A savory summer dish you’re going to LOVE: this 30 minute grilled vegetable orzo is filled with flavor from sweet & grilled vegetables, tangy goat cheese and warm toasty, nutty brown butter and garden fresh basil. It’s a little bit of a hybrid between my incredible Brown Butter Pistachio Pesto Pasta and my Spinach Garlic Parmesan Orzo but with a summer veggie twist!
It’s a wonderful pasta dish that’s packed with veggies and perfect for adding your favorite proteins (omg could you imagine this with chicken or shrimp?). Sidney gobbled it up when I first made it for dinner a few years ago, and Tony and I even enjoyed it cold the next day (still incredible). Get this delicious grilled veggie orzo on your dinner menu this week.
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Fall in love with orzo
If you haven’t cooked or eaten orzo, get ready to fall in love with this little grain. Although orzo looks like a form of rice, it’s actually a rice-shaped pasta! You can cook it like you do traditional pasta, or you can cook it the same way you would rice. I find that orzo recipes like this healthy grilled veggie orzo are delicious both hot and cold, so they’re the perfect weekday lunch or dinner.
Everything you’ll need to make this grilled vegetable orzo
Summer veggies, rich brown butter, delicious pasta, and plenty of goat cheese. What more could you ask for?! This vegetarian grilled vegetable orzo is seriously bursting with flavor but so simple to make. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Veggies: we’re using red and orange bell peppers, sweet yellow onion, and of course, a zucchini!
- Seasonings: you’ll need some garlic powder, salt & pepper.
- Pasta: it’s an orzo party, baby! I love the texture of orzo in this dish, but you can feel free to use any pasta you’d like, even gluten free.
- Butter: the secret ingredient that makes this grilled veggie orzo truly magical is beautiful brown butter. YUM.
- Goat cheese: delicious goat cheese crumbles get all nice and creamy when mixed into the orzo.
- Herbs: add plenty of basil leaves for the perfect freshness in every bite.
Customize your grilled vegetable orzo
This delicious grilled veggie orzo is easy to customize with a few ingredient swaps or add-ins. Here’s what I can recommend:
- Add a boost of protein: we love serving this grilled veggie orzo with chickpeas or white beans to keep it vegetarian, or grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp! Seriously I think some grilled shrimp would be INCREDIBLE.
- Choose your veggies: this dish works with any vegetables you like! I chose super summery veggies, but I think broccoli, mushrooms, and brussels sprouts would also be delicious. You could even stir in some spinach at the end, or fold in some grilled corn off the cob!
- Keep it gluten free: feel free to simply use your favorite gluten-free pasta! I like Banza pasta.
- Go dairy free: you can use a vegan buttery stick and your favorite vegan cheese shreds. Please note that you cannot brown vegan/dairy free butter.
Perfectly grilled veggies: 2 different ways
The grilled vegetables add such a wonderful flavor with the delicious char they get when grilled. Here are two ways to do it (and get all of our tips & tricks for grilling vegetables here!)
- Use a grill basket. Preheat your grill to 400 degrees F, season your chopped veggies, and add them to a grill basket. Grill them for 10-15 minutes until they’re tender and have a slight char, and be sure to flip them halfway through.
- Use a foil pack. The foil pack method is another super easy way to grill your vegetables. Place your chopped veggies onto a large piece of foil, then add another large piece of foil on top. Seal the edges and use a fork or knife to poke a hole at the top of the foil to allow some steam to escape. Grill the whole foil pack for approximately 10-15 minutes or until veggies are just fork-tender.
No grill? No problem!
If you don’t have a grill or would rather roast your veggies for this grilled vegetable orzo, you absolutely can. Simply roast the veggies with olive oil on a parchment lined baking sheet at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until veggies are tender — be sure to flip halfway through, too!
How to brown butter
The brown butter is essential for creating a nutty, savory, delicious flavor in this orzo recipe. It’s easier to make than you think! Get all of my tips and tricks for browning butter here.
Storing tips
Store any leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. To reheat simply do so in a microwave safe dish with a splash of milk or water. You can also reheat on the stovetop with a splash of milk/water.
More summer dinners you’ll love
- Zucchini Mac and Cheese
- Slow Cooker Gochujang Chicken Sandwiches
- Vegan Mango Black Bean Green Rice Burrito Bowls
- Chipotle Lime Salmon Tacos with Corn Avocado Peach Salsa & Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
- Avocado & Tomato Chickpea Pasta Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
Get all of my dinner recipes here!
