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Nothing’s better (or easier) than this One Pan Corn and Zucchini Pesto Orzo Casserole with crispy, crunchy cheddar on top. Made using healthy vegetables and herbs, this bake is so darn easy, and so darn delicious. It’s made entirely in one pan and in under an hour. Grab some orzo pasta, plenty of herbs, and all the summer zucchini and corn that you can find. Toss everything together in a baking dish, then add creamy Havarti and sharp cheddar cheese. Bake until the top is crispy and crunchy. Simple, but SO GOOD.
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With the abundance of summertime zucchini, corn, and herbs, I’m doing all I can to use everything up before the season ends. I’m overwhelmed with ideas, but that’s a good thing, and very exciting! I love this time of year so much.
Before leaving for Mexico, I was trying to use up some of the herbs we had in the greenhouse. You’re going to hear me say this again and again over the next few weeks, but the amount of basil we have is unreal. So much basil, so lots of basil recipes coming soon!
I thought I would highlight the fresh zucchini and corn with this recipe. It’s the perfect all-in-one dinner and it takes no time to prepare.
Ingredients
- Zucchini or yellow summer squash
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic, chopped
- Shallot
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Fresh corn
- Chili flakes
- Dry orzo pasta
- Basil pesto
- Havarti or mozzarella cheese
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Fresh basil
The background
Do you guys remember the caprese bake I made a while back? While that dish inspired this one. I LOVED that method of cooking orzo in the same pan as everything else. Not only is it super easy, but the orzo ends up tasting even more delicious because it becomes infused with the flavors of the dish.
I wanted to take that cooking method and apply it to this recipe, just switch up the flavors and summery ingredients.
The details
The recipe starts and ends in the same baking dish.
I like to use a mix of zucchini and yellow summer squash, but you can use either/or for this dish. Give them a nice thin slice, then toss with olive oil, garlic, shallots, fresh thyme, and some Italian seasoning.
Roast the zucchini to help remove the water and get the cooking process moving along.
When the zucchini is ready, add the corn, the orzo, the basil pesto, and some chili flakes for a little heat.
Toss everything together, then pour over the water, so simple. The water cooks the pasta just as if we’d boiled it on the stove. Once the water is in, bake another 10 minutes or so. Allow the water to cook into the pasta, then stir, 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! Especially during these fun summer days.
Looking for other easy summer 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 One Pan Corn and Zucchini Pesto Orzo Casserole, 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 Corn and Zucchini Pesto Orzo Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini or yellow summer squash, sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 cups fresh corn
- chili flakes
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 1 jar (8 ounce) basil pesto
- 3/4 cup shredded Havarti or mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup fresh basil
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the zucchini, olive oil, garlic, shallots, thyme, Italian seasoning, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Roast 15 minutes. Pull the zucchini out of the oven. To the same pan, add the corn, orzo, and pesto. 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 cheeses. Bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is 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.
Added cherry tomatoes with the zucchini, white beans with the orzo, and spinach before the cheese to make this more of a main course – came out great! I also used frozen corn and reduced the liquid a bit to compensate for the extra water.
Hey there,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was tasty!?
Did i do something wrong? I ended up needing double the water and it took 30 minutes to cook the pasta. it tastes amazing! but i feel like i missed a step?!
Hi Robin,
Sorry to hear you had some issues. Was there anything you adjusted? What kind of pasta did you use? It’s hard for me to say without seeing you actually make the recipe:) xTieghan
Thank god for Tieghan or my family and I would starve ? I am not a cook by any means, but my whole family really enjoyed this! So simple which is perfect for summer. I subbed chicken stock for water. Delicious.
Hey Rebecca,
LOL thanks so much for your kind message and making so many recipes:) Love to hear that your family enjoys them! xTieghan
Tieghan, this was absolutely delicious!! For others that made this, I cooked the squash for 9 min, then I added some chicken bouillon to the hot water, and some green onions. I also shucked corn and put it on the charcoal grill for 15min before cutting it off the cob. And I used shredded white cheddar cheese. Oh my, it was so good and my kids actually loved it, and they don’t like squash. 🙂 It’s a keeper!!
Hey Jodi,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was tasty!?
Made this for dinner last night and my husband and I both really enjoyed it. I had a 6.3oz container of fresh pesto from Whole Foods that was plenty. I also used dill havarti, gruyere, and cheddar since that’s what I had. Very good! Can’t wait for the leftovers for lunch today!
Hey Amanda,
Happy Tuesday! I am so excited that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This recipe was fantastic!! I was inspired by another review to add ground spicy sausage, and I also used beef bone broth instead of water. The results were amazing! I will definitely be making this recipe again before the summer produce is out of season. Thanks for another great recipe!
Hey Pam,
Amazing!! Love that you added some sausage to this dish, thanks for sharing! So glad you enjoyed the recipe:) xx
I made this for dinner tonight. It was amazing and so many flavors going on. The pesto makes it divine. Thank you for sharing!
Hey Luanne,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xx
OMG. This was summer in a dish! I used gluten free orzo & par boiled it for 5 min before adding it to the dish. Maybe a little more pesto, only because it’s my favorite thing in the world. My husband & daughter raved about this dish. Thank you!
This was delish!! Used chicken broth instead of water and it turned out perfectly. Thanks for a good summer recipe.
Hey Mary,
Amazing! Such a great idea to use bone broth, I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed! xTieghan
Hey Brooke,
Wonderful! I am so excited to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out! xx
This is really good. I first thought it was going to be to much basil flavor with the pesto and the fresh basil. But it wasn’t. It was really good! I would make it again. Great vegetarian dinner or I served it with some sautéed chicken. I have really liked every recipe I’ve tried.
Hey Alison,
Wonderful! I am so excited to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out! xx
I love anything that combines pasta and veggies in one dish, and this recipe was solid! It did take a good 15 minutes longer to bake than instructed, but I didn’t put much cheese on top, so maybe it didn’t have that cheesy tent to provide insulation. I’ll make it again! (Also, you wouldn’t be wrong to sauté up some ground chicken sausage and throw that in with the orzo 😉
Hey Anna,
Amazing!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your review! xxT
Hey Tieghan! Love this recipe and have already made it a couple times. If I’m cooking for someone who is gluten free would a wild rice blend work well in this dish? Thanks!
Hey Rylee,
Amazing!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your review! I think Arborio rice would work best for you! xxT
I made this yesterday with squash, onions, and herbs from my own garden. I loved it and it was so quick and easy to make. I halfed the recipe since there is only two of us and there is plenty for leftovers.
Hey Barb,
Amazing!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your review! xxT
Looks so good! Do you think I could add chicken? How would you suggest the best way to do that is?
Hi Emily,
Sure, I would add cooked chicken in step 3. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xx
Delicious, quick and easy. We enjoyed this as leftovers and even had a portion to freeze for later.
Hey Linda,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
I made this for dinner tonight (third recipe this week)! I cooked the orzo a little longer (that always happens to me). It came out outstanding. Even my kids ate it!!!
Hi Mimi,
Fantastic!! Thanks so much for trying the recipe out, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Uncomplicated recipe that was fairly quick to make. It needs a little punch so I squeezed on a little lemon and that helped a little.
Hi there,
Thanks for making the recipe and sharing your feedback! Hope you have a great week! xTieghan