A super easy orzo dinner recipe, all made in one pot with three different vegetables

This is one of those recipes that is super basic. It’s not going to win any awards for it’s creativity or presentation. But sometimes we all need these kind of simple recipes that can be whipped up in just a few minutes and require minimal cooking.
And this Hidden Veg Orzo is one of those. I love it because:
- It’s all cooked in one pot
- Uses just seven simple ingredients
- Contains three different veggies
- Is cheap to make
How To Make One Pot Veggie Orzo
The directions are super simple but I’ve included some step-by-step photos as I know some people find these helpful. Full measurements of the ingredients are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

- To a large pot or saucepan add orzo, grated carrot, grated courgette and finely chopped broccoli.

- Add milk and chicken stock and stir well. Bring to the boil on the hob then simmer for 8-9 minutes.

- Stir in grated cheddar cheese.

- And it’s ready to serve up.
This recipe serves 4 people. It’s perfect for a simple meal on it’s own but can also add something like chopped cooked chicken to it or serve some grilled chicken on the side.

A note on the “hidden veggies”
I’ve called this a hidden veg recipe but clearly you can see the veggies there in plain sight! A lot of my hidden veg recipes have the vegetables completely blended into the dish, so you can’t see them at all.
So I guess this is more for children who will tolerate vegetables in their meal, but may not necessarily like the taste of them on their own.
Recipe Variations
Dairy Free – you can make this recipe dairy free by using a plant based milk and cheese.
Vegetables – you can change up the vegetables you use in this recipe. Any vegetables that can be grated will work well. Or anything that can be cooked quickly (eg peas) or chopped small (eg mushrooms) will work perfectly.

Storing & Freezing
This recipe is best eaten immediately after cooking.
However, leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. You will probably need to add some additional liquid (stock or milk) to the orzo when reheating as it will dry out in the fridge.
Leftovers can also be frozen. Once defrosted reheat as above.

More Easy Recipes?
Looking for more simple kid-friendly recipes? Try these…

Hidden Veggie One Pot Orzo
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: One Pot
Cuisine: Hidden Veg
Description
A super easy orzo dinner recipe, all made in one pot with three different vegetables
Ingredients
- 400g orzo
- 100g carrot, grated
- 100g courgette, grated
- 80g broccoli, finely chopped
- 500ml milk
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 75g grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Add the orzo, vegetables, milk and stock to a large pot and mix well.
- Bring to the boil the reduce the heat and simmer for 8-9 minutes until the orzo is cooked the the liquid is absorbed.
- You will need to stir this several times during cooking to ensure that the orzo does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the grated cheese.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe is best eaten immediately after cooking. However leftovers can be left in the fridge for up to 2 days and. Reheat in the microwave or on the hob. You may need to add some more liquid (milk or stock) when reheating.
It can also be frozen. Once defroste reheat as above.

Amanda Lynch says
Brilliant recipe, both my kids gobbled it right up! One won’t each carrots and one won’t each broccoli, so it was great to these veg into them. It was a very large batch, I will try freezing it.
Alice says
My fussy one year old devoured this! So pleased to find something he likes that has vegetables in. Thank you so much.
★★★★★