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I hope you love this 30 minute grilled veggie orzo recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
30 Minute Brown Butter Goat Cheese Grilled Veggie Orzo
Ingredients
- For the grilled veggies:
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium red bell pepper, halved or cut into ½” thick strips
- 1 medium orange bell pepper, halved or cut into ½” thick strips
- 1 sweet yellow onion, peeled and quartered (or cut into thick slices)
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½” thick rounds or strips
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- For the pasta:
- 8 oz orzo pasta (1 cup dried orzo)
- ⅓ cup reserved pasta water
- ¼ cup salted butter
- ½ cup goat cheese crumbles
- Optional: 1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 8-10 large basil leaves, julienned (about 1/3 cup packed basil)
- Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- First grill your veggies: preheat grill to 400 degrees. Place veggies in a large bowl, then drizzle them with olive oil, garlic powder and season with salt and pepper.
- GRILL BASKET OPTION: Grill veggies in a grill basket for 10-15 minutes or until veggies are tender and slightly charred; be sure to toss them halfway through cooking. Once the veggies are done cooking and have cooled a bit, you can chop them up to your liking. I like to chop the bell peppers, slice the onions and quarter the zucchini slices.
- FOIL OPTION FOR GRILLING: Place chopped veggies onto a large piece of foil, then add another large piece of foil on top. Seal the edges by folding a piece of foil together. Use a fork or knife to poke a hole at the top of the foil to allow some steam to escape. Place over direct heat on the preheated grill and grill for approximately 10-15 minutes or until veggies are just fork tender.
- While your veggies are grilling you can make your brown butter: add butter to a large saucepan or skillet and place over medium heat. The butter will begin to melt, crackle, and then eventually foam. Make sure you stir constantly during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown and turn a nice golden amber color on the bottom of the saucepan, this usually happens right when it foams. Continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Set aside to cool a bit (keeping butter in the pan but removing pan from heat) while you cook your pasta.
- Cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.
- Once pasta is done cooking, reserve 1/3 cup pasta water and set aside, then drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the brown butter. Give it a nice stir to coat all the pasta with the brown butter, then immediately add in the goat cheese and reserved pasta water; stir until nice and creamy and the goat cheese has melted. Finally, add in all of the chopped grilled veggies, and generously season with salt and pepper to taste (I like a lot of black pepper!). Finally fold in the fresh julienned basil. Serve immediately. This pasta is excellent served warm or cold.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on August 2nd, 2021, and republished on July 1st, 2024.
222 comments
I made this last night and it was fantastic!! To make it gluten free I subbed risoni (similar to orzo, from TJ’s) for the orzo and it worked wonderfully. I’m always looking for more GF + vegetarian recipes and this was perfect!
I’m SO happy you loved it, Sarah!! Great to know that the risoni worked well–such a good swap!
So delicious and easy to make! I added in roasted asparagus as well. Always looking for vegetarian dinners to add to the mix and this is definitely a great one!
Ooh love the idea of adding asparagus! So glad you enjoyed it, Bridgid 🙂
I made this for dinner last night and it was a big hit. My husband said how much he enjoyed again today. We added a little extra goat cheese because you can never have too much goat cheese!
Oh yay!! I’m so glad to hear that you guys enjoyed it! And YES to the extra goat cheese 🙌
So yummy. Made it with GF orzo and added slow roasted cherry tomatoes. Paired it with grilled chicken and arugula. Another five star dish!
Yay!! Omg those slow roasted tomatoes sound amazing 😍 Great additions!
Can you please add the pasta measurement for gluten free pasta? If using rotini what is the dried pasta measurement?
This comes out to about 2 cups of cooked orzo, so I’d say about 3 cups of cooked rotini (or about 1.5 cups uncooked) would be good!
I loved loved LOVED this recipe!!! Super easy to make – I roasted the veggies and added broccoli instead of the extra peppers – and it’s soo delicious!! I will definitely be making this again!
AK recipes never disappoint and this one is no exception! Delicious, easy to make! Added the chickpeas and we had it as a main course. We both wanted to eat the whole batch.
This recipe was fantastic! My whole family loved it, including my toddler and 1 year old. Only thing I would change next time is to cut the onions up smaller, not in slices. Just my personal preference 🙂
Sooo good! I made this with lima beans and shrimp on the side and it was amazing
Loved making this, I couldn’t help myself from eating it for every meal while it lasted, which was a while! Will definitely be making it again.
This was absolutely amazing!!!!!!
I added roasted cherry tomatoes from the garden, a handful of spinach and roasted chicken to the dish – super yummy!
Easy & delicious!!
Did this with Boursin cheese (it’s what was in my fridge) and added Brussels sprouts and it was a family favorite! Will definitely be on our regular rotation!
This is such an easy and delicious recipe to make as a side dish or main course! Delicious both warm and cold!
