Orzo Risotto with Chorizo and Baby Spinach
Full of flavour from roast tomatoes, chunks of chorizo, stringy mozzarella and fresh spinach.
Ingredients
- 220g cherry tomatoes halved lengthways
- olive oil
- 0.5 tsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- thyme leaves finely chopped to make 1 tbsp
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 60g chorizo cut into 2cm pieces
- 200g orzo pasta
- 500ml boiling water
- 1 vegetable stock pot or cube
- 1 ball buffalo mozzarella torn into small pieces
- 50g parmesan finely grated
- 125g baby spinach
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas mark 6. Put the tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle over 1 tsp of olive oil, season with 0.25 tsp of salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and roast on the top shelf for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Fry the onion with 0.25 tsp of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, thyme, tomato purée and chorizo, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the orzo and stir until it is well coated.
- Pour in 500ml of boiling water along with the vegetable stock pot or cube, stirring to dissolve. Simmer, stirring occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, for 9 to 10 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the orzo is tender. If the liquid is absorbed before the orzo is cooked, add a splash of water and give it a couple more minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the mozzarella, half the parmesan and the roasted tomatoes. Stir gently, then add the spinach on top and put a lid on the pan for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spinach wilts, then stir gently together.
- Serve your orzo in bowls with the remaining parmesan sprinkled on top...and enjoy with some garlic bread or crusty bread on the side.
Notes
- This orzo risotto with chorizo and baby spinach recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.