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The Easiest One Pan Caprese Pesto Orzo Bake. Trust me, this is going to become your new go-to for busy nights. Roasted tomatoes with garlic, shallots, and olive oil, all tossed together in a casserole dish with dry orzo pasta, basil pesto, then finished with melty mozzarella cheese. This incredible dish is all made in one large baking dish without even having to boil any water. Just mix, bake, eat, and enjoy!
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I know this is a recipe post, but for long-time readers, I just have to quickly say how incredible the last few days have been. Your support for me is just so sweet and incredible to feel. I feel so very loved by you all and I just want to say thank you, thank you!
For everyone who has already received the book, what’s your favorite recipe so far?!
Going to chat more about all this fun stuff on Sunday, but I just had to say thank you!
Ok, ok, back to today’s recipe. This is the easiest recipe and certainly my favorite of the week!!
I honestly have no idea how I thought to put this one together, but it’s pretty perfect. The flavors are nothing new by any means, but the cooking method is super smart. And the end product is so very delicious.
A lot of times one-pan pasta dishes aren’t cooked properly. But because we’re using orzo, which is such a small pasta, it cooks up really well!!
Here are the simple, simple steps
Start out by roasting the tomatoes, just to get them cooking before we add the pasta. I added some garlic, shallots, and chili flakes to bump up the flavor a bit.
When the tomatoes start sizzling, pull them out and add the DRY orzo pasta, a jar of basil pesto, and some peperoncinis. The peperoncinis are not traditional for Caprese, but I’m obsessed with them and they add a lot of flavor to the dish.
The next key ingredient…water or broth.
So simple, and yes, technically not an ingredient. But the water cooks the pasta just as if we had boiled it on the stove. Once the water is in, bake another 10 minutes or so. Allowing the water to cook into the pasta, then stir the orzo mixture, and sprinkle over the cheese. Now finish baking!
Finish it up and eat
When the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted, pull the pan out. If there’s a lot of oil on top from the jar of pesto, just drain that off and save it for dipping with bread (YUMMM).
Top with plenty of fresh basil and that’s literally it. SO SIMPLE, SO DELICIOUS! And I love that there’s basically no prep or extra dishes.
Simple but delicious really is the key!
Looking for other easy pasta bakes? Here are my favorites:
One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Whipped Ricotta
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake
Lastly, if you make this Easy One Pan Caprese Pesto Orzo Bake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Easiest One Pan Caprese Pesto Orzo Bake
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
- chili flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 1 (8 ounce) jar basil pesto
- 2-3 tablespoons sliced peperoncinis
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, shallots, basil, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Roast 10 minutes. Pull the tomatoes out of the oven. To the same pan, add the orzo, pesto, and peperoncinis. Pour over 2 1/2 cups of water and stir to combine. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until most of the water has cooked into the pasta, but not all of it. 3. Stir the pasta around, then sprinkle over the cheese. Bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce bubbling. If there's a lot of oil from the pesto on top, drain off the excess. Top with fresh basil!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Made this last night. I made a half recipe for the two of us, will be two dinners. My innovation was to add a half pound of raw shrimp for the four servings to make it a complete meal. I added it at the end with the cheese. Turned out fine, but a little bland. Next time I’ll add feta cheese with the tomatoes and some oregano. But, overall a nice recipe that lends itself to modifications.
Hi Keith,
I appreciate you trying this recipe and taking the time to comment, I’m so glad to hear you will make it again!
Have a great Friday!
Not sure how I haven’t commented on this recipe before. I’ve been making this on the regular for quite some time! It’s an easy dinner the hubs and I can eat for a couple of nights and then some. Tonight I’m making it with our home-grown cherry tomatoes for the first time. Super excited about that!
Hi Kristie,
Big thanks for making this recipe so often and sharing back. So glad it always hits the spot!
Have the best week!
I make this on repeat during the summer with the fresh produce! It’s so good!
Hey Leanne,
Big thanks for making this recipe so often and sharing back. So glad it always hits the spot!
Have the best week!
Excited to try this one out this week! Any tips on bake times if I added chicken breast for some protein?
Thanks so much, Erin! I would add cooked chicken so you can keep everything the same:) I hope you love this dish!
Wow! Just tried it and its amazing! What should i try next?
Hey Karla,
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe!! Here are some others you might like:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/skillet-burst-cherry-tomato-white-wine-garlic-pasta/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/beef-street-corn-tacos/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/cod-florentine/
Have a great weekend!
It is really easy and tasty. I loved making this with fresh tomatoes from my neighbor’s garden and the flavor is great. Only note is that it definitely needed more time and/or water for the orzo to cook to the ideal consistency.
Hey Sarah,
Thanks so much! I appreciate you making this recipe and taking the time to comment. So glad it was enjoyed!
How can I make this freezer friendly? I would like to make this for a family and have it available to thaw when they are ready
Hey there,
I would make the full recipe, cool completely, and then cover and freeze. The family can reheat from frozen. I hope this helps!
So easy, so very delicious, perfect exactly as it is. It literally turned out like your picture! This will be a go-to meal for our family from now on. Thanks.
Hey Kassie,
Thanks so much! Love to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, I appreciate you making it!
I would suggest using boiling water from your kettle or at least hot water when adding to the orzo. Makes it cook much quicker on a weeknight. Otherwise delicious. We added artichoke hearts. Kid approved!
Thanks so much for sharing this suggestion, Ken! Glad to hear the recipe was enjoyed!