Making instant pot orzo is a quick and simple way to achieve fluffy, perfectly cooked and flavorful orzo every time. Using just 4 ingredients and ready in under 20 minutes, you may never make it on the stove top again. Serve this as a simple tasty side, or add your favorite ingredients to make a fantastic orzo salad.
Orzo cooked in the pressure cooker is creamier and more flavorful than cooking on the stove top. The reason? When you cook pasta in the Instant Pot, the starchy pasta water infused with the pasta, giving it a creamy texture. It almost reminds me of a light risotto! This flavorful result makes it a perfect standalone side dish, or a fantastic starting point for a variety of delicious pasta salads. Serve it with pesto butter salmon, parmesan pork chops or grilled chicken thighs.
Jump to:
Why you’ll love this simple orzo recipe
- Cooks orzo simply and perfectly, with no need to boil water!
- Cooking orzo in an electric pressure cooker adds more flavor and creaminess
- Simply prepared, orzo makes for a perfect side dish, or with added ingredients, becomes a wonderful main dish. The tiny pasta is also great to use in soups.
What is orzo?
Orzo is a small rice-shaped pasta that is popular in Mediterranean cuisine. In Italy, orzo is classified as pastina or “little pasta,” which is a category of very small pastas, and is also known as risi or rosini.
While orzo may look like a large grain of rice, it is actually made of semolina flour, which is a golden yellow color and has a high gluten content. Therefore, orzo pasta is not gluten-free, nor is it a whole grain. Though a little harder to find, whole wheat versions are available.
Ingredients to make pressure cooker orzo pasta
- 1 cup of orzo pasta – this recipe is tested and created using standard semolina flour orzo, not whole wheat orzo. Cooking times may vary if using whole wheat.
- 1 ¾ cups of chicken broth – you may also use 2 cups of water, but I like the flavor that the broth imparts.
- 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- ½ of a small yellow onion, very finely diced – this is optional though! Only include if you have the time and desire to dice. It adds some additional flavor, but is not necessary.
How to make orzo in the Instant Pot
Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and add the olive oil. Sauté the garlic and onion for 1-2 minutes, just to release flavors. Add the orzo and saute for 2-3 minutes, making sure to stir so the pasta doesn’t start to burn in spots.
Hit cancel on the pressure cooker, and then slowly add the chicken stock or water on top of the orzo. The pot will sizzle and steam up, but that’s ok.
Pro-tip for perfect orzo!
Now here is the important part! Do NOT stir the pasta before closing the lid. Stirring the pasta in the broth/water may release too much starch, making the orzo come out sticky and gluey. This is a tip you should follow any time you are making pasta in the Instant Pot.
Secure the lid, making sure the knob is set to the sealing position, and cook on manual mode high pressure for 2 minutes. Note that it will take approximately 3 minutes for the pressure to build up before the 2 minute timer starts.
Cook for 2 minutes, making sure to stay close by so that you can hear the beep when the timer goes off. Once cooking is completed, place a towel over the knob, and do a quick manual pressure release. DO NOT do a natural pressure release, as the pasta will overcook!
When the remaining pressure is released, open the instant pot lid and give the orzo a stir, making sure to loosen any stuck pasta on the bottom of the pot. There will still be liquid in the pot and that’s okay!
Close the lid for 5-8 minutes, allowing the orzo to cook in the residual heat and absorb the remaining liquid. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and give it another stir. The orzo should be creamy and cooked al dente.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate to make into a cold pasta salad. Note that there may be a little residual liquid, but it will fully absorb while the past continues to cool.
Different ways to serve orzo
- Add cooked orzo to finished soups to make the dish a bit more filling and comforting.
- While still warm, stir in parmesan cheese, 1-2 tablespoons of butter and a bit of salt to make an easy creamy pasta dish the whole family will love. Super kid friendly!
- Chill cooked orzo and stir in a variety of delicious veggies and flavors. Pesto and fresh basil is phenomenal combination. Or make an Italian inspired orzo pasta salad with fresh herbs, lemon zest, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives and feta cheese!
- Serve alongside your favorite chicken recipes or grilled salmon for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Perfect for meal prepping an easy lunch for the week! Dish out in containers with your favorite protein and an easy green salad, saving yourself time and money!
- I love cooking this versatile pasta because it’s so easy to transform into something interesting and delicious!
Simple tips to make the perfect orzo in the pressure cooker
- Do not stir the orzo pasta in the broth before cooking! This may result in sticky, starchy pasta.
- Make sure to stay close by when cooking! I have made the mistake of leaving the orzo sit too long on “warm” once it was done cooking, resulting in sad, mushy pasta. Total bummer.
- If serving cooked as is, stir in about 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese to the orzo after allowing it to rest for a few minutes. It will thicken up any residual liquid and immediately turn it into a creamy, lightly cheesy pasta dish.
You’re going to love this new way of making orzo in the Instant Pot!
Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or rating, letting me know how you enjoyed it! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest, and never miss a post by signing up for my weekly newsletter!
Instant Pot Orzo
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo
- 1.75 cups chicken broth
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-2 pinches of salt
- ½ small onion finely diced optional
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and add the olive oil. Sauté the garlic and (optional) onion for 1-2 minutes, just to release flavors. Add the orzo and sauté for 2-3 minutes, making sure to stir so the pasta doesn’t start to burn in spots.
- Hit cancel on the pressure cooker, and then slowly add the chicken stock or water on top of the orzo. Add a couple of pinches of salt.
- Do NOT stir the pasta before closing the lid. Stirring the pasta in the broth/water may release too much starch, making the orzo come out sticky and gluey.
- Secure the lid, making sure the knob is set to the sealing position, and cook on manual mode high pressure for 2 minutes. Note that it will take approximately 3 minutes for the pressure to build up before the 2 minute timer starts.
- Cook for 2 minutes. Once cooking is completed, place a towel over the knob, and do a quick manual pressure release.
- When the remaining pressure is released, open the instant pot lid and give the orzo a stir, making sure to loosen any stuck pasta on the bottom of the pot.
- Close the lid for 5-8 minutes, allowing the orzo to cook in the residual heat and absorb the remaining liquid. After 5-8 minutes, remove the lid and give it another stir. The orzo should be creamy and cooked al dente.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate to make into a cold pasta salad. Note that there may be a little residual liquid, but it will fully absorb while the pasta continues to cool.
Jennifer H says
saw this and immediately had to make it. used the onion and garlic and used chicken stock and parmesan. Will add a smidge of salt next time. served with haricot verts and salmon and it was perfect. thank you for this recipe!
Andrea Howe says
thank you for sharing and letting me know! Also, added a note in the recipe card to add a pinch of two of salt before cooking! Great feedback 🙂