Fresh Mint and Mushroom Orzo
Updated Jul. 29th, 2024
We guarantee you’re going to amore this new dish! Orzo, meaning barley in Italian, is a form of short pasta that often gets over looked in the grocery aisle – that’s until now! When made with this creamy mushroom and mint, non-dairy sauce, this dish will satisfy your need for pasta without the guilt. Pair it with your grilled meats, or enjoy on it’s own – seeing as you’re splurging, we may as well tell you - we hear it goes great with a glass of Italian vino!
- Dairy Free
- Egg Free
- Sugar Free
- Vegetarian
Ingredients:
| 12 oz. orzo | ½ cup vegetable broth | ½ teaspoon sea salt |
| 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil | 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch | ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes |
| 2 cloves garlic, chopped | ½ cup non-dairy milk | handful fresh mint leaves, chopped |
| 2 portobello mushrooms, chopped | juice from ½ lemon | coarsely ground black pepper |
Directions
- Following the directions on the package, bring some water and salt to a boil in a large pot. Pour in the orzo and bring back to a boil. Orzo will be cooked when it is still firm, but tender – al dente! Strain out any extra water and set pasta aside.
- As the orzo is cooking, heat up the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. You will want to add in the minced garlic, sautéing slightly before adding in your mushrooms and cooking until golden brown and tender.
- In a small bowl, stir in broth and starch. Pour contents into the frying pan with your mushrooms. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Finally, bring the non-dairy milk and lemon juice to a simmer. Add in your seasonings of salt, pepper and red chili flakes. Tip: This is your sauce, so you will want it to thicken up a bit. If it’s not happening after it comes to a boil and simmers, add in a little more starch, whisking regularly.
- Now that your sauce is thickened, remove it from the stovetop and set aside. Stir in your mint and add your pasta. Stir to make sure everything is evenly coated.
- Serve warm!
Make It This Way
If you don’t have portobello or you’re simply not a fan, you are welcome to use any type of mushroom you choose. Remember to use unsweetened non-dairy milks, such as rice, hemp, soy, almond or coconut.
Try This
Mint can be a very distinctive taste, and if you’re not a fan of it that’s not a problem. Try switching it out for another fresh herb with equal amounts of flavor, such as thyme, basil or oregano. Serve as a main dish or as a side.
I am always looking for lectin free recipes for my diet. This recipe is definitely not lectin free. It was so close but they used Orszo. At the bottom of the recipe they had alternatives for some of the other ingredients. It would be nice if they included a lectin free alternative to grain ingredients like Orzo.
Hello,
Thank you for your suggestion, that it something we will look into. In the mean time, you can substitute the Orzo for any pasta that you know is lectin free.
Stay healthy & well.
This recipe looks so delicious I personally love orzo because of how tiny they are and the texture. I also love mushrooms so this looks like a great recipe! I love how it includes mint in it, mint is not an ingredient that I would associate with a dish that involves a startch so it was really cool and invative to see one with it incorporated into it! I also think that with the lemon and mint together it must taste very refreshing and light! Thanks for sharing!
Hello Oli,
Happy you enjoyed this recipe! It's fresh and tasty, isn't it?
Stay healthy & well.
ooooof. I have never liked orzo. And mont plus orzo...yikes! Brings up the bad memory of trying it in a dish my Mum made for me as a child. I especially hate the combination of mint and orzo. There is something about the texture of the orzo in liquid that really is offputting to me...
That said, I bet that some people would really enjoy this recipe! It reminds me of something that my Mother would make my Father as a nutricious meal. And the nutrition could be amped up more by using a cruciferous vegetable side plus whole grain pasta!