Baked Orzo with Pesto and Peas
Baked Orzo with Pesto and Peas is a lovely Italian-inspired spring main dish or side dish that's easily made ahead of time!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups cooked orzo pasta approximately 2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 1 cup peas fresh or thawed if frozen
- 3 ounces prosciutto chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 3/4 cup prepared pesto
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese or 4 ounces ricotta or cream cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a small baking dish (like an 8 x 8-inch square) with cooking spray.
- Combine cooked orzo, peas, prosciutto, cream or half-and-half, pesto, mascarpone and half the Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Transfer to prepared baking dish. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes then serve.
Notes
Prep time does not including boiling the orzo. Add 20 minutes.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Use ricotta or cream cheese in place of mascarpone.
- Use diced ham in place of prosciutto.
- Combine everything in the baking dish as directed. Refrigerate until needed.
- Let baking dish stand at room temperature before placing in the oven and bake as directed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 623kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 675mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1645IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 307mg | Iron: 2mg