Packing up school lunches in the morning can be tough. The food needs to be fast, easy, and kid-friendly. Generally, kids can agree on a few basic principles: Pasta is awesome. Pasta with cheese is even better. This Basil Parmesan Orzo is a perfect recipe. It's fast, easy to make, and can be prepared the night before. It's great for an after-school snack as well!
What you'll need
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 pound dried orzo
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- sea salt
- pepper
- The great thing about this recipe is that it makes eight servings—enough for a family to eat for dinner in the evening and pack up for a couple lunches the next day. For kids, heat up leftover orzo in the morning and pack into a thermos so that it stays warm for lunchtime. If you are including chicken, be sure to heat that as well.
- Dried orzo is a small pasta shape. For the most cost-effective orzo, look in the pasta section of the grocery store.
- The powdery already-grated parmesan cheese works best in this recipe.
How to make it
Pour the chicken stock or broth into a medium to large-sized pot. Place the pot on the stove and heat over medium heat until it boils.
Stir the orzo into the boiling chicken stock or broth, and cook until tender (about 9 minutes). Be sure to stir frequently while cooking to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The orzo will absorb most or all of the chicken stock or broth while cooking. Do not drain.
Remove the pot from the burner. Sprinkle the cooked orzo with basil, parmesan, and crushed red pepper. Stir well to incorporate.
Season the mixture with sea salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve the orzo immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
