Cheesy Asparagus One Pot Orzo

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5 from 24 ratings

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This Cheesy Asparagus Orzo is SO easy to make while camping! It cooks in one pot (no straining!), so cleanup is done in a snap, and this dish can easily be scaled to feed a crowd.

Overhead view of asparagus orzo in a camping bowl on a picnic table

One-pot pasta is a fundamental meal in the canon of camp cooking. Easy to prepare, easy to clean, and open to limitless variations, it’s by far one of our favorite go-to meals while camping. You can add or subtract ingredients, leave out spices you don’t have, and add others you do, but once you’ve mastered the basic concept, a whole world of options becomes available to you.

We made this cheesy asparagus orzo at Henry Cowell State Park on our way from Big Sur to San Francisco. We had originally planned to cook something slightly more involved that evening but found out upon our arrival that the park would be closing promptly at dusk.

So, we switched gears to this simple meal and had plenty of time to watch the sun set. Ever since then, this dish has been on our camping menu pretty frequently!

Ingredients for asparagus orzo in a cooking pot on a camping stove

How to make it

The cooking process is fairly straightforward. The orzo, asparagus, and spices are added to the pot along with 2 cups of water and a swirl of olive oil. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the orzo is tender. The exact time will depend on the brand of orzo you use (check the back of the package)—ours took 9 minutes total. If the pot begins to dry out, you can add a little more water as needed.

Ingredients for asparagus orzo in a cooking pot on a camping stove

Once the pasta is done, add the cheese to the pot, which will melt in with the remaining water to create the sauce. Top with the sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts, split between bowls, and dinner is served!

Overhead view of asparagus orzo in a camping bowl on a picnic table

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Overhead view of asparagus orzo in a camping bowl on a picnic table
Fresh Off The Grid

Cheesy Asparagus One Pot Orzo

5 from 24 ratings
This Cheesy Asparagus Orzo recipe is SO easy to make while camping! It cooks in one pot so cleanup is done in a snap, and this dish can easily be scaled to feed a crowd.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • ½ lb asparagus
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup orzo
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup shredded cheese (we used Trader Joe’s 4 Cheese Blend but you could use parmesan, asiago, or any blend)
  • ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes chopped
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts

Instructions
 

  1. Cut off and discard the tough ends of the asparagus, and then chop the asparagus into 1” pieces.
    ½ lb asparagus
  2. Add the asparagus, water, orzo, oil, and all the spices into a pot. Bring to a low boil (this took us 4 1/2 minutes) and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the orzo is tender.
    2 cups water, 1 cup orzo, ½ tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  3. Reduce heat and add the cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and pine nuts. Stir until the cheese has melted.
    ½ cup shredded cheese, ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  4. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and enjoy!

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 523kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 22gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 815mgPotassium: 948mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1240IUVitamin C: 11.7mgCalcium: 213mgIron: 5.9mg

Nutrition is an estimate based on information provided by a third-party nutrition calculator

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9 Comments
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Kyra
Kyra

I made this last night without the pine nuts, and with some added garlic, extra cheese/sundried tomatoes. It turned out SO well! and I couldn’t believe how easy and quick it was, from prep to cleanup. It’s essentially like an orzo mac & cheese and it’s approved by my picky carnivore man. Will make again for sure.5 stars

Cristin
Cristin

I made this out camping!!!! so delicious! The only difference was I used riced cauliflower instead of orzo. Thank you for the wonderful recipes.5 stars

Melanie
Melanie

This recipe was AMAZING. So easy from start to finish.
This will be a new regular meal for sure!5 stars

Ruth
Ruth

Delicious, easy and wonderful for camping
This recipe will be on the regular rotation!
Love Cristin’s idea of cauliflower rice!5 stars

Katie Starfish
Katie Starfish

Made as directed with the following exceptions:

Grilled asparagus on the barbeque instead of putting it in the dish

Toasted the pine nuts

That’s it! And it was delicious.

Rebecca
Rebecca

I’m in love with this recipe. I pretty much make this every time we camp. I chop the asparagus ahead of time and portion out all of the ingredients so that after a long day, I just dump and feed. Awesome recipes, amazing camping advice, wonderful gear recommendations…this is my new favorite site.5 stars

Amber
Amber

Tried this last weekend and it was fantastic! My boyfriend was tired of us always eating the same 3 or 4 things camping. I think next time we’d add more tomatoes or maybe some green olives to salt it up more. We also plan on trying it with broccoli since his kids won’t eat asparagus. Thank you!5 stars

Fresh Off The Grid
Reply to  Amber

Those all sound like awesome substitutions. It’s always nice to have a way to change things up without having to re-invent the wheel.