One Pot Orzo Bolognese

Name: One Pot Orzo Bolognese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion (diced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 lb ground Beef; 5 mushroom (sliced); ½ tsp Salt + Pepper (or to taste); 1 tsp dried basil; 12 oz tomato paste; 4 cups beef stock (low sodium); 2 cups orzo; 1 cup peas (frozen); handful Parmesan cheese (for garnish, optional but recommended)

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This One Pot Orzo Bolognese is packed with flavour and is practically comfort in a bowl. Easy to make, meal prep friendly, and kid friendly, this ground beef and orzo recipe is going to be a staple!

This recipe was originally written in 2017, in memory of my mother. Growing up, she would make a very similar dish for me regularly because I was extremely picky and this was one of the like 5 meals I’d eat without question. Whenever I crave a comforting recipe, this is the one I turn to.

Overhead view of a bowl of beef, tomato, orzo with a spoon.

Why You’ll Love This Orzo Recipe

This beef and tomato orzo is all cooked in one pot. The less dishes to do on weeknights, the better!
This beef orzo is flavour packed despite the short ingredient list. It’s so delicious and your family will be reaching for seconds!
It’s comfort in a bowl. This has some major comfort vibes that I can always count on.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make orzo bolognese.

olive oil
onion — diced
garlic — minced
ground beef — I prefer lean ground beef. If you use a fattier beef, you’ll have a lot of oil in the pan.
mushroom — sliced, I like baby Bella mushrooms
salt + pepper
dried basil
tomato paste — tomato paste is freezer friendly! So if you have leftover tomato paste, you can freeze the rest of the next time you need it.
beef stock
orzo — also known as risoni, orzo is a short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice
peas — frozen
Parmesan cheese

Overhead view of a bowl of orzo with beef topped with parmesan.

How to Make This One Pot Tomato Orzo Beef

Over medium heat, add olive oil to the pan and sauté the onions for 2 minutes before adding in the garlic and continuing to cook for another.
Add in the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned.
Add in the mushrooms and season with some salt and pepper.
Once the beef is cooked, add in the tomato paste and beef stock and mix together.

Once the mixture starts to bubble, add in the orzo to the pan.
Stirring occasionally, cook until the orzo has soften and is ready to eat, around 7 to 10 minutes.

Right before the orzo is done, give the dish a taste and see if you need to adjust the seasoning before you add the peas.
Stir to combine and serve with some parmesan.

One pot of tomato sauce with orzo, beef, topped with parmesan.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to I store this? How long does it last?

Store this easy orzo recipe in an airtight container in the fridge. When properly stored, it can last for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze this?

I would not freeze this as the mushrooms won’t thaw right.

What else can I add to this?

Feel free to stir in some frozen vegetables at the end such as corn or a mixed medley for extra veggies. You can also add some broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus.