Camille Kingsolver's Disappearing Zucchini Orzo
Camille Kingsolver’s Disappearing Zucchini Orzo from the wonderful book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle has been a favorite around here since 2008. It’s a brilliant way to use up three large zucchini in a hot minute, so maybe tuck this recipe away (or pin it!) for late summer.
Servings: 8
Calories: 319kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound orzo pasta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 large zucchini shredded
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese more to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the orzo in well salted water according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is beginning to soften.
- Add the shredded zucchini and the thyme and raise heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash releases its juices and they cook off. The zucchini will reduce in size by at least half and may begin to brown slightly.
- Turn off the heat and immediately add the drained orzo, lemon juice and zest, and cheese, along with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well but gently to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- You can use other summer squash, like yellow squash or other varieties similar to zucchini, for this dish. It's best if they have a similar texture to zucchini and don't contain very large seeds. (You can always slice the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds before shredding.)
- Use the large holes of a box grater or the shredding disc of a food processor to grate the zucchini.
- Camille's recipe says to sauté the squash "briefly," but I'm thinking that brief must mean something different to people who start their food from seed. This process takes 10 to 15 minutes when I do it.
- This dish is equally good hot or at room temperature and can be made in advance.
- Keep leftovers tightly sealed in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition
Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 48.7g | Protein: 11.1g | Fat: 9.2g | Fiber: 3.3g