If I am ever in need of some weeknight dinner inspo, @emthenutritionist always has something that inspires me. This recipe is a take on her ‘smoky caramelised red pepper orzo’ (which is amazing as it is) but the more I made it, the more I amended it to make it my own! So, if you don’t like my version, I definitely recommend hers!
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- 1 red pepper, finely sliced into strips
- 1 tbsp harissa paste (I recommend the Belazu brand)
- 100g cherry tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Italian or mixed herbs
- ½ can chopped tomatoes
- ½ veg stock cube
- 300ml water
- 150g orzo
- 1 can butterbeans
- Parsley
- Lemon
Method:
- In a pan, heat a little bit of olive oil. Cook the sliced red onion and pepper with the lid on under a low heat.
- Add the harissa paste and cherry tomatoes, then put the lid back on and cook until all the veg is soft.
- Add the garlic, paprika and mixed herbs. Season and cook for a further few minutes.
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes, water, stock cube and orzo. Simmer this, stirring regularly so that the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- When the orzo is nearly cooked through, add the butterbeans and chopped parsley.
- (Tip: if the orzo is still too hard and not cooked through, just add a splash of water accordingly.)
- Once the orzo is cooked, serve into bowls and garnish with extra parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Enjoy!
Photo by Amelie Dryer for The Student.