This recipe was amazing! I used dried basil instead of fresh because I’m lazy but it was still great!
So delicious! Perfect balance of indulgent from the butter/cheese and light from all the veggies. The big bunch of basil adds so much as well! Thank you!
I’m not a fan of goat cheese, what other cheese would you recommend? I was thinking feta. Thank you.
Feta would be great in here! Hope you enjoy 🙂
I used feta and loved it! I really like how it is flexible enough to use any kinds of seasonal vegetables as well.
Absolutely — so many different veggies would work in here, and feta’s a great sub, too!
Wow – amazing! Followed directions this time but excited to throw in other veggies as others have commented. A great way to use up a variety of vegetables from the garden.
Delicious! Followed recipe closely with the addition of roasted cherry tomatoes (added them in the last 2 minutes of roasting. The goat cheese added a beautiful creaminess without the goat milk flavor. Added chickpeas…Great idea. This was so tasty, I kept eating long after I was stuffed.
Awesome vegetarian dinner.
Just made this and my husband and I both loved it. We included the chickpeas and had it as our main course – it is filling but light at the same time with all the veggies!
I wanted to write a review after the first bite, but I made myself actually finish eating first, haha Holy cow this was good. I added grilled chicken and used yellow squash. The flavor of the browned butter combined with the goat cheese was amazing! The two flavors balance each other out well, and adding the fresh basil takes it to another level. It didn’t take very long–perfect for an easy weeknight meal. Definitely making this one again! Thank you!
This might just be one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I didn’t have fresh basil so I added some dry Italian seasoning at the end instead. WOW! So tasty, full of flavor and absolutely delicious. Looking forward to having it for lunch tomorrow as a cold pasta salad.
This was delicious!!! So quick and easy to throw together for a weekday (or any day) meal! Devoured by kids and adults!!!!
This was SO delicious! I roasted the veggies vs grilling them due to bad weather. I can only imagine how much better it would have tasted with a hint of char. So fast, and easy to prepare. My toddler loved it, too!
Amazing!! Added in shrimp as a protein and it was the perfect dinner! Had a great fresh taste and filling!
Yay! Happy you enjoyed it!
Absolutely delicious! Quick, simple, weeknight dinner that you could totally serve at a dinner party or a date night. I added garlic and shrimp that I grilled at the same time as the veggies. I would add less basil next time so I could taste more of the goat cheese and browned butter, but thats just my personal preference. The whole family enjoyed it. Thank you for yet another fabulous recipe 🙂
Oooh shrimp in here sounds fantastic! So happy that you guys loved it 🙂
A very delicious, easy, and filling dinner! We added shredded chicken for some protein. Another AK winner!
Awesome! I’m so happy you loved it 🙂
I don’t love goat cheese, so I wasn’t sure if I would like this but the flavor pairs so well with the rest of the ingredients and wasn’t over powering at all! SO good and easy, I will definitely be making again! I left out the chickpeas and garlic and used dried basil instead of fresh and it was still so flavorful! Thanks for the great recipe!
Amazing!! So glad that you enjoyed it in here 🙂 Feel free to use feta if you prefer that!
Good recipe! Fairly simple to make, but makes me feel like I’m a total BA making orzo and brown butter 🙂 delicious!
Omg YES that’s how you should feel!! I’m so glad you love it 🙂
Eating these leftovers as I write this review. This recipe is so so good and SO easy. I roasted the vegetables in the oven as per the recipe note, I also added a red onion because I had one on hand. Loved the chickpea addition for a vegetarian dinner all around. The flavor with the brown butter and goat cheese is so delicious, will definitely be making again as this is such an easy meal prep recipe!
Woohooo! I’m so happy you’re loving it, Alyssa! Great call on the onion addition.
Amazing! So simple and delicious. Will definitely be making again!
I made this with Banza rice and it was delicious!
Nice, love Banza! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
I followed this recipe exactly how she laid it out and WOW. Soo creamy and delicious!!
This was delicious! I roasted the veggies in the oven instead of on the grill, and it was incredible. My husband said he wants it added to the weekly rotation!
Great idea to roast them! I’m so happy you guys loved this one 🙂
So yummy. Would be amazing with some chicken sausage stirred in too.
Oooh love that idea!!
Goat cheese lovers heaven. This dish was extremely easy and loaded with flavor. A vegetarian dish that was actually really satisfying. We had leftovers the next day and made some quick and easy chicken meatballs to go on top for another take. So good!
Yay!! Sounds AMAZING with the chicken meatballs, love that idea.
So simple and delicious. I actually didn’t have any goats cheese so made it without and it was still yummy so I must make it again when I have some.
