One-Pan Zucchini-Pesto Orzo 

By Melissa Clark

Updated June 30, 2025

One-Pan Zucchini-Pesto Orzo 
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Total Time
35 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(3,578)
Comments
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Keeping pesto on hand (store-bought or homemade and frozen) is one of the greatest kitchen time-savers, since stirring just a spoonful into a dish can add so much herby, garlicky flavor. Here, pesto builds on a pan of orzo loaded with zucchini and onions that have been sautéed together until golden brown. Cooking the orzo in vegetable or chicken stock bolsters the pasta’s flavor as the broth reduces into a silky sauce. Then, pesto is added at the very end to preserve its brightness. Finally, just before serving, a caprese-like mix of marinated mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and fresh mint is stirred into the pan. Filled with vegetables and milky cheese, this dish is especially satisfying and very easy to make.

Featured in: There’s a Pesto Miracle Waiting in Your Freezer

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings 
  • 2medium zucchini (about 6 ounces each), diced (about 2½ cups)
  • 1large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • ¼ to ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes, to taste, more as needed
  • 1½teaspoons fine sea salt, more to taste  
  • 1¾cups vegetable or chicken stock 
  • 1cup orzo 
  • 1lemon, zested and halved 
  • 1cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes 
  • 5ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes (1 cup)
  • ½cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), more for serving 
  • ¼cup finely chopped mint, more for serving 
  • ½cup pesto, store-bought or homemade, more to taste 
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

579 calories; 38 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 24 grams protein; 962 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, combine the zucchini and onion with olive oil, the red-pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook the mixture, stirring once or twice, until the zucchini and onion turn golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Don’t stir too often, as it can impede browning.

  2. Step 2

    Stir in stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in orzo, lemon zest and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until orzo is nearly cooked through and most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 14 minutes, stirring once or twice.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, a pinch of salt, a pinch of red-pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil, and let marinate while the orzo cooks.

  4. Step 4

    Once the orzo is ready, stir in juice of ½ lemon, Parmesan, mint and pesto. Cover the pan, and cook for 1 minute, to finish cooking. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon juice or pesto, if needed. To serve, top with tomato-mozzarella mixture and sprinkle with more cheese and mint.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,578 user ratings
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Comments

Deb LaF.

To me the execution and resultant product was a train wreck! It looked more like gruel than food and was a total turn off. Cook your orzo in boiling salted water. Drain set aside to al dente perfection. Sautee the onions and zucchini separately and then combine with orzo, season with salt and pepper and red pepper and lemon juice, add olive oil, lemon zest. Proceed with the mozz and tomatoes and mint. This preserves the integrity of ingredients and is much more appealing. Tastes good but...

Sally

This is a delicious summer meal! Per others' notes, I cooked the orzo, onions and zucchini separately. While the orzo cooked in one pot, I sauteed the onions with red pepper on medium heat in another pan, until soft but not browned. I removed the onions from the pan and sauteed the zucchini on medium-high 'til nice and brown, then added the onions, orzo and pesto to the pan with the zucchini to leverage the lovely caramelization from the veggies. Such a lovely combo of flavors!

Pierre Le Chat

I can not imagine cooking the orzo in the zucchini/onion mix - would it not become a sodden mess? It seems to make much more sense to cook the orzo in stock separately. Or am I too fastidious?

Leenie Loo

This pasta dish is really good! It is incredibly flavorful with the lemon zest, chopped mint, red pepper flakes, tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella and would be a perfect accompaniment to any fish dish, grilled meat or chicken. Just make sure you have everything prepped and assembled before you start to cook.

Faye

I made this with broccoli over zucchini as 1) it was all I had and 2) it’s a more stable vegetable to cook with pasta in one pot. I also subbed in halloumi for mozzarella to give it a bit more protein and it was quite tasty overall! Followed the cooking instructions as recommended and it turned out well overall, but I agree with other posts that had I made this with zucchini it would have turned a bit mushy.

M R

This cheesy herbal orzo was an absolute miss! Someone mentioned that their results were a train wreck as a one pot meal and I agree. It just did not really come together well and I’m an experienced cook. Also, the uncooked tomato-mozzarella mixture was odd on this hot cheesy dish. It would’ve served better as a side salad, but overall, the recipe demanded too much work and time for the results and I will not make it again.

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