Next Post
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Stuffed Dates.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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
This turned out amazing. Thank you for the awesome recipes! 🤍
Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! I hope you loved it! xT
Tieghan, This was so wonderful, made it last night & we are both excited to have the leftovers tonight! Please tell you Mom & Dad that Ansel & Desiree said Hello! Keep doing what you love.
Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! I hope you loved it! xT
Added some red chili flakes but other than that followed recipe exactly…. Super delicious!
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! Happy to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
The IG video looks like paprika or a red spice was used. Is paprika also an ingredient for the recipe?
Hi! Nope, no need for paprika in this recipe! 🙂 xT
Loved it! I had to use a buffalo cheddar cheese (all I had) and the parmesan. It was delicious.
Thanks so much Celina! xT
Simply amazing recipe!!! First time making this tonight and i will definitely make again. This dish is packed with so many flavors and they all work so nicely together. I will say there was an argument in the kitchen about shredded cheese vs grated hahaha. I used shredded bc we didnt have grated cheddar cheese at my store. But it turned out so creamy and yummy! Thanks for this recipe!!
Hey there! Thanks so much for trying out the recipe! I’m sooo glad you loved it! xT
Subbed vegan ingredients, SOOO GOOD!! Used for meal prep and holds up beautifully refrigerated for a few days, and reheats perfectly! Chef’s kiss!!
This is the BEST side! Although I will say I didn’t fully understand what 1lb of orzo equates to… for 2 people this was an absurd amount even with leftovers. Next time I’ll go for a half box.
Use your pasta pot, not your large saucepan so that you can really brown the orzo. Go ahead add some more butter! Also don’t add the corn in until after browning the pasta otherwise it will just steam.
I used parm and Romano along with old style cream cheese instead of milk. Can of hot hatch chiles. I wonder if adding spinach to this would make it look healthy 😂 we served with grilled chicken thighs.
Great recipe!
Hi! Thank you so so much for trying out the recipe! I’m so glad you loved it! xT
Turned out excellent! I definitely had the heat turned up too high for the summer but added a little broth and all good! Will be adding this to our menu rotation!
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! xT
Tonight’s dinner. Simply delicious. So favorful. Definitely a keeper.
Thanks sooo much for trying out this recipe!
I fixed this Cheesy Creamed Corn Orzo as a side with my fried chicken tonight and it was delicious. The sweet corn on the cob you can get this time of year really adds to the flavor. I might even add the bigger can of diced green chilies next time. It made like 6 servings instead of 4, so plan to take the leftovers and make it creamier and add the chicken pieces like your other recipes I saw.
Sooo glad you enjoyed this orzo! Thanks for giving it a try. xT
I made this last night and it was great. My husband wasn’t too excited about it and he had two helpings! It made way more than 4 servings as a side dish.
Thanks so much Karen! Lol love to hear that your husband enjoyed this dish as well:) I appreciate you making it! Happy Monday! xT
So easy, quick, and delicious! I “milked” the corn cobs by running the back of a knife down the cob (after cutting off the kernals). It adds additional creaminess to the end product.
Hi Joyce,
Happy Monday!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it and your review:)
Made this for the first time tonight was a major hit, will definitely be the rotation during fresh corn season!!! Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Hey Cynthia,
Happy Sunday!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and your comment, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
Hi! Can you use canned corn for this recipe? Our local fresh corn was not that great this season.
Thanks!
Hi Grace,
Sure, that would be just fine for you to use! Please let me know if you give this dish a try, I hope you love it! xT
Can you freeze this corn/orzo dish?
Hi Penny,
I don’t think this would be the best dish for freezing. You might like some of the freezer friendly options located here:
https://fett-weg.today/category/recipes/type-of-meal/freezer-friendly/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! xx
Thanks!
Hi,
Love your recipes and books. I was wondering do you pre-cook the corn? And if you can’t get fresh thyme, what is the measurement for the dried thyme?
Thank you.
Thanks so much Danielle! You do not need to pre-cook the corn for this recipe:) Just cut the thyme measurement in half when using fresh thyme! I hope you love this dish! xT