By now you know that it’s my ongoing mission to come up with fresh ideas of what to do with that packet of beef mince we buy in the shopping every week. We know it’s a cut that makes sense for everyone in the family because it’s so versatile, value for money and delicious so.. Meet my One Pan Orzo Bolognese!I hope this new-but-not-too-new beef and orzo recipe ticks every box you need for a fantastic but simple midweek meal.
Why you’ll love this recipe
⭐️ A new twist on a classic fave ⭐️ Rich and delicious ⭐️ A little goes a long way While you can cook it on the hob, like this one and my Simple Sausage Orzo, Marry Me Chicken Orzo and Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo, it’s also easy to cook in the oven in pasta bakes like my Butternut Squash & Halloumi Orzo Bake and Meatball Orzo Bake, in pasta salads like this orzo recipe, or in the slow cooker, like my Lamb Orzo Stew.
How I came up with this orzo recipe
I did a lot of testing for this recipe to make sure it was just right – balancing out the flavours with the orzo and ensuring it was the right level of richness for such a quick cook dish. It’s also important not to let orzo dry out or overcook.I’ve adapted my favourite bolognese recipe and method, as well as my popular One Pan Lasagne from my first book ‘What’s For Dinner’, to create this orzo-based bolognese dish.
Substitutions
Veggies – You can use your preferred bolognese additions, such as mushrooms or courgettes. Vegetarian/vegan – You can use a beef mince alternative to make this a vegetarian dish. Replace the parmesan for a vegan alternative too if you wish.
In the freezer Orzo is always at its best when cooked and eaten immediately, but that’s not to say it won’t still be delicious if it’s out of the freezer. The texture can just become very stodgy. See the tip above for reheating. You can replace the individual carrots, celery and onion ingredients for a frozen bag of ‘soffritto’, which comes already pre-chopped and all together in one bag. (I love this cheat for lots of recipes!) It might be called ‘vegetable base mix’ or something similar in some supermarkets. Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
