The last time I made this, I think I ate half of the batch by myself.
Here’s what makes this so good, for me:
The flavors of shallot, garlic, thyme. Mic drop.
A tomato cream sauce.
Little chewy, carby, textured bits that are delightfully all the same size – the orzo and the chickpeas just WANT to be together.
The way it clings together, the luscious creaminess, max flavor with the shallot, garlic, and fresh thyme. UGH.
We use DeLallo products all over the place in this kitchen – I always love their orzo (and my friend swears by their GF orzo) and their Castelvetrano oil in the squeeze bottle. But for this recipe I also really love all their little jarred tomato products as an add-in – the sun-dried tomatoes if you want to keep it classic to the Marry Me flavor profile, but also the fresh tomato bruschetta (personal fave), the calabrian chiles for something different, or the roasted tomatoes for a chunkier option.
Guys, a bonus that deserves mention: this comes together in practically 20 minutes. Maybe 30, tops. It’s easy, minimal cutting board activity, but still plenty of veg and protein in there. This girl is a teeny bit fancy but she’s also weeknight-ready.
Hope you love it.
(If you want an option with another protein – like chicken – the original Marry Me Chicken is here for you!)
A perfect 20-minute dinner! Chickpeas and orzo in a luscious, creamy, max-flavor tomato sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Marry Me Orzo
2 tablespoonsolive oil (this is the one I use)
1shallot, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 tablespoonstomato paste
1cuporzo(love this DeLallo orzo!)
3cupschicken broth(I use 3 cups water + 3 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon)
a small bundle of fresh thyme
1/2cupheavy cream
Optional Add-Ins and Toppings
1/4cup jarred sun-dried tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, Calabrian chiles, or similar
1–2cupsfresh spinach, torn into pieces
parmesan, red pepper flakes, and more thyme for topping
Instructions
Aromatics and Chickpeas: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and the garlic; sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the chickpeas and tomato paste; sauté for another 2-3 minutes until it has developed a deeper red color.
Cook Orzo: Add the orzo, chicken broth, and thyme sprigs; bring to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 7-9 minutes.
Finish Sauce: Remove the thyme sprigs. Keep the heat on low. Stir in the cream and simmer for 2-3 more minutes, until it’s totally luscious and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more cream if you want.
Add-Ins: Add your sun dried or fresh tomatoes and spinach, and stir them in until the spinach is wilted. Serve sprinkled with fresh herbs (I like thyme) and Parmesan.
Equipment
Basalt Nonstick Pans
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Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Category:Dinner
Method:Stovetop
Cuisine:Italian
Keywords: marry me pasta, marry me orzo, vegetarian marry me recipe
More Delightful Orzo Recipes
Greek Baked Orzo
Meatballs with Peppers and Orzo
Orzo Pasta Salad
Thanks to DeLallo for sponsoring this recipe!
The post Marry Me Chickpeas and Orzo appeared first on Pinch of Yum.