Totally fine to leave off the goat cheese! Excited for you to try it again when you have it on hand 🙂
This was my first Ambitious Kitchen recipe. It turned out great! I substituted cream cheese for the goat cheese. My husband and I both enjoyed it!
So happy you’re here, Anne! Glad that you loved it, and good idea to use cream cheese!
Love the grilled veggies and Goat cheese combo. This is the perfect summer dish to pass! Easy to make and everyone will be wow’d!
Such a good combo, right?! So happy you loved it!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious!! I added grilled corn as well. Easy recipe for a weeknight dinner.. Will definitely make this again!
Ooh great idea to add corn–so happy you loved it!
Omg this recipe is BOMB!!! Going to add this to the weekly rotation. Grilling the veggies was a fun mixup from roasting/sautéing so thank you for inspiring me to get on the grill! So much flavor in this dish and so easy!
Woohooo I’m so happy you loved it! So fun to break out the grill sometimes haha!
This recipe was so good and easy to make! I will never eat orzo any other way:)
Oh yay!! So glad you loved it, Jessy!
So so good! Made it with grilled chicken and roasted the veggies in the oven. Didn’t have goat cheese, but feta worked just as well. Will definitely be making this again!!
So happy to hear that! Totally fine to sub in feta here, that’s a great option!
Delicious! The first time I made it with feta crumbles (I’m not a goat cheese fan), the cheese did not melt very well and I didn’t get that creamy texture I was hoping for. It still tasted great though! This 2nd time I put the feta in the oven with the veggies in the middle of the pan with some olive oil and it got nice and soft and melted easily once added to the brown butter and orzo for a perfect creamy texture! Yum!
So glad you love this one, Erica! Great idea to melt the feta in the oven. Yummmmm 🙂
I was so excited to make this recipe and got most of the way through before I realized my goat cheese was bad and I couldn’t use it 😩 I always have at least a couple of hard cheeses on hand so I just grated up a bunch of pecorino Romano and it still turned out great! I’m sure not as creamy as the og recipe but maybe a good option if you are on the fence about goat cheese!
So resourceful! Glad to hear that tasted great. Hope you can try it with the goat cheese sometime 🙂
So good and so easy! My 1 year old liked it too!
Yay!! Glad you guys loved it. Thanks so much for the review 🙂
This recipe is amazing!!
Yay! So happy that you loved it, Manthan!
First time cooking with brown butter and was a little intimidated at first but this recipe is amazing! Made it with grilled shrimp and YUM!
Oh yay!! So glad you tried brown butter (isn’t it the best?!) and loved this one 🙂 Great call on the grilled shrimp–yummmm
This was delicious and my husband also loved it! I added more garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and some chopped up cherry tomatoes to give it some extra spice and acidity. Only thing I would do differently next time is use a grill pan instead of the foil method. The foil method steamed the veggies a bit too much for my liking!
So glad you guys loved it! And totally get that, direct heat is definitely the best for those charred edges 🙂
Woooah holy wowza this is amazing. I cannot wait to make the orzo again as a base with different veggies in the fall and different herbs. This is one thing I love about AK recipes is they are staples that are easily adaptable to what you have in the pantry. This was a delightful, well rounded dish.
Yes, this one’s so versatile!! I’m so happy you love it. Thanks, Savanna 🙂
I’ve made a lot of AK recipes over the years, but this is hands down my favorite one I’ve ever tried. I can’t even begin to describe how incredibly delicious this is! Such a great way to get veggies in or use up some that are about to go bad. Absolutely delicious. I agree with Monique in adding lots of black pepper in the end and I also thought a squeeze of lemon juice to garnish adds a nice touch!
Oh I’m SO happy to hear that, Angelique! Thanks for the nice review!
Loved! Added some ground turkey for a lil more protein.
Great addition! Happy you enjoyed it!
I made this recipe tonight and our family loved it! I roasted the veggies instead of grilled and the flavor was amazing. Thank you!
Great idea to roast the veggies–happy you loved it, Chessie!
Simple and so yummy!! Another AK recipe I will be making over and over!
YAY! I’m glad you’re loving it, Kate! Thanks 🙂
I have made this twice now with roasted veggies. SO GOOD. The creamy goat cheese brown butter sauce is heaven! I love this with chickpeas for added protein too! When it’s warmer out I plan to make this with grilled veggies and shrimp. A very easy staple recipe that I think would be a crowd pleaser. Easy to double the recipe for larger gatherings or meal prep.
Ahh thank you, I’m SO happy you love it! Excited for you to try it with the grilled veggies + shrimp, too 🙂
So delicious! I’m a huge fan of goat cheese and I loved this! I served it with smoked turkey. My husband took one bite and said this is a make again recipe for sure.
