Cheesy Enchilada Orzo Pasta

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Cheesy Enchilada Orzo Pasta is a speedy skillet meal with enchilada sauce, orzo pasta and black beans that’s a perfect weeknight meal.

Everybody loves an easy orzo 30-minute meal that features the familiar, festive flavors of Mexican enchiladas, right?

Everybody loves an easy orzo 30-minute meal that features the familiar, festive flavors of Mexican enchiladas, right? We often enjoy a speedy skillet meal like this one that involves just one-pan and only two-steps.  #speedymeal #oneskillet #pasta #onepanmeal #enchiladas #orzo

One Skillet Cheesy Enchilada Orzo Pasta Recipe

It’s pretty easy to look at orzo pasta and think it’s RICE.

Upon studying it a bit closer, you’ll see that it’s actually a bit larger in size and definitely cooks much more quickly.

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And, just like any other pasta (or rice, for that matter) it’s got no flavor whatsoever, so it’s totally takes on the flavors of your dish.

In this case, that’s the big, bold flavors of enchiladas!

My family loves this dish and I’m a huge fan because I can have it on the table in a flash.

I love a good 30-minute speedy meal that only takes one, single pan!

Now, I do have to admit that my guys do prefer that I make the addition of cooked ground beef to this pasta dish.

No big surprise, right?  They are carnivores, so I get it and I’m glad to accommodate. 🙂

Ingredients for Mexican Orzo Skillet 

  • Orzo pasta
  • Broth: This recipe calls for vegetable broth, but feel free to substitute chicken broth or beef broth.
  • Black bean: Drain and then rinse the canned black beans, or, if you prefer, you can always cook up a batch of black beans in your Instant Pot – so delicious and they cook up so quickly.  I like to make a big batch of black beans in my Instant Pot and then freeze them in 1 cup portions in freezer bags.  If you don’t have black beans on hand, you can certainly substitute chili beans or pinto beans in this recipe.
  • Red enchilada sauce
  • Corn
  • Taco Seasoning
  • Colby-Jack cheese
  • Toppings of your choice: Feel free to add any toppings you like – extra shredded cheese, sliced black olives, salsa, picante sauce, sour cream, scallions, cilantro, tomatoes.

Everybody loves an easy orzo 30-minute meal that features the familiar, festive flavors of Mexican enchiladas, right? We often enjoy a speedy skillet meal like this one that involves just one-pan and only two-steps.  #speedymeal #oneskillet #pasta #onepanmeal #enchiladas #orzo

Why does orzo cook faster than rice?

Because orzo is actually pasta, it cooks much more quickly than rice and also takes on a creamy texture as it cooks.

You can stir it into lots of dishes – we especially like it in soups, salads, and it also makes super tasty side dishes, as well.

A couple of our favorite recipes that include orzo pasta are this Orzo Pasta Salad with Grilled Flat Iron Steak and Orzo Chicken Soup with Vegetables. 

If I don’t have broth on hand for this recipe, can I use water instead?

Yes, though broth definitely adds more flavor to this dish.

You can also substitute chicken or beef broth in place of the vegetable broth, if desired.

When you add all the ingredients to the skillet or pot to begin cooking, it will look as though there’s too much liquid.

Don’t panic! Just give the orzo time to simmer over medium heat and you’ll see that by the end of the cooking time.

The orzo pasta will have absorbed all of the liquid…AND all of the flavors of enchiladas, too!

Can I substitute cheddar cheese in place of the Colby-Jack cheese?

You can actually substitute any shredded cheese that you prefer – cheddar cheese is delicious as a topping for this enchilada orzo pasta meal.

I like to shred my cheese with my cheese grater at home since most pre-shredded cheeses you’ll purchase at the grocer are coated with anti-caking agents.

However, when I’m running short on time, I DO use pre-shredded cheese, let’s be clear!

Do I need to rinse the orzo pasta before I add it to this skillet meal?

No, you do not need to rinse orzo pasta before adding it to a skillet meal.

When cooking orzo pasta that will be served cool, say in a salad, go ahead and rinse the orzo.

Otherwise, don’t rinse the orzo, or you’ll remove the outside coating of starch, which helps sauces thicken and also enables them to cling to the pasta better, giving you more flavor in every bite!

Is it possible to cook orzo pasta in the microwave instead of simmering it on the stove top?

Yes, orzo is easy to cook in the microwave because of it’s small size and elongated shape.

Here’s how:

Combine the orzo pasta with the water or broth in a large microwave-safe bowl.

Cook on high power for  5-6 minutes or until the orzo has absorbed the liquid, is tender in texture and creamy in consistency.

Best water/broth to orzo pasta ration to use when cooking orzo pasta 

No matter how you cook orzo pasta, whether in the micro or in a saucepan on the stove, the liquid to orzo pasta ration stays the same:  2 parts liquid to 1 part orzo.

This may seem like a small amount of pasta, but in reality, as orzo absorbs the liquid as it cooks, it really plumps up!

I find myself cooking 1 cup of orzo in two cups of broth as a general rule, for most side dish recipes and skillet meal recipes.

Is orzo considered healthy?

Orzo by itself isn’t unhealthy, but it IS pasta, so it’s a bit carb-laden.

And, as we all know, with carbs we can have a tendency to add cheeses and sauces that can add lots of calories and fat before we realize it – so yummy!

Everybody loves an easy orzo 30-minute meal that features the familiar, festive flavors of Mexican enchiladas, right? We often enjoy a speedy skillet meal like this one that involves just one-pan and only two-steps.  #speedymeal #oneskillet #pasta #onepanmeal #enchiladas #orzo

Other Recipes to Enjoy 

Everybody loves an easy orzo 30-minute meal that features the familiar, festive flavors of Mexican enchiladas, right? We often enjoy a speedy skillet meal like this one that involves just one-pan and only two-steps.  #speedymeal #oneskillet #pasta #onepanmeal #enchiladas #orzo

Cheesy Enchilada Orzo Pasta

Chef Alli
Cheesy Enchilada Orzo Pasta is a speedy skillet meal with enchilada sauce, orzo pasta and black beans that's a perfect weeknight meal. 
Servings: 6
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup dry orzo pasta
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 20 oz. mild red enchilada sauce, may substitute green enchilada sauce, if desired
  • 2 cups frozen sweet corn, thawed
  • 2 Tbs. of your favorite taco seasoning
  • 1 cup shredded Alma Creamery Co-Jack Cheese
  • optional toppings: diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, sliced black olives, sour cream, fresh salsa, sliced avocados

Instructions
 

  • Combine orzo, broth, black beans, enchilada sauce, corn, and taco seasoning in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, stir ring to combine.
  • Cover the skillet, cooking over medium heat for 20-25 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is plumped and nicely tender.
  • Uncover the skillet, giving the orzo a gentle stir, then sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top; cover once more and remove from the heat, allowing the cheese to melt.
  • Serve at once with the desired toppings.

Notes

www.ChefAlli.com
This also makes a great filling for quesadillas!  Feel free to add cooked ground beef to this speedy meal - it's a delicious option. 

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 16gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 1607mgPotassium: 414mgFiber: 9gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1229IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 181mgIron: 3mg
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