Creamy Tomato and Spinach Orzo Bake with Caramelised Shallots
Orzo simmered with passata and vegetable stock, baked with parmesan, then finished creamy with ricotta and wilted spinach over shallots.
- 180 g Orzo pasta
- 300 ml Passata (strained tomatoes)
- 4 medium Onions (shallots)
- 3 cloves Garlic cloves
- 150 g Spinach, fresh
- 500 ml Vegetable stock
- 100 g Ricotta cheese
- 30 g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 medium Bell pepper (red)
- 2 tsp Dried oregano
- 40 ml Olive oil
- 10 leaves Fresh basil leaves
Shop these in one order
Mello puts these ingredients on one shopping list with the rest of your week, and anything two recipes share is added together. The list then goes to Sainsbury's in the UK or Careem Quik in the UAE.
Add to a shopping listHow the shopping list works →- Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan/Gas Mark 6).
- Step 2
Caramelise Shallots: Thinly slice the shallots. Heat 15ml olive oil in an oven-safe, deep frying pan or casserole dish over low heat. Add the shallots and cook very slowly for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden brown and sweet. Remove shallots with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the flavoured oil behind.
- Step 3
Prepare the Base: Dice the red bell pepper. Add the remaining 25ml olive oil to the pan (if needed) and sauté the diced pepper with 2 cloves of minced garlic and oregano for 5 minutes until softened.
- Step 4
Add Orzo and Liquid: Stir in the orzo pasta, coating it in the oil mixture. Pour in the passata and the vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer.
- Step 5
Bake: Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Season well with salt and black pepper. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the orzo is nearly cooked and most liquid is absorbed.
- Step 6
Finish the Creaminess: Remove from the oven. Stir in the ricotta cheese and the fresh spinach vigorously until the spinach wilts and the dish becomes creamy (one-pot structure). Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Step 7
Serve immediately, topped with the caramelised shallots and torn fresh basil leaves.
Cook it with Mello
Cook mode reads each step aloud and keeps your screen awake, so you can cook with your hands full.
Cook it with MelloProtein, carbs and fat for this dish
Mello works the macros out from each ingredient, per serving. Make a free account to see them.
See the macrosHow Mello works out macros →