Yummmm that sounds amazing! I’m so glad you both loved this one ❤️
I cannot wait to make this for my weekday lunches! Just curious… Does the nutritional information include the chickpeas?
Thanks!!
Hi, Amber! So excited for you to try this one 🙂 The nutrition info does *not* include the chickpeas, as they’re optional.
I made this tonight. It was Absolutely delicious!! My whole family really loved it. Thank you for such a great and easy recipe! I just love your recipes.
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that you all loved it. Thanks so much, Elaine 🥰
Absolutely delicious! Didn’t want to chop the veggies a second time so cut them smaller to start with and grilled in a basket for 15 min – perfect! Grilled a large chicken breast, sliced and added to salad instead of chickpeas. The fresh basil should not be skipped if possible. The goat cheese was amazing – going to try feta next time to see how it changes the flavor. Thanks for this keeper!
That all sounds amazing! I’m SO glad you loved it, Frances 🙂 Thanks for leaving a review!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was SO GOOD! I used cream cheese instead of goat cheese but otherwise made it exactly as listed and we loved it!. So glad we have leftovers to look forward to tomorrow! Thank you for another great recipe that we’ll be making often
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Lori! Glad the cream cheese worked well in here 🙂 Thanks so much for leaving a review!
I love how easy this recipe is. Orzo is one of my favorite pastas and I love how the grilled veggies are incorporated! #AKDinnerParty
Such a good combo, right?? So happy you love this one!
A SUMMER GO TO!!! Obsessed with this meal… First made it about a year ago and it’s on repeat during grill season in my house. Grill some chicken with it and it’s SO GOOD. Also versatile, throw whatever veggies you have left in the fridge on the grill and you’re set!! So easy so good! #AKDinnerParty
Woohoooo! Happy you love it, Lauren 🙂 Totally agree, pretty much any veggies + proteins would be amazing in here!
This recipe is my favorite summer recipe! It’s amazing hot or cold. Loved making this for the #AKDinnerParty.
I’m so happy you love this one!! Thanks for commenting, Caroline 🙂
First cooked this in October and it was such a treat to revisit last night!! Switching from the oven-roasted vegetables to the grilled vegetables gave it more of a summer flavor! Absolutely adding this as a household staple to get my family to eat their veggies <3 #AKDinnerParty
SO happy you enjoyed it a second time, and that you’ve now tried both roasted + grilled veggies! Thanks for coming to the party, Molly 🥰
I made this for my sister last night and we loved it! I swapped feta because we’re a little obsessed, and used the veggies I had on hand (broccoli, corn, green pepper, red onion). It was a smash. The feta didn’t melt all the way, but it was actually really tasty to get little pockets of it! Perfect summer evening meal. #AKDinnerParty
Nice! The little chunks of feta sound DELISH 😍 Glad you guys enjoyed this one and thanks for coming to the party!
This is terrific!! Quick and easy and high on the flavor scale given the simple ingredients. I made the brown butter, roasted the veggies in the oven, crumbled the goat cheese, and sliced the basil beforehand. My husband cooked the pasta and combined everything so dinner was done when I got home from work. Delish!! We used gluten free quinoa macaroni and oven roasted the veggies with a bit of veggie broth instead of oil. It made enough for the two of us plus leftovers. We did not include the chickpeas. Thank you for another winner! #AKdinnerparty
Aw thanks so much, Jean! I’m SO happy you both loved it and that you had delicious leftovers, too!
A great way to use so many summer veggies! This recipe was easy and quick. I was a bit worried about browning butter but it wasn’t as difficult as I feared. I love that I could use basil from the garden as well as veggies I had on hand. I added cherry tomatoes and would recommend as they added nice acidity. I also added a can of chickpeas as suggested for protein. I think this will be just as great cold. Happy this was the #AKDinnerParty recipe this month so I had the push to try this!
That all sounds amazing, Lauren! I’m so happy you loved it and that the brown butter step wasn’t too hard 🙂 Love the idea of cherry tomatoes in here, too.
#AKDinnerParty This recipe is a home run! I’m always looking for ways to cut out meat and this meal was perfectly filling with the chickpeas and veggies. I am not a goat cheese fan, so I swapped feta and it was great!
YAY! I’m so glad you tried and loved it, Mary. Feta’s an excellent sub. Thanks for coming to the dinner party 🥳
Just made this – in the words of my husband, “this is bomb!!”
