Orzo Pasta with Vegetables as a Side Dish
Some delicious and quick dishes are born while cleaning out the refrigerator. When you have a little bit of different ingredients, you can't cook anything special individually. But by combining them together, you can easily make a complete and fast dish or side dish. And what could be faster than a pasta dish with vegetables?
Information
Ingredients
- Pasta200 g
- Carrots1 piece
- Zucchini0.5 piece
- Bell pepper0.5 piece
- Onion1 piece
- Garlic1 clove
- Vegetable oil3 tablespoon
- Salton taste
Directions
Macaroni is a unique and satisfying dish on its own, which can be enjoyed as a main course or as a great addition to fish or meat. And of course, pasta combined with vegetables, even in small quantities, is a very healthy dish.
You can choose any type of pasta you like, depending on your preferences. I will show you a type of pasta called Orzo, which is small in size. These tiny pasta shapes resemble elongated grains of barley, which is what the name Orzo means in Italian.
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package in salted boiling water until al dente.
After that, drain them in a sieve and rinse with cold running water. This needs to be done in order to stop the cooking process inside the pasta and maintain their firm shape. Otherwise, there is a chance of ending up with soft, mushy pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, wash the vegetables and remove the skin or peel - carrots, onions, garlic, and then chop them finely. Simply slice the onions and garlic. Grate the other vegetables on a coarse grater, which will help them resemble our orzo pasta. If you choose larger pasta, you can simply dice them into small cubes. By the way, you can use any vegetables you have available, including frozen ones - don't be afraid to experiment. This allows you to create a new dish every time.
Pour all the vegetable oil onto a heated skillet and add the onions. We will sauté them until they become softened and translucent, without aiming for golden color. Then add the garlic and fry everything for about a minute. Next, add the grated vegetables. Since they are finely grated, they will cook almost instantly.
Then add the cooked pasta, stir everything together, and sauté for about three minutes. Season with salt to taste. During this time, the pasta will heat up again and absorb all the flavors of the vegetables.
Serve the pasta with vegetables immediately, as they say, hot off the stove - a wonderful, quick, and flavorful side dish for, for example, ready-made cutlets. Enjoy your meal!
