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One Pot Cheesy Creamed Corn Orzo. Similar to risotto, but even creamier, and even more DELICIOUS. This is the ultimate summer comfort food. This simple corn orzo is made in 25 minutes, uses just one pan, and is a great way to use up fresh sweet summer corn. It’s creamy, garlicky, packed with fresh corn, and finished with crispy homemade bacon bits and fresh herbs. Perfect cozy, summer dinner or easy side, any night of the week. Everyone will enjoy the taste of this dish!
Think of this like risotto, but lighter, faster, and honestly, more delicious. I know that’s tricky to believe since risotto can be so delish, but this is everything we could want from a plate of creamy summer pasta.
And the bonus is how quick and easy it is!
A few summers back I shared one of our most popular recipes, my garlic butter creamed corn chicken. It’s one of those recipes that’s so perfect for the season, so easy, and a dinner everyone can enjoy. There’s nothing not to love about pan-seared chicken with sweet corn and bacon. Totally delish!
The next summer I shared another popular recipe, my creamy cheesy zucchini orzo. That recipe is for all the summer pasta lovers out there. It’s quick and simple, but creamy and yummy.
Today’s recipe is a combination of both the creamed corn chicken and that zucchini orzo. It’s so good, I’m so excited to share it!
The details
Step 1: cook the bacon
In a nice big pot, one large enough to hold the orzo, cook the bacon until it is very crispy. Then drain off the grease. If you’re vegetarian, feel free to skip this.
That being said, I think the bacon adds a delicious flavor. I just love the combination of sweet corn kernels and salty crispy bacon.
Step 2: cook the corn and orzo
In that same pan, add some butter and an onion. Then mix in garlic, orzo, corn, and fresh thyme. I always season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
Let the orzo toast for a few minutes in the golden brown butter.
Step 3: add the broth
Now pour on the broth and let the orzo finish cooking. Then I mix in a can of diced green chilies (for some spiciness), cream, parmesan, and cheddar.
Stir until the dish is very, very creamy. As you stir, smells of garlic, thyme, and parmesan will quickly hit your nose.
It’s wonderful!
Step 4: serve
Remove from the heat, and simply finish off with that crisped bacon (bacon bits) and fresh thyme. Enjoy immediately.
SO GOOD. I know I say this every single day, but this recipe really is good. It’s one of those recipes that you’ll crave time and time again. Plus the sauce kind of just melts in your mouth. YUM!
If you’d like to serve this as a side, that works great too. I’d recommend my favorite creamed corn chicken, this colorful creamed spinach salmon, a simple roasted chicken, or even a grilled steak. Any of these dishes would be delicious paired with this orzo.
Even though this is best right off the stove, the leftovers are still so good. The orzo becomes more like risotto texture and when heated up, it makes for the perfect lunch the next day. Love a dish that you can enjoy for dinner one night and lunch the following day!
Looking for other summer recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata with Pesto Polenta
Garlic Parmesan Herb Butter Polenta Fries with Lemon Aioli
Zucchini Carbonara with Crispy Prosciutto and Burrata
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Cheesy Creamed Corn Orzo, 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!
One Pot Cheesy Creamed Corn Orzo
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 357 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cups fresh corn (about 4 ears)
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (4 ounce) diced green chilies
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2-3 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- 1. Heat a pot over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain.2. Drain off most of the bacon grease. Add the butter and onion. Cook for 5 minutes until fragrant. Mix in the garlic, orzo, corn, and thyme. Cook until golden and toasted, 2 minutes. 3. Pour over the broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the orzo is al dente, stirring often. It should become very creamy.4. Stir in the milk, green chilies, cheddar, parmesan, and green onions. Cook another few minutes until warmed through. As the orzo thickens up, add additional broth to thin. This should be creamy, but with just a touch of liquid.5. Divide the orzo among bowls and top with bacon and fresh thyme.
This post was originally published on July 24, 2023
I made this and it was delicious!!!
I made this tonight and it was soo good. (We had it with grilled marinated pork chops) . I didn’t have bacon, so I diced up and some turkey kielbasa instead. What a fun way to use fresh corn and green chiles! Thanks for another easy recipe. Definitely a keeper.
Hi Rita,
So glad to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have a great Saturday! xT
Hi Joan,
So glad to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have a great Saturday! xT
Made this for dinner except I added diced chicken that I had made in the Instant Pot to make it a complete meal and served with steamed broccoli on the side. My toddlers devoured it which is a compliment in itself and it warms well for leftovers! I’ll be adding this to my arsenal of your recipes that we’ve tried and loved!
