Cheesy Pumpkin Orzo

If I can be real honest for a minute here, all I really want to talk about is how obsessed I am with Friday Night Lights. Like, emotionally attached to the show and to the point where I can’t peel myself away from the couch and tv. It’s bad. This is why I shouldn’t ever get “into” tv shows because I get so obsessive about them. I know you’re probably sick of me talking about a show that’s been over for two years, but I just can’t get over how good this show is. Rachel and I (yes, not only are we workout buddies, we are also FNL buddies, haha) are on season two and I’m already about to cry thinking that it ends after the fifth season.

Do any of you watch Friday Night Lights? Or have watched it? I’d love to talk to y’all about it cause I just can’t contain myself, lol – please, no spoilers!

It’s getting to that time of year where it’s impossible to get out of bed in the mornings. It’s the, “just one more minute” routine and you just curl back under the warm sheets and fall back asleep again, missing alarm after alarm. It’s also that time of year where you’re teeter-tottering between the heat and the air. Some days, it’ll be blazing hot and humid and you’ll need to switch to the air, and then other days, it’s frigid and you need to switch over to the heat. We haven’t turned on our heat yet but it’s getting to the point where I’m so cold at night that I think we might need to turn it on soon. Part of the reason why we hold out on turning on the heat is because I think a part of us doesn’t really want to believe warm weather is over and cooler weather is here.

Cooler weather doesn’t have to suck though – it just means comforting and hearty dishes that warm you up! This cheesy pumpkin orzo does just that! It’s got a thick, cheesy, and creamy base, and best of all – it’s got pumpkin and sage! It’s comfort in a bowl and you’re going to want more than one bowl – I promise!

Cheesy Pumpkin Orzo

'Tis the season for pumpkin everything, including this cheesy pumpkin orzo dish. Rich, creamy, and full of pumpkin flavor!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Julie Chiou

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Ingredients 

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US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ▢ 4 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3 cups vegetable stock
• ▢ ½ cup whole milk
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ ¾ cup pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling
• ▢ 16 ounce orzo pasta
• ▢ 1 ½ cups freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, more if you like more heat
• ▢ Salt and pepper, to taste

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

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Instructions

• In a large pot, melt butter over medium high heat then whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly so it doesn't burn.
• Pour in the vegetable stock, milk, water, and pumpkin puree. Whisk to incorporate everything and turn heat down to medium and let mixture thicken up, about 7-10 minutes.
• Add the orzo to the pot and stir to incorporate. Cover pot and let orzo cook for 12 minutes, or however long the instructions on the box says.
• Once the orzo is done, stir in the parmesan cheese, sage, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir altogether with a wooden spoon to combine and then cut the heat.
• Serve warm with additional parmesan cheese on top.

Recipe Notes

If your mixture seems too thick, you can add more vegetable stock or water to thin it out prior to adding the pasta.

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 430 kcal | Carbohydrates: 32 g | Protein: 19 g | Fat: 26 g | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 5 g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pumpkin, ways to use pumpkin