I did use the oven technique for the veggies because it was too rainy to grill. I threw in some pre-cooked tomato basil chicken sausage to the veggie mixture as well and cooked them for the same amount of time. I also used a full box of orzo (1lb) and a full stick of butter! DELISH!! #AKDinnerParty
Hahaha LOVE IT! I’m so glad you both enjoyed it. Such a flexible recipe — I bet that all tasted incredible!
This had a nice creaminess from the brown butter and goat cheese. And thankfully the brown butter was pretty easy. I subbed another pepper for the zucchini. I didn’t have fresh basil, which was unfortunate. I think it would have made the flavor really pop, and offer a nice contrast to all that creaminess. I served this with chicken apple sausages. I roasted the vegetables because of rain, so it ended up being a lot of dishes! Still fun to try for the #AKDinnerParty.
Thanks so much for the review, Emiley — so happy you tried and enjoyed it! I bet those chicken sausages were delish with the orzo 🙂
I made this tonight and it was excellent! I roasted the vegetables in the oven and added asparagus. Easy to make and absolutely delicious! Will definitely be making again.
Amazing! Love the idea of asparagus in here 🙂 So glad you loved it.
This was delicious and easy! I roasted veggies and left out the goat cheese. Yum! #akdinnerparty
So glad you loved it, Lauren! Roasting the veggies is a great option 🙂
I can’t believe I waited so long to try this! Brown butter and goat cheese makes a fantastic sauce. I used a bag of kohlrabi vegetable noodles in place of orzo and trader Joe’s seafood blend for protein. #AKDinnerParty
Haha it’s never too late!! SO interesting about the kohlrabi noodles — I need to try those! Thanks for the idea 🙂 And the added seafood’s a great idea.
This is the BEST! I have made it twice already, because one week of it wasn’t enough. So simple, nutrient packed and SO GOOD!! 🙂 thank you for this one!!
Ahh I’m so glad to hear that, Maureen! Thank you for the sweet review!
So delicious and simple! My husband and I loved making this and can’t wait for leftovers. #AKDinnerParty
Woohooo! So happy you tried and loved it!
So good! Definitely adding to the regular rotation! I added asparagus, which went perfectly with the other veggies
Such a good addition! I’m so happy you loved it, Michelle!
Thank you for another #AKDinnerParty hit!
I roasted the veggies, but didn’t make any other changes and it was absolutely perfect. The warm creamy goat cheese and butter make this dish. I can’t wait for the leftovers!
Aw thank YOU for the review! I’m so glad it turned out amazing. Isn’t that creamy goat cheese + brown butter combo incredible?!
The orzo with goat cheese created such a smooth texture complimenting the crunchiness of the veggies. We served ours over a bed of arugula and it was 10/10. This dish could be a great side salad or the main dish with some grilled salmon/chicken/shrimp. Definitely creates a great base meal to add on to. Also the fresh basil was key so don’t skip that! #AKDinnerParty
Ooh love the idea of serving this over arugula! Happy you loved it, Shannon. Thanks for coming to the party 🥳
Loved the grilled veggies and can’t go wrong with brown butter either! Thanks for another winning recipe!
Brown butter’s my FAV!! So glad you tried & enjoyed it, Lisa 🙂 Thanks for the review!
I have been wanting to make this recipe for awhile, so I was so happy it is this month’s dinner party recipe! It was so easy to make and delicious! I couldn’t find fresh basil, so I used dried, but I think the fresh basil would have made it even better. Thank you for the recipe!
I forgot the hashtag #AKDinnerParty
SO happy you had the chance to try it and that you loved it, Rebecca! ❤️
100% delicious and enjoyed by all members of the family. We subbed out the zucchini for button mushroom as per a recommendation on the site. Thanks Monique!
So happy you all loved it, Erin! Thanks so much for leaving a review 😊
So delicious! We love goat cheese so I knew this would be a hit. I roasted veggies in the oven and this came together so fast! #AKDinnerParty
Yesss goat cheese is the best, right?! SO happy you tried and enjoyed this recipe, Ashlee. Thanks so much 🙂
LOVED this one! Super simple, delicious, and veggie-packed, it was the perfect side to some grilled meat and will definitely be on heavy rotation this summer! #AKDinnerParty
YAY! Loved seeing your post in the group 🙂 So glad you loved it, Brooke.
So fun and easy and flavorful! #AKDinnerParty will make again!!!
This was so good! Creamy and great flavor! Definitely will be a repeat side dish over the summer!
This recipe was DELICIOUS! The brown butter and grilled veggies are really what make it. I was skeptical because there aren’t a ton of different seasonings in it, but the flavour POPS! My husband (who isn’t the most culinary-savvy guy) ate it up so quick and said “I don’t know what this is, but it tastes amazing” LOL
This was delicious!! I decided to roast the veggies rather than grill them and it was still amazing. Highly recommend!
