Veggie Cacio e Pepe Orzo- Cacio e Pepe flavors in a delicious Vegetarian summer dish
Looking for a delicious and light summer dish that captures the classic Italian flavors of Cacio e Pepe? My Veggie Cacio e Pepe Orzo is the perfect choice! This delightful recipe brings together the creamy, peppery goodness of traditional Cacio e Pepe with a healthy nutritious twist, featuring vibrant green vegetables like scallions, peas, asparagus, and spinach. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a refreshing lunch, this dish is as nutritious as it is tasty. A perfect vegetarian main dish that is loaded with green veggies. Get ready to enjoy the comforting flavors of Italian cuisine with a fresh, veggie-packed spin!
Happy Cooking!
Servings: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 15-20 mins
Cooking Time: 30-45 mins
Total Time: 1-1.5 hours
Ingredients:
10-12 oz orzo
1/2 tbsp whole peppercorns
1-1.5 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot thinly sliced
4-5 scallions finely chopped; whites & greens separated
3-5 cloves of garlic minced
3/4-1 chopped finely chopped asparagus
1/2 cup green peas
1.5 cups freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
1.5-2 cups spinach; I used baby spinach
1.5-2 cups reserved pasta water
Salt to season pasta water
Directions:
In a pan on low-medium heat, add the peppercorns. Dry roast them for 3-4 minutes until they are warm and aromatic. Let them cool. Using a motor and pestle crush the cooled peppercorns till it’s mostly fine. Keep it aside.
Put water to boil in a saucepan with salt. Boil the orzo till al dente. When the orzo has 2 minutes left to finish cooking add the asparagus and peas to the water. Let it cook together and then drain. Keep aside and reserve pasta water.
Put a pan on medium heat and add olive oil when warm. Add the shallots, minced garlic, and whites of the scallions. Cook it for 3-4 minutes till everything is fragrant and the shallots have started to brown lightly.
Add the crushed pepper and mix well.
Add 3/4 cup of the pasta water, and bring it to a low simmer, and bring it to a low-medium heat.
Add the cheese in 2 batches mixing well in between. Be fast while mixing otherwise the cheese can separate. Only add more cheese once the cheese has melted and mixed in. Check notes for an additional step to ensure it doesn’t separate.
Add the drained orzo, asparagus and peas. Mix it in coating the orzo well.
Add 1/2-1 cup of pasta water and mix well. Add 1/2 cup at a time. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes till you have gotten to the consistency you like.
Add spinach and the scallion greens and mix well. Cook for 1-2 minutes on low heat and it’s ready!
Serve warm garnished with more cheese if you want!
Notes/Tips:
I recommend not swapping out shallots but if you have to use 1 cup of sweet onions.
You can use any other veggies you like. If you use veggies like broccoli that need to be cooked before, boil them along with the orzo as I did for the asparagus and peas. The timing depends on which veggies you use.
Freshly grated cheese and dry roasted whole peppercorns add an insane amount of flavor so don’t skip that!!
If you want an easier step to make the cheese pasta water mixture- warm 1 cup of the pasta water separately till it’s warm enough to touch. Add the cheese to it and using a whisk keep whisking till it’s a smooth sauce. Add a little more pasta water if needed and whisk again. Add this mixture to the pot with some pasta water and your cheese won’t separate. This is an added step but ensures your cheese won’t separate.
