This Creamy Tuscan Orzo is vegan, dairy-free, & packed with flavor. If you are looking for a comforting weeknight dinner recipe, then you will love this orzo risotto with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, cannellini beans, and Italian spices!
Orzo is one of my absolute favorite pasta shapes and today we're cooking it just like risotto for the creamiest dish!
If you loved my Vegan Lemon Orzo Chickpea Soup or my Vegan Pumpkin Risotto, then this creamy vegan orzo is going to be right up your alley!
Ingredients:
Ingredient notes:
- Canned Coconut Milk: This makes this dish super creamy! If you don't like the taste of coconut milk, you can substitute it for another plant-based milk like oat milk or soy milk. Just keep in mind, the dish will be slightly less creamy.
- Shallots: I LOVE shallots, so I always use them when I get the chance. However, they can easily be substituted for 1 small white/yellow onion for similar results.
- Vegetable broth: I used store-bought vegetable broth, however you can also make your own homemade vegetable broth from veggie scraps and use that!
How to make creamy vegan orzo
Saute shallots and garlic
The first step to making this vegetarian orzo extra flavorful is to saute the shallots and garlic in vegan butter until fragrant.
Don't skip this step as it really adds a lot of flavor to this creamy orzo pasta.
Toast orzo and spices
Next, add the orzo pasta, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to toast for around 1 minute.
Toasting the orzo pasta gives it an extra chewy flavor. Also, toasting the tomato paste and spices really helps to bring out their flavor.
Add in remaining ingredients & cook
Once toasted, add in the vegetable broth, coconut milk, cannellini beans, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Stir until everything is well mixed and then cook until the orzo is cooked through and creamy.
Make sure to consistently stir this vegan orzo risotto while it is cooking so that the orzo doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Add spinach and continue cooking
Once the orzo is fully cooked, add in the fresh spinach, stir, and cook another 2 minutes until al dente. The end result will be a truly delicious creamy Tuscan orzo!
Add toppings & serve
The final step to making this creamy orzo pasta? Adding toppings of course!
This step is totally optional, but I really feel that topping this dish with chopped cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and vegan parmesan is the absolute best idea.
P.S- I really prefer Violife Vegan Parmesan but you can also make a homemade vegan parmesan to top this vegan orzo!
FAQ & Tips:
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Orzo is a wheat-based pasta and is not gluten-free. While you may potentially be able to substitute arborio rice into this recipe, it may require more liquid. I haven't personally tried it so if you do let me know!
What pot works best to cook orzo risotto?
I really prefer cooking this dish in a large dutch oven or cocotte. The pot I used in this recipe is the Staub Cocotte in Blueberry which I absolutely love!
You could also cook this vegan orzo recipe in a larger pan, but make sure it is deep enough to fit all the liquid in this recipe.
How do I store this vegan orzo pasta?
This creamy Tuscan Orzo is best stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
I also highly recommend adding the basil, cherry tomatoes, and vegan parmesan right before serving.
I truly hope you love this Creamy Vegan Tuscan Orzo! If you are looking for an orzo recipe with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and packed with flavor- this is the recipe for you. Enjoy!
-TSG
More vegetarian pasta recipes you will love:
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Creamy Tuscan Orzo
Ingredients
Tuscan Orzo:
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 Tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 ½ cups dried orzo pasta
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt & pepper to taste
- 4 cups vegetable broth add more if needed
- 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 1 cup cooked cannellini beans
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 3 cups fresh spinach
Optional Toppings:
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
- fresh basil
- vegan parmesan
Instructions
- First, prep the veggies by thinly slicing the shallots and mincing the garlic. Set aside.
- Next, add the vegan butter to the pot and melt over medium heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add in the shallots and garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the shallots are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
- Next, add in the dried orzo, tomato paste, Italian spices, and salt and pepper to your liking. Stir together to toast everything in the pot for about 1 minute.
- Then, pour in the vegetable broth, canned coconut milk, cannellini beans, and sundried tomatoes.
- Stir together and cook the orzo uncovered on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes or until the orzo has fully cooked through and is al dente. It is important to continuously stir the orzo while it is cooking so it does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Next, add the fresh spinach and stir it into the cooked orzo. Continue cooking everything together for another 2 minutes. If desired, season with additional salt and pepper at this time.
- Remove the orzo from the heat and serve immediately with slicing cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and vegan parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
- Orzo can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- I prefer using Voilife Vegan Parmesan as a topping.
- To make this recipe I used the Staub Cocotte in Blueberry
Kelsey says
This was delicious! I made a couple changes: I left out the beans and added a bit extra orzo pasta, and instead of coconut milk I used a dairy free heavy whipping cream, around 10 oz (brand Country Cook). I also mixed in dairy free mozzarella (looked for nutritional yeast but couldn’t find any). I also added a dash of crushed red pepper. This was so delicious and creamy! I made it for my fiancé and I, he is not dairy free but he loved it anyways. Highly recommend!!
