This vegan one pot orzo with broccoli and butter beans is a quick and delicious comfort meal! It’s ready in just 25 minutes and packed with a fair amount of plant based protein. In order to ensure maximum flavor, the broccoli is seared in the pan beforehand then added back in towards the end of cooking.
If you’re craving something easy and hate doing dishes, this vegan one pot meal is for you! It’s packed with plant-based protein (roughly 60g in the whole recipe) thanks to the orzo, beans, and broccoli and everything cooks together in JUST ONE POT OR PAN! Since the orzo cooks right in the vegetable broth, it ends up being super flavorful and has a texture *almost* like a risotto. In order to pack a little extra flavor into the broccoli, it gets a super quick sear then steam in the same pan. The sear adds caramelization (and tons of flavor!) while the steam ensures the broccoli is nice and tender. I hope you enjoy this one pot orzo and it makes its way onto your meal rotation!
Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions
As tested and written in the recipe card, this one pot meal is fully vegan. If you’d like to make it gluten free as well, I recommend using a GF orzo if you can find one or a very small shaped GF pasta like ditalini. Keep some extra broth on hand in case you need to add more. I love garnishing with finely chopped parsley and lemon zest for a pop of freshness but you can also use fresh basil or tarragon. Not all broccoli crowns are the same size — I recommend using 1 large crown or 2 smaller/medium crowns here. Make sure to cut them into bite-sized florets. If you can’t find butter beans, feel free to sub 1 can of your favorite cooked white bean.
Variations to Suit Your Tastebuds
- SPICY — add some red chili flakes along with the thyme to spice things up. Want to take it a step further? Stir in some Calabrian chili paste once the orzo is done cooking.
- CHEESY — garnish with plenty of grated vegan (or regular) parmesan. Or, try out my homemade vegan parm!
- MORE VEG — add a few handfuls of baby spinach or baby kale when you add the broccoli and butter beans.
One Pot Orzo with Broccoli and Butter Beans in 6 Easy Steps
More One Pot Meals to Enjoy
Doing the dishes is my absolute least favorite chore so one pot meals are always a lovely treat! If you love this one pot orzo, I have a feeling you’ll enjoy this springtime version with peas, asparagus, and lemon. For a high protein one pot meal, try my creamy butter beans with sun-dried tomatoes and Swiss chard. This one is ready in just 25 minutes! If you’re digging the orzo and white bean combo in this vegan one pot meal, I have a feeling you’ll love this orzo soup with butternut, white beans, and sage pistou.
One Pot Orzo with Broccoli and Butter Beans (vegan)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan one pot orzo with broccoli and butter beans is a quick and delicious comfort meal! It’s ready in just 25 minutes and packed with a fair amount of plant based protein. In order to ensure maximum flavor, the broccoli is seared in the pan beforehand then added back in towards the end of cooking.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large crown broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
- Sea salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 5–6 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth, divided
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 8 ounces uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 can cooked butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Finely chopped parsley, for garnish
- Lemon zest, for garnish
Instructions
Heat a large braising pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and once it shimmers, add the broccoli florets. Season with a pinch of salt then spread them into an even layer. Let the broccoli cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon of water, cover the pot, and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the pot and set aside for now.
Wipe out the pan/pot then return it to the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the shallot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring regularly, until the shallot is translucent (2-3 minutes) then add the thyme and garlic. Cook for an additional minute, stirring regularly. Add the orzo, 2 ¾ cups of the vegetable broth, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 6 minutes, stirring regularly to keep the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan/pot.
While the orzo simmers, mix the remaining ¼ cup of broth with the miso paste in a small bowl until the miso is fully incorporated. Once the orzo has simmered for 6 minutes, stir in the broth/miso mixture, the cooked broccoli, the butter beans, and the nutritional yeast. Simmer for an additional 2-4 minutes, stirring regularly, until the orzo is al dente. Remove from the heat. Taste and add more salt/pepper as needed.
Garnish with finely chopped parsley and lemon zest before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 5-6 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stove with a couple of splashes of broth or water.
Notes
- If you purchased a quart of vegetable broth, you’ll have 1 cup left over. You can use it to warm up leftovers, or, if you prefer your orzo on the brothy side, you can stir in an extra 1/2 cup once the orzo is done cooking.
- Based on the orzo, butter beans, and broccoli I used, the entire recipe contains roughly 60g of protein, or 20g per serving if splitting it into 3 servings.
- Since the miso is fairly salty, I like to add a minimal amount of salt in the beginning, then wait until after the miso is added and the orzo is cooked to see if I need to season with more salt.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
I love a quick, flavorful one-pot meal! Searing the broccoli beforehand is such a smart move for maximum flavor! I definitely want to make this!
I hope you enjoy it! This is one of my favorite go-to quick meals 🙂
This is a great meal prep for lunches! It’s easy to put together in a double batch and just shove it in the fridge and warm it up as I need it for lunch.
I do the same! So happy you are enjoying it!
This is a delicious orzo recipe! So filling and satisfying – thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for leaving such a lovely review!
Wow, I love how simple this was to put together. It looks so magical on the table, you would never expect that! My little guy had never had orzo before, so I got a strange look when he first sat down, but he asked for seconds- kid approved!
Getting the kiddo’s seal of approval is always the best! So happy the whole family enjoyed it!
I made this delicious one pot meal last night. The recipe was easy to follow and what a satisfying meal with plenty of leftovers.
Yay! I’m so happy you were able to easily follow the recipe and that it made for a satisfying meal. Enjoy your leftovers!