Description
Short on time but not on flavor? This one-pan orzo with chorizo and dates comes together quickly for a delicious and satisfying weeknight meal. Imagine the smoky spice of chorizo meeting the caramelized sweetness of dates, all intertwined with tender orzo pasta. This Orzo with Chorizo and Dates is a delightfully simple dish that doesn’t compromise on taste.
Roughly based upon the recipe for Skillet Orzo with Chorizo and Dates, by Sheela Prakash, from New York Times Cooking,
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup garlic oil (or 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced)
- 12 ounces plant based ground beef (I used Impossible Light)
- 2 tablespoons chorizo seasoning (or more if desired)
- 5 green onions, sliced (or 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped)
- 8 ounces Banza Chickpea orzo (or your favorite brand)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 pitted Medjool dates, coarsely chopped
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Prepare the orzo according to the package directions. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok (10-12 inches) over medium heat until shimmering.
- Add the plant based ground beef and chorizo seasoning, and cook, stirring occasionally until the beef begins to brown.
- Add the onion and cook for around 2-3 minutes. If using fresh garlic, stir it in and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the orzo and the dates and stir to combine.
- Remove from the heat. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper and chorizo seasoning as needed.
- Crumble the goat cheese evenly over the top and stir gently until just combined and starting to melt.
- Serve hot.
- This also makes great leftovers. Store in an airtight container overnight, and reheat in the microwave.
Equipment
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BARILLA Chickpea,Orzo, 10oz (pack of 8)
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Beyond Meat Beyond Beef Plant-Based Ground 16 oz
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Colavita Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Low FODMAP, 32 Fl Oz
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GreenPan Valencia Pro Hard Anodized Healthy Ceramic Nonstick 11″ Frying Pan Skillet
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HexClad 12 Inch Hybrid Nonstick Frying Pan and Tempered Glass Lid
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Impossible Burger Made from Plants
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The Spice House Mexican Chorizo Seasoning
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Want to make this “meat”? Leave out the goat cheese and substitute a plant based cheese or leave out the goat cheese altogether.
Because this recipe has dairy goat cheese in it, to make it kosher I had to substitute a plant based beef. I ended up using Impossible ground beef, but you could also use Beyond Meat or your favorite brand. Keep in mind that the Impossible is 12-ounces and the Beyond meat 16-ounces in a package. You may need to add more seasoning if you use a bigger package than the 12-ounce.
Gluten free orzo usually comes in packages between 8 and 10 ounces. Feel free to use the larger package. You may need to adjust the seasonings according to personal taste.
t’s a well known fact by now, that I don’t use regular onions or garlic in most of my cooking . They don’t agree with me. At. All. So, I’ll give you the recipe as I make it and give you the option to use the onion and garlic if you choose. The original recipe calls for 1/2 a yellow onion and 4 garlic cloves. I substituted 4 tablespoons of garlic oil and green onions. You don’t have to.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 14.3 g
- Sodium: 664.9 mg
- Fat: 18.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.1 g
- Fiber: 8.9 g
- Protein: 22.9 g
- Cholesterol: 8.7 mg