Hi Mariana,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was such a hit! Thanks so much for giving it a try!😎☀️ xT
Made this tonight and it’s amazing! Picked up fresh lemon thyme by mistake and it adds such a wonderful flavor! Perfect as a dinner or side dish!
Hi Gina,
Amazing!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a winner! xx
Tieghan,
I made my gazpacho for dinner tonight to pair with your orzo and corn. This was so good we didn’t even put the gazpacho on the table! So I have tons if anybody wants some…
My husband kept talking about how good it was in between bites. 😂 Thx for another fab recipe! xx
Hi Jan,
Amazing!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a winner! xx
Do you think this could be made with frozen corn? It’s the middle of winter here In New Zealand, but i think this sounds too yummy to wait for summer and fresh corn!
Hi Juliet,
Totally, that would work well for you! Please let me know if you give this dish a try, I hope you love it! xT
I made it vegetarian by omitting bacon. I made a homemade corn stock (corn cobs, onion, celery, parsley stems, black peppercorns, garlic simmered for an hour) because I don’t think canned or cartoned vegetable stock taste very good. It had a lot of good corn flavor. I used extra cheddar cheese and I think it could have been even cheesier.
It made about 12 servings. I’ll make a half recipe next time.
Hi Sharon,
I appreciate you making this dish and sharing what worked well for you, thanks so much for giving it a try! xT
I cooked this up for lunch today and it is delicious! I followed the recipe as is and I just couldn’t stop eating spoonful after creamy cheesy spoonful.
I will make this again, but I will cut the recipe in half, it is a big bowl of pasta.
Thank you Tieghan!
Hi Cindy,
Happy Wednesday!!🫐🍒🍓 I’m so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and your feedback! xT
I really liked this recipe, as did all the people I shared it with. It makes enough for way more than 4 people…..maybe like 10! I also watched the instagram video after making it and you added additional butter as well as paprika so I will for sure be adding that next time.
Hi Lynn,
Happy Wednesday!!🫐🍒🍓 I’m so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and your feedback! xT
I had to make this as soon as I saw the recipe. Everything I love! It did not disappoint. Very delicious. One thing I would recommend is putting a lid on the pan when you simmer the broth because my broth cooked off before the pasta was even al dente. Maybe I had it on too high? I added an extra cup of broth and then the milk and it was fine. Another winner!
I meant to give it 5 stars!!
Thanks again Lisa:)
Hi Lisa,
Happy Tuesday!! Love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it:) Thanks for sharing your feedback! xT
Wow!! I’ve been a HBH gal for years and I have to say this flavor is new! I love this dish so much!! Served with a chilled white wine & grilled chicken on the side. Thank you Tieghan!! So thankful for what you bring to our tables. 🤍
Hey Meredith,
Amazing!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a winner! xx
Could you make it a risotto instead?
Hi Tricia,
Sure, I bet risotto would work well for you too! It’s going to cook differently than the orzo so I would just adjust accordingly! I hope you love this dish! xx
Super tasty! Easy to put together.
Thanks so much Kathryn!! Love to hear that this dish was a hit and I appreciate you making it! xx
Very delicious! I made this tonight but omitted the green chilies bc my babies are sensitive to peppers. I also realized I was out of orzo : ( so I subbed small elbow macaroni- I used less macaroni and a little more broth. Flavor was still amazing! I’m not sure if you meant 2 tbs thyme twice or a different herb like basil since its photographed or it was just a typo. But overall a great recipe and can’t wait to try it with orzo!
Hi Ashley,
Perfect!! So glad to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback! xT
Sounds sooooo good!!!👍🏻🌽
Thanks so much Becky!! Let me know if you give this dish a try, I hope you love it! xx
Can you use the same amount of rice instead of orzo if wanting to make for gluten intolerance?
Hi Andrea,
I have not tested this recipe using rice, I’m sure it would work well for you, I would just add some extra liquid if needed and increase your cook time as well. I hope this recipe is delish, let me know if you give it a try! xT
I would guess that the double listing of 2 Tablespoons of thyme is an error?
Oooops missed the garnish of thyme at the end! Sorry about that.
Hi Jim,
I like to garnish with fresh thyme at the end, but you could skip that if you wanted:) I hope you love this dish! xx
How many cups is 1 pound of
Dry orzo? 2 cups?
Hi Jessica,
Yes, it’s about 2 cups:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Tieghan,
I can’t wait to try it. Fresh local corn just became available here in central NH!
Just reading the recipe makes my mouth water. Thank you.
Jim
Thanks Jim!! I hope you love this dish! xT