This recipe is amazing! I have never made brown butter before and it was so easy. Threw the orzo in and tried it and it was already delicious! Plus adding in all the yummy veggies and grilled chicken! I love that you can use whatever veggies and protein you have on hand. I don’t usually like goat cheese by itself but in the dish it is perfect, feta would be a good substitute too! This will be on our rotation of meals all summer long!
Perfect side dish for the summer!! Loved this recipe! I will definitely make it again! Thanks!
Brown butter is key! Such a good weekday dinner! Roasted the veggies on the grill – just on top of foil, no basket or anything and it came out AMAZING. Used leftover grilles veg to make greek meatballs for a perfect meal.
This was sooo good! Added grilled chicken and it was an easy delicious meal. I’ll definitely be adding this to the staples list. If you’re scared of goat cheese, don’t be. I purchased mine from Trader Joe’s and it was so light and creamy with just a touch of tang. Definitely a good intro to goat cheese if you’re nervous to try it.
This is an 11/10 recipe. Light, customizable, and delicious!! This has quickly become a staple in our home. I’ve gotten so many compliments when I’ve made this for friends and I hate to blow my cover and admit how easy it is!
I made this for dinner tonight as a side with grilled chicken. My husband and 2 year old loves it. Next time I might try adding sausage per my husband’s suggestion.
Oh dear. This was a huge hit! Made it tonight for my family and this recipe was loved by all! I didn’t have enough orzo, so i used penne. It was still fantastic.
Penne’s an awesome sub! I’m so happy you all loved it, Heather 🙂
So easy and absolutely delicious! Definitely a winner.
#AKDinnerParty
This was delicious served with grilled shrimp. Used the grill basket to grill the peppers, zucchini and onions. I’m looking forward to making this again this summer with whatever grillable veggies are in season!
Grilling baskets are the best! SO happy you loved it, Carla 🙂
#AKDinnerParty Loved this recipe! The brown butter and goat cheese on the orzo really makes this a particularly great summer meal.
Yay!! So happy you joined the party ☺️
Easy and flavorful recipe! Love all the options for add ins too. This is my favorite type of meal; fresh veggies and lots of flavor. Easy to prepare also.
So glad you loved it, Julie! It’s my kinda dinner, too 🙂
So good! I ended up adding both chicken and chickpeas, and also added some toasted pine nuts. SO good!
Nice!! Ooh pine nuts are an excellent addition. I need to try that 🙂
I thought this recipe was super simple and tasty. It was a great combination of being rich and comforting but also lightened up with all the veggies. I changed the goat cheese to vegan cheese and thought it still came out great. Overall I love how this recipe is very customizable.
#AKDINNERPARTY
Thank you so much, Siena! So happy you came to the party 🙂
I left out the onion for a family member but that didn’t matter, the taste of this was amazing! The creaminess was divine and I loved it hot as well as cold. So good! Used stelline pasta instead of orzo because that’s all I could find but texture was still 10/10.
#AKDinnerparty
I’m SO happy you enjoyed it, Julie! And I just looked up that pasta. Sounds like the most adorable shape!!
This recipe is amazing! I served with grilled chicken but honestly, it’s perfect as is and really didn’t need anything to go with it. I’ll be making this all summer long! #AKDinnerParty
Yay!! So glad you loved this one, Holly! Thanks for coming to the party 🥳
Hi!
I made this for dinner tonight. I forgot to save the pasta water so used vegetable broth.I added grilled chicken & chickpeas. It was very blah so I warmed some Italian dressing & that made a world of difference. Does the pasta water make that much of a difference?
Hello! Sorry you found it “blah.” The pasta water helps it get really creamy and saucy, which is essential to the texture of this dish. But glad to hear the addition of the Italian dressing worked well!
super easy to veganize and swap recipes according to what I have on hand! yummm #akdinnerparty
I’m so happy you enjoyed it and that the vegan swaps tasted amazing! Thanks, Melissa 🥰
Made it with some fresh veggies from the farmers market! Loved it! #AKDinnerParty
Nice! I bet they were extra flavorful 🙂 Thanks for the review, Kelsey!
I thought this was excellent, and my husband agreed! I almost used feta instead of goat cheese, but I’m glad I used the goat cheese. It went nicely with the brown butter. I used cannellini beans because that’s what I had on hand. I’ll definitely make this again! #akdinnerparty
So good! Not a goat cheese fan, so substituted feta, as per other suggestions. Used broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes, onion, and zucchini, as my partner isn’t a huge bell pepper fan. Turned out great, and would definitely make again. #AKDinnerParty
We got a bunch of zucchini and basil in our CSA this week, and I knew immediately I wanted to make this recipe! I added grilled shrimp on top and it completely tasted like summer in a bowl. So good! #AKDinnerParty
Absolutely love this so much and we will definitely make and eat it again. Only reason for not 5 stars is having to add a protein. We added cod which was great but wanted the flavors to mix a little better. Love the pasta base with goat cheese and black pepper. I also included eggplant which was a yummy addition!!