Jenny says
This was amazing! Not the flavors that I expected! The coconut milk really makes it delicious. I could really taste the garlic, unless that was just from the garlic granules I sprinkled on top as a garnish. Sharing this recipe with friends and it’s definitely a keeper!
Jane says
I see this can be stored in the fridge for several days - would it be ok to make several hours ahead, add the spinach and reheat, adding the cherry tomatoes and final ingredients just before serving?
Megan says
Yes- but once you store food in the fridge it's only safe to reheat it once, so I would not store any as leftovers if you decide to cook everything again.
Anna R says
This recipe is simple and tastes amazing. Everyone in the family loved it
Megan says
So happy the whole fam enjoyed!
Shana says
This recipe is is just delicious! Hubby also loves it. Going to add this to our rotation. We’re trying to find as many yummy meals to make a decent rotation and this will definitely make a wonderful addition. Gonna look through your other recipes and hopefully find some more to add to our rotation😁
Megan says
Amazing so happy you loved it! 🙂 Hope you find some other winners here too!
linda says
My family does not like sun dried tomatoes. What do you suggest to replace that.
Megan says
You can just omit them if you do not like them! Or just use more fresh tomatoes.
Janet Gruber says
This dish was delicious! Definitely a winner. For my meat loving husband, I added some sliced cooked sausage to his portion. Love the ease of this dish too. One pot meals are my favorite. Thank you for a super recipe!
Megan says
One pot meals are truly the best- glad you and your husband could both enjoy this!
Tim says
awesome dish. so easy but makes you look like a chef. Definitely making this again
Megan says
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Heather says
This was a great recipe. It was creamy, tasty and filling! Loved the spinach in it and I hate spinach 🤣 I also loved the beans in this, they went surprisingly really well with the textures and flavors. I used great northern beans instead of cannellini beans. The only thing I might do next time is use less oil/vegan butter when sautéing because I added the oil from the jar of the sun dried tomatoes for flavor. Will definitely be making this again! Thanks for sharing!
Megan says
Thanks for the review and sharing your substitutions- so happy you enjoyed it, even the spinach :)!
Stephanie says
This turned out amazing! I was nervous about making something new for the holidays for the family, but this recipe looked so good that I had to try it! I’m so happy that I did as it turned out amazing and everyone loved it! Thank you for creating this delicious recipe and for adding deliciousness to my family holidays!😁❤️
Megan says
You are SO welcome! So happy everyone was able to enjoy this orzo 🙂
Kathryn Paszkowski says
Delicious! I didn’t have coconut cream so I substituted 1c cashew 1c water blended to make a cashew cream. Very yummy! My picky 5year old even loved it <3
Megan says
Love hearing that the cashew cream worked just as well!
Celeste says
Wow wow I am in love. I am a long distance runner and I recently realized I need more carb heavy meals easy on hand. This recipe was so easy to follow and ridiculously delicious. 10/10.
Megan says
Yay thank you for the review!
Avery says
This recipe is so good and comes together so easily! Satisfying and filling but not too rich or heavy. Also very forgiving if you don't have an ingredient or mess up. We've made this several times and it's always a hit!
Megan says
Thank you so much for sharing so happy you like it 🙂
Bonnie M says
I am gluten free, and found some very good gluten free risotto on line. I now keep it stocked. Loved this recipe and have added broccoli to mine in the past for another "hidden" veggie.
Megan says
Glad you enjoyed it- broccoli is a great addition!
Melody G says
Sooooo yummy! Thanks for sharing this!! I made pretty much exactly as written and I wouldn't change a thing 🤤
Fran says
This is yummy! Definitely will make this again and again.
Jamie Davis says
So great!!! I'm bringing the leftovers to share with coworkers. Great recipe.
Deborah says
I made this recipe yesterday and my whole family loved it! It was very quick to put together and the flavors were so rich and creamy, you would think it took hours. I will be making this again for sure. Thank you for such a great recipe.
Megan says
You're so welcome! 🙂
Yvonne says
This was "slap your momma good" I really enjoyed it and everyone did. Simple instructions also helped.
Megan says
Love to hear it thanks for the review 🙂
Kristan says
This was delicious, thank you Megan! Creamy and decadent, just what we needed on a cold day. I added some baby portabellos to sneak in more veggies. Cheers from Australia.
Megan says
So happy you liked it- mushrooms sound like the best addition 🙂
Diane says
This is so delicious. Great flavors and a comforting dish. This will be great for a crowd. Xoxo
Megan says
So happy you liked it!! 🙂