One Pan Taco Orzo
This one pan taco orzo cooks seasoned ground beef with toasted orzo, Rotel, corn, and beef broth then finishes with sour cream and melted Colby Jack for a creamy, bold Tex-Mex skillet dinner ready in 35 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1.5 cups dry orzo pasta
- 2 cups beef bone broth
- ¼ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 taco seasoning packet
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 can Rotel tomatoes & green chilies
- 15 oz drained canned corn
- 1 cup sour cream
- 8 oz shredded Colby jack cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Next add 1 lb lean ground beef. Cook until brown.
- Next add ¼ cup diced yellow onion and minced garlic.
- Once the onion is translucent, add 1 packet of taco seasoning. I like to add ½ cup water into pan to help the seasonings combine.
- Once the seasonings are well incorporated, remove ground beef from pan and set aside. Do not clean pan in between.
- In the same pan, on medium heat, add 1.5 cups dry orzo. stir together and Let it toast for a few minutes.
- Next add 2 cups beef bone broth (or beef stock) and 1 tablespoon tomato paste.
- Once it is well combined, add drained, canned corn, and Rotel tomatoes with green chilies.
- Mix together.
- Add ground beef back into the pan.
- Once the mixture is simmering on low/medium heat, cover with lid and let it cook until orzo absorbs the liquid in skillet. Usually takes 10-15 minutes. *stir periodically to help prevent orzo from sticking to bottom of pan
- Once the liquid is absorbed, turn heat down to low and add sour cream and Colby jam cheese.
- Mix until it is well incorporated.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Toast the orzo in the skillet before adding the broth. Two to three minutes of dry toasting adds a nutty depth that makes the finished dish taste more developed and intentional.
- Do not clean the pan between the beef and the orzo steps. The seasoned drippings left in the pan from the beef add flavor to the orzo as it toasts and to the broth as it simmers.
- Stir the orzo every few minutes during the covered simmer to prevent it from sticking and clumping on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the sour cream and cheese off the heat or on the lowest setting to prevent them from breaking or becoming grainy.