A nice easy summer meal! 4 stars because I think it could have slightly more flavor. Would recommend tho!
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Some folks have suggested adding a little lemon juice at the end!
Easy recipe to make when you get home from work and need to get kids and husband fed quick. I even sautéed veggies ahead of time to add to the orzo for quick dinners
I love this recipe so much! I have celiac and have replaced the orzo with GF rotini or other pasta before, but tonight I made it with Jovial brand cassava orzo (from Whole Foods) and it was AMAZING. It was by far the best gluten free version I’ve made! 🙂
YAY! Happy to hear it came out great
This is super yummy and easy!
Yay! So glad you loved this recipe. Easy and delicious 🙂
My family loved this! A great way to use up a variety of veggies—we used onion, peppers, mushrooms, and spinach.
This recipe has been added to my weekly rotation. It’s a great weeknight dinner with minimal pre planning required. I’ll usually oven roast the veggies and mix up what I use based on what I have on hand and need to use up. My meat loving husband loves it also (but will usually add bacon to his).
This was a big win. Easy and super tasty! I left out the chickpeas as my husband isn’t a huge fan and added some grilled chicken. I also added a few red pepper flakes for a bit of spice. The brown butter and goat cheese flavor came through nicely. Thanks for a great recipe!
Ah this is the best! So glad this recipe turned out great for you 😍
This was so good. Only changes I did was I added mushrooms to the veggies and roasted them instead of grilling. While the butter was browning, I added some shrimp, cooked quickly, took out and continued with the rest of the recipe. Another winner!
Sounds amazing! Love the addition of the shrimp. Thanks for commenting!
This was delicious! I added some roasted broccoli & extra black pepper, but skipped the chick peas. My husband and I loved it, and will definitely add it to our rotation!
YUM! So glad you both loved this recipe 🙂
This is one of my favorite recipes I go back to over and over! The brown butter is a game changer and the goat cheese is the perfect pairing.
YUM! So glad you are loving this recipe, Katie!
Thanks for yet another winning recipe Monique! Husband and I LOVED this! The brown butter and goat cheese made this taste amazing!!
Ah this is so great, I am so glad you are both loving this recipe ❤️
My family loves this recipe!! It’s the favorite in our meatless Monday rotation. We use the recommended chick peas for protein and also like to add mini mozzarella pearls! My kiddo lives with type1 diabetes, and the combo of fat, fiber and protein in this meal makes it great for her blood sugar!
Ah yay! This is so great to hear Ashley. I am so glad you’re loving this recipe and it turned out great for you 🙂
This was delicious. Used whole wheat orzo and roasted the chickpeas along with the veggies in the oven. Really great dish that tastes rich. Great job!
Love that! Glad it was a hit!
I’m enjoying this as I write my comments! I live in an apartment w/o balcony so no grill. I did modify because I didn’t have peppers or goat cheese. I used baby broccoli in place of peppers and added cashew plant cheese at the end. Also had Trader Joes pesto instead of fresh basil as a finishing touch. I love your recipes!
Perfect! This one’s great for customizing 🙂
Absolutely amazing!!!!! I made this for a potluck and I just wanted to eat the whole batch myself!! I am not the biggest goat cheese fan but the melted goat cheese + the brown butter and fresh veggies was such a good combo!
Love that!! One of our favs, too 🙂
Absolutely lovely! I forgot goat cheese when I went to the store but had some of the Boursin cheese and used that instead. It was delicious. I love all the veggies in it! Thank you for this one!
Love that swap! So delicious. Glad you enjoyed!
Monique has converted me into an orzo fanatic. I used feta cheese because that’s what I had on hand & added leftover cooked chicken & it was delicious. So easy to make, too.
So good! One of my all time fav grains (as you can probably tell!)
Love love love! This will for sure be in my summer dinner rotation. It’s so easy to make and with little effort. I’m planning on eating leftovers tomorrow for lunch cold. My only notes are that I think a whole onion was slightly too much (I’ll probably do 3/4 next time) and if you like red pepper flakes they take it up a notch. I prefer green peppers, so I added one in the recipe and it turned out great and helped with the amount of onion.
This one’s great for customizing! Glad you enjoyed (and yes, feel free to reduce the amount of onion!)