Creamy butternut squash orzo

Photo: Budget Bytes

Cooked like a risotto but with orzo, so it's done in one pot without the stirring. Roasted squash folded in at the end, with kale, a little cream and Parmesan.

From Beth Moncel at Budget Bytes · @budgetbytes

The starch from the orzo makes its own sauce, so half a cup of cream goes a long way. A full dinner for about the price of a takeout coffee.

You need

• 1 butternut squash (about 2 lb), peeled, seeded and cut into small dice (a heaping 4 cups)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, divided
• ½ onion, finely diced (1 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ cups dry orzo
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 small bunch kale, stripped and chopped (about 2 cups packed)
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup grated Parmesan

How to make it

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the squash on a sheet pan with half the oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Roast 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once, until tender and caramelized at the edges.
2. About 10 minutes before the squash is done, heat the rest of the oil in a large deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until soft.
3. Add the dry orzo and stir for 2 minutes so it toasts lightly in the oil.
4. Add the broth, cinnamon and the rest of the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook, stirring every minute or two, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the orzo is tender and most of the broth is absorbed.
5. Stir in the kale and cook 1 to 2 minutes until wilted.
6. Take it off the heat and stir in the cream, the Parmesan and the roasted squash. Taste for salt and pepper and serve right away (it thickens as it sits; loosen with a splash of broth).

Written in our own words from Beth Moncel's recipe, with their quantities. The original: Creamy butternut squash orzo, Budget Bytes.

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