zucchini orzotto with lemon
using up the last of the zucchini from your garden
hi! happy almost mid-september! what the heck!
anyways, I can just feel how antsy we all are for some fall weather. I am never one to wish summer away but I am majorly craving cozy season. that being said, I can also feel that people are almost done with eating summer produce too.
however, your garden or farmer’s market might not agree and you may find yourself with an abundance of zucchini. or, like me, maybe you just really like zucchini and have a bunch because you love it. either way, this recipe will get rid of 2 of your zucchinis.
this dish uses the orzotto method, AKA cooking orzo the same way you would cook a risotto. except its better because its pasta. and it cooks way faster.
substitutions
orzo: while I am partial to orzo, you can totally swap it out. to substitute with rice just cook for a bit longer, and you may need more liquid. to substitute with another small pasta shape (ditalini, patina, elbow): follow the instructions as written! just be sure to test if the pasta is cooked all the way through before serving.
zucchini: technically, this recipe would work with many vegetables, but it will impact cooking time and liquid required. to substitute with another summer squash: follow the instructions as written. If you wanted to change it up, you could substitute with shredded/grated carrots, tomato, squash, etc.
mascarpone: in this recipe, the mascarpone is really just adding the creamy element. you could swap it out for a 1:1 replacement with cream cheese, creme fraiche, sour cream, or heavy cream.
chicken stock: the stock can easily be swapped for a vegetable stock if needed. you can also use water, though you will likely need to add more salt at the end if you use water.
watch the video of this recipe
the full recipe:
Zucchini Orzotto with Mascarpone & Lemon
serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup orzo
2 zucchini, shredded
1 cup chicken stock
1.5 tsp salt
1-2 tbsp mascarpone
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Steps
Heat a medium-sized pot over low heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil plus 1 tablespoon of butter. Allow butter to melt completely.
Add in the 4 minced cloves of garlic and saute until soft and fragrant, but not toasted. Add in the 1 cup of uncooked orzo pasta. Stir to coat the orzo in the oil and butter and gently toast for 30 secs-1 minute.
Add about 1/4 cup of chicken stock to the pot and stir to combine, making sure no orzo or garlic is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Continue stirring with the heat on medium, until the orzo begins to absorb the broth. Once the broth is mostly absorbed, add another 1/4 cup of chicken stock and repeat.
Once half of your chicken stock is added in, add the shredded zucchini. Stir to combine. While the zucchini cooks, it will release some moisture into the orzo, so continue stirring over medium heat for another 5 minutes.
Add all of the remaining chicken stock (about 1/2 a cup) along with 1.5 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt (always taste and adjust as needed). Stir to combine and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until orzo is cooked all the way through.
Mix in 1 or 2 tablespoons of Mascarpone cheese and continue stirring until it is completely melted into the orzo.
At this point, if the orzo is still very soupy, you may wish to simmer on high while stirring to reduce some of the liquid. This is optional as some people may prefer the looser texture.
Crack in some fresh black pepper along with the juice of 1/2 a lemon and stir to combine. Take one final taste and adjust for salt, lemon, or pepper as desired.
Serve zucchini orzo hot and garnish with more black pepper and some freshly grated parmesan cheese.I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you try it, please comment below or tag me on social media!