| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr 10 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Inactive: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers
- 2 yellow bell peppers
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 12 ounces orzo
- 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives in oil, drained, plus more for garnish
- 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Roast the peppers over the flame of a gas burner, on a hot grill, or under the broiler, until the skin is black and charred. Remove from the heat and place in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 15 to 20 minutes. With clean paper towels, wipe off the skin. Remove the stems and seeds and discard. If necessary, briefly rinse under cold water to remove any remaining charred skin. Dice the roasted peppers and set aside.
- In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook just until translucent, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved peppers and saute for 3 minutes.
- Blanch the orzo in the boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes, or until beginning to cook, but still very al dente. Drain the orzo, reserving the pasta water, and add to the pepper mixture. Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook, stirring, until creamy and the pasta is cooked tender. Finish with another 1/4 cup pasta water if the mixture is too thick. Stir in the olives and goat cheese and mix until the goat cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Thin with pasta water if the mixture is too thick.
- Garnish with parsley, olives, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 329 |
| Total Fat | 9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Cholesterol | 7 mg |
| Sodium | 453 mg |
Reviews
Excellent replacement for the traditional risotto. Smooth, silky, and oh, so good. I prepared it as dictated by the instructiions and it came out perfectly. I’m thinking, however, about wonderful replacements and additions to the ingredients: mushrooms, shrimp, or poached salmon will give this side a certain main dish character. Definitively a keeper! Yum!
This is a winner – our family loved it!
This recipe is easy and great. A hit with my whole family. Great subsitute for the traditional pasta salads for the summer.
This was such an easy meal to make and absolutely delicious. It really takes almost no time, even with putting the peppers under the broiler. It’s creamy, filling, and has a good kick from the peppers and onions. The olives add a kick, with a little tartness, as well. I also added just a little spinach in with the mix and it was great. This is probably going to become a regular meal!
Delicious Hot or Cold! The goat cheese gives the dish a silky creaminess. I replaced parsely with scallions and added asparagus slices as well. Wonderful!
Good side dish
The only work in this recipe is to char and peel the peppers. I prepped the peppers, onions, and olives a couple of hours before dinner. When dinnertime came, everything went together quickly. It was delicious and easy. I will definately make this again.
Recipe was very easy to prepare. It has
a wonderful flavor and was hit with
my family and friends. It is a keeper.
a wonderful flavor and was hit with
my family and friends. It is a keeper.
Very easy, takes no time to make, I added a few extras to give it a little extra.