. Turn them frequently, until they are blackened and charred on all sides. Peel off the blackened skin, and use in place of regular tomatoes for your salsas or tomato sauces.

CHEESY BAKED ORZO WITH MARINARA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees and bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain the orzo and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a very large (12-inch) ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant (don't let the garlic burn), about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt and cook, tossing often, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the marinara, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.
• Stir the cooked orzo into the sauce. Stir in the mozzarella, sprinkle the Parmesan on top, and bake, uncovered, until the Parmesan is melted and the pasta is heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with additional basil, and serve warm.

BAKED TOMATOES STUFFED WITH ORZO

Steps:

• Remove the center pulp and seeds from the tomatoes, hollowing them out well.
• Lightly sprinkle into each tomato a little sugar, salt, pepper and oregano; place four cubes of mozzarella in each tomato.
• Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the onion in it until soft; stir in the orzo, stirring well so each grain of pasta is coated.
• Pour in 2 cups of the chicken broth, stir well, and simmer until it is absorbed, adding more broth gradually until the orzo is about three quarters cooked; firmer than al dente.
• Blend in the Parmesan, stirring it in well. Spoon the orzo mixture into the hollowed tomatoes, filling them.
• Place the filled tomatoes in a casserole or baking dish with 1/2 cup of hot broth in the bottom of the dish.
• Bake, covered, for 15 minutes; remove the cover and cook an additional 10 minutes.