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This Cheesy Orzo Will Be Your Toddler’s New Favorite Side

A pile of cheesy orzo with broccoli lines the side of a toddler plate.
Meal(s)
Difficulty Beginner
Time
Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 25 mins
Servings 4
Description

This is one of those dishes that neither requires nor inspires explanation: it just works. You’ve got orzo, which splits the difference between pasta and rice. You’ve got diced broccoli, which when poached in broth takes on roughly the same soft and comforting texture of the orzo. And you’ve got cheese–lots and lots of it. Broccoli cheddar soup in pasta form is a sensible description–not an innovative combination of ingredients here, mind you. That was–and rarely is–the point: it was devised from and for last-minute pantry raiding to put something together; it’s designed to function as a filling and easy carb-and-veggie side that older toddlers are ready to embrace, and which you’ll enjoy yourself. A side not to be cast aside, if you will. And that’s good enough.

Ingredients
  • 1 small Onion
  • 1 Broccoli Crown
  • minced Garlic
  • 1 cup Orzo
  • 2 cups Chicken Broth
  • Mustard (dijon preferred; but the bright yellow stuff is fine)
  • Shredded Cheddar (or equivalent)
  • Grated Parmesan (or equivalent)
Instructions
    Prep

  1. Dice onion into small pieces. Separate florets from the stem and stalk of the broccoli, then chop into small pieces.

    2. Cook
  2. Heat butter in a small pot set to Medium; once melted and foamy, toss in onions and cook until soft and translucent, roughly 4-5 minutes. Add in a spoonful of garlic and pinch each of salt and pepper; cook for another 30 seconds.
  3. Pour in orzo and broth, then add a spoonful of mustard; mix. Increase heat to bring the pot to a boil; once roiling, lower the heat, cover, and cook for five minutes.
  4. Add in milk and diced broccoli; mix. Cover and cook for another five minutes, or until broccoli is soft.
  5. Remove cover and turn heat to the lowest setting. Add in the cheddar and parmesan in heaps, stirring after each to ingrate. Keep going until the mix is your desirable level of gooey. Remove from heat.
    6. Serve

  6. We hit this with a bit of lemon–it breaks up the richness–and try for the appropriate balance on the plate between the broccoli we want our son to eat vs. the cheese-covered carb he wants. Treat this like any rice or pasta dish you might serve: you can side it with a main dish, put it in a bowl, just let your child pick at individual pieces, whatever.

    7. Adapt

  7. Add tuna or chopped chicken meat and you’ve got yourself a solid lunch; you could even dump the contents into broth or other soup and make it work. Feel free to swap out the orzo with other small grains or pasta: ditalini, couscous, farro, etc.

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The recipe author and his then-infant son
Brad

Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.