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This tomato orzo is a quick, easy, 30-minute meal that combines a classic pasta dish with everyone’s favorite Korean red pepper paste, gochujang. Chunky tomato sauce, spicy gochujang, and roasted garlic garnish steal the show to make this orzo pasta absolutely irresistible.
What makes this recipe great
I love quick and easy recipes that come together easily without sacrificing flavor. This tomato orjo is just that. Tender orzo pasta is cooked in a chunky, spicy tomato sauce and topped with a roasted garlic garnish in under 30 minutes!
The mystery here? Gochujung! This dish is usually made with crushed red pepper flakes, but it’s gochujang week and I had to try my hand at mixing a classic Italian recipe with my favorite Korean sauce!
The resulting dish has the best of everything—tangy tomato sauce, crispy fried garlic, and the perfect kick from the gochujang. With rice-like orzo, this is a creamy pasta dish bursting with dynamic flavors.
Better yet, did I mention it’s so easy?!
Material notes
- Barley Pasta: Orzo may look like rice, but it’s actually pasta! You’ll find it along with other pasta varieties at the grocery store.
- olive oil
- Shallots
- garlic
- Tomato paste: I use double-intense tomato paste for a deeper flavor.
- Gochujang: Use store bought or make my easy homemade gochujang.
- Cherry tomatoes
- salt
Step by step instructions
Make the tomato sauce
- In a pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add the shallots and salt and fry for about a minute, stirring constantly. Avoid browning the shallots, you just want them to cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and gochujang and cook until the color darkens, about 2 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Add the tomatoes to the pan and reduce the heat slightly. Toss to coat in the oil and tomato paste mixture, then cover with a lid to help steam. Every few minutes, open to stir. Cook until the tomatoes are soft enough that you can squish them with a spatula to burst them.
- Once the tomatoes splutter, cook for another 3-4 minutes and season with salt to taste.
- If desired, you can blend the sauce using a high speed blender or immersion blender. If you are happy with the desired texture, set it aside.
Add the orzo
- Prepare orzo according to package directions. When the orzo is tender, discard some of the cooking water and reserve.
- Immediately add the cooked orzo to the saucepan with a splash of cooking water and over low heat, stirring to combine, fold the sauce into the orzo. Serve garnished with roasted garlic, if desired.
Prepared roasted garlic (optional)
- Add the minced garlic to a small, cold pot and add enough neutral oil to cover the garlic. Place the pot on medium heat and let it slowly sizzle. Once sizzling, cook for about 2 minutes, stirring gently with a spatula.
- When the edges are lightly golden brown, pull the garlic from the heat using a slotted spoon to remove it from the oil. After removing from the oil they will continue to cook for a few minutes. Drain on a paper towel to capture excess oil, season with a pinch of salt and let cool.
Expert tips
- If you are adding the roasted garlic topping, be sure to prepare the garlic in advance. Orzo is best enjoyed after it’s cooked, so you don’t want to let it sit in the sauce too long.
- The sauce can be enjoyed a little chunkier, or you can dilute it to make it velvety smooth.
Serving tips
Storage Tips
- Tomato orzo is served immediately after cooking. For this reason, I do not recommend storing leftovers.
Recipe FAQs
Although orzo is similar in shape and size to rice, it is actually a wheat-based pasta. It is popular in many “one-pot” dishes, including pasta salad.
It contains more carbohydrates, calories and protein than rice, but it is not necessarily healthier. It’s a bit heartier and more filling than a typical pasta dish with rice.
Try this delicious pasta recipe…
Calabrian Chile Tomato Pasta
Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Baked Feta Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
Vegan Lemon Pepper Pasta
Garlic Scab Pesto
If you make this tomato orzo recipe, be sure to let me know what you think in a comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Tomato Orzo with Gochujang
This tomato orzo is a quick, easy, 30-minute meal that combines a classic pasta dish with everyone’s favorite Korean red pepper paste, gochujang. Chunky tomato sauce, spicy gochujang, and roasted garlic garnish steal the show to make this orzo pasta absolutely irresistible.
- 8 oz orzo Gluten free, if desired
- 3-4 spoon olive oil
- 2 Shallots Mince finely
- 5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 spoon Tomato paste Doubly concentrated
- 2-3 spoon Gochujung
- 1 pint Cherry tomatoes 16 oz
- 1/2 teaspoon salt More, taste
Roasted Garlic Garnish (optional)
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- Neutral oil to cover
Make the gochujang tomato sauce
In a pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add the shallots and salt and fry for about a minute, stirring constantly. Avoid browning the shallots, you just want them to cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add the tomato paste and gochujang and cook until the color darkens, about 2 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
Add the tomatoes to the pan and reduce the heat slightly. Toss to coat in the oil and tomato paste mixture, then cover with a lid to help steam. Every few minutes, open to stir. Cook until the tomatoes are soft enough that you can squish them with a spatula to burst them.
Once the tomatoes splutter, cook for another 3-4 minutes and season with salt to taste.
If desired, you can blend the sauce using a high speed blender or immersion blender. If you are happy with the desired texture, set aside.
Add the orzo
Prepare orzo according to package directions. Once cooked, drain some of the cooking water and reserve.
Immediately add the cooked orzo to the sauce pan with a splash of cooking water and over low heat, stirring to combine, fold the sauce into the orzo. Serve garnished with roasted garlic, if desired.
Prepared Roasted Garlic*
Add the minced garlic to a small, cold pot and add enough neutral oil to cover the garlic. Place the pot on medium heat and let it slowly sizzle. Once sizzling, cook for about 2 minutes, stirring gently with a spatula.
When the edges are lightly golden brown, pull the garlic from the heat using a slotted spoon to remove it from the oil. After removing from the oil they will continue to cook for a few minutes. To capture excess oil on a paper towel, season with a pinch of salt and allow to cool.
Expert tips
- If you are adding the roasted garlic topping, be sure to prepare the garlic in advance. Orzo is best enjoyed right after cooking, so you don’t want to let it sit in the sauce too long.
- The sauce can be enjoyed a little chunkier, or you can dilute it to make it velvety smooth.
Serving tips
Storage Tips
- Tomato orzo is served immediately after cooking. For this reason, I do not recommend storing leftovers.
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