Creamy marry me orzo - this incredible vegan orzo pasta dish is rich and lusciously creamy. Flavoured with sun-dried tomatoes and basil, with blended silken tofu and cashews to make the cream, this easy pasta dish is simple to make yet very impressive!
This creamy marry me orzo delivers big on flavour, cosiness and satisfaction, all while being easy to make in one pan and ready in around 35 minutes. It also packs in 30g of protein and 14.5g of fibre per serving.
Flavoured with sun-dried tomatoes and basil, with chickpeas and a rich, velvety yet fully dairy-free sauce; this one-pan vegan orzo recipe is simple enough to make as a comforting weeknight meal, but also fancy enough for date night.
Ingredient Details:
Orzo: Orzo is a type of pasta made from durum wheat (semolina). It resembles large grains of rice. It can be found with the regular pasta in most supermarkets.
Sun dried tomatoes: These add so much flavour. Use the kind that comes packed in oil rather than the dry type.
Silken tofu + cashews: Blended silken tofu and soaked cashews make a really rich yet high protein cream which makes this dish so creamy and delicious!
Basil: Fresh basil really takes this creamy marry me orzo to the next level.
Stock: Use a good quality vegetable stock or bouillon for the best flavour. I like Marigold.
Lemon juice: Brightens the dish up and cuts through the creaminess. You could also add a bit of finely grated lemon zest if you want to really amp up the lemon flavour. The lemon is optional but recommended and fresh is best but bottled is also fine.
Nutritional yeast: Adds a savoury, 'cheesy' flavour. If you prefer, you can add some grated vegan parmesan style cheese at the end of cooking instead.
Seasonings: Red onion, garlic, tomato puree (paste), oregano and smoked paprika. I often use frozen onion and garlic for ease.
Chickpeas: These are optional but add an extra source of protein and fibre. Swap them for butter or cannellini beans or some seitan chicken pieces. I used one tin but you can add two tins if you want to bulk out the meal even more.
How To Make Creamy Marry Me Orzo:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
- Step 1: To make the cream, cover the cashews with plenty of boiling water and set aside to soak for 30-60 minutes.
- Step 2: Drain the cashews and place in a blender with the silken tofu and nutritional yeast, blend until smooth.
- Step 3: Fry the onion for 5-10 minutes until softened, add the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.
- Step 4: Add the tomato puree, smoked paprika and oregano and cook for a minute or two.
- Step 5: Add the stock, orzo, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas and a good grinding of black pepper.
- Step 6: Cook, stirring often, until the orzo is al dente, about 15 minutes.
- Step 7: Stir in the blended cream and cook until heated through. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.
- Step 8: Add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste and stir in the chopped basil. Serve!
Top Tips:
Stir often as it cooks to prevent the orzo from catching on the base of the pan.
Add lemon juice at the end of cooking - stirring in a squeeze of fresh lemon at the end boosts the flavour and cuts through the richness of the cream.
If you want to reduce the calorie count a little then you can omit the cashews, the orzo will be slightly less creamy but still delicious!
To make this creamy marry me orzo extra nutritious, stir in a couple of big handfuls of fresh baby spinach at the end of cooking and stir until wilted. And/or serve alongside some steamed tenderstem broccoli or sautéed mushrooms.
The time it takes for the orzo to cook will vary a lot depending on the brand, it could take as little as 8 minutes, or as long as 20, so just keep an eye on it and check it regularly.
Use a large pan! A large, wide but deep pan is best to give you the most surface area and room for stirring.
FAQs:
Any leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat thoroughly in the microwave to serve.
I don't recommend freezing this creamy marry me orzo as the pasta may become a bit mushy.
Marry Me sauce is a rich, creamy Italian-inspired sauce made with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, cream and fresh herbs like basil and/or oregano.
The name comes from the viral internet recipe "Marry Me Chicken," which originated as a skillet chicken dish in 2016 from a recipe developer at the food publication Delish named Lindsay Funston. While filming a video for a creamy sun-dried tomato and parmesan chicken skillet, a video producer tasted the food and joked, "I'd marry you for that chicken!"
The catchy phrase stuck as the official title and it eventually blew up on Pinterest, TikTok, and food blogs, leading to various adaptations for the sauce.
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Creamy Marry Me Orzo (vegan)
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
Cream:
- 60 g (½ cup) raw cashews
- 308 g packet silken tofu
- 4 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
Orzo:
- one 280 g (10 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1 large red onion thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 2 Tablespoons tomato puree (paste)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 375 g (13 oz) orzo
- one 400 g (14 oz) tin chickpeas rinsed and drained
- lemon juice to taste (about ½ a lemon)
- 30 g (1 oz) fresh basil finely chopped
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Cream:
- Place the cashews in a heat-proof bowl, generously cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 30-60 minutes. This can be done while you get on with cooking the orzo.60 g (½ cup) raw cashews
- Drain the cashews well and place in a blender with the silken tofu and nutritional yeast, blend until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.308 g packet silken tofu, 4 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
Orzo:
- Drain the sun-dried tomatoes, reserving the oil. Finely chop the tomatoes and set aside.one 280 g (10 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil in a large pan and add the sliced red onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for for 5-10 minutes until softened, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.1 large red onion, 6 cloves garlic
- Add the tomato puree, smoked paprika and oregano and cook for another minute or two while stirring.2 Tablespoons tomato puree (paste), ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Add the stock, orzo, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas and a good grinding of black pepper.1 litre vegetable stock, 375 g (13 oz) orzo, one 400 g (14 oz) tin chickpeas
- Bring up to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, until the orzo is al dente, about 15 minutes.
- Once the orzo is cooked stir in the blended cream and continue to cook until heated through. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.
- Remove from the heat and stir in a squeeze of lemon juice to taste then add the chopped basil and salt and pepper as needed. Serve.lemon juice to taste (about ½ a lemon), 30 g (1 oz) fresh basil, salt and pepper
Notes
- Stir often as it cooks to prevent the orzo from catching on the base of the pan.
- If you want to reduce the calorie count a little then you can omit the cashews, the orzo will be slightly less creamy but still delicious!
- To make this creamy marry me orzo extra nutritious, stir in a couple of big handfuls of fresh baby spinach at the end of cooking and stir until wilted. And/or serve alongside some steamed tenderstem broccoli or sautéed mushrooms.
If you tried this recipe let me know how it went! Rate it, leave a comment or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess
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