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The Easiest One Pan Caprese Pesto Orzo Bake. Trust me, this is going to become your new go-to for busy nights. Roasted tomatoes with garlic, shallots, and olive oil, all tossed together in a casserole dish with dry orzo pasta, basil pesto, then finished with melty mozzarella cheese. This incredible dish is all made in one large baking dish without even having to boil any water. Just mix, bake, eat, and enjoy!
I know this is a recipe post, but for long-time readers, I just have to quickly say how incredible the last few days have been. Your support for me is just so sweet and incredible to feel. I feel so very loved by you all and I just want to say thank you, thank you!
For everyone who has already received the book, what’s your favorite recipe so far?!
Going to chat more about all this fun stuff on Sunday, but I just had to say thank you!
Ok, ok, back to today’s recipe. This is the easiest recipe and certainly my favorite of the week!!
I honestly have no idea how I thought to put this one together, but it’s pretty perfect. The flavors are nothing new by any means, but the cooking method is super smart. And the end product is so very delicious.
A lot of times one-pan pasta dishes aren’t cooked properly. But because we’re using orzo, which is such a small pasta, it cooks up really well!!
Here are the simple, simple steps
Start out by roasting the tomatoes, just to get them cooking before we add the pasta. I added some garlic, shallots, and chili flakes to bump up the flavor a bit.
When the tomatoes start sizzling, pull them out and add the DRY orzo pasta, a jar of basil pesto, and some peperoncinis. The peperoncinis are not traditional for Caprese, but I’m obsessed with them and they add a lot of flavor to the dish.
The next key ingredient…water or broth.
So simple, and yes, technically not an ingredient. But the water cooks the pasta just as if we had boiled it on the stove. Once the water is in, bake another 10 minutes or so. Allowing the water to cook into the pasta, then stir the orzo mixture, and sprinkle over the cheese. Now finish baking!
Finish it up and eat
When the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted, pull the pan out. If there’s a lot of oil on top from the jar of pesto, just drain that off and save it for dipping with bread (YUMMM).
Top with plenty of fresh basil and that’s literally it. SO SIMPLE, SO DELICIOUS! And I love that there’s basically no prep or extra dishes.
Simple but delicious really is the key!
Looking for other easy pasta bakes? Here are my favorites:
One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Whipped Ricotta
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake
Lastly, if you make this Easy One Pan Caprese Pesto Orzo Bake, 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!
Easiest One Pan Caprese Pesto Orzo Bake
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 541 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
- 2-3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
- chili flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 1 (8 ounce) jar basil pesto
- 2-3 tablespoons sliced peperoncinis
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, shallots, basil, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Roast 10 minutes. Pull the tomatoes out of the oven. To the same pan, add the orzo, pesto, and peperoncinis. Pour over 2 1/2 cups of water and stir to combine. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until most of the water has cooked into the pasta, but not all of it. 3. Stir the pasta around, then sprinkle over the cheese. Bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce bubbling. If there's a lot of oil from the pesto on top, drain off the excess. Top with fresh basil!
This post was originally published on March 31, 2022
This was amazing!
Hey Heather,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
This is really delicious! Super easy to make and clean up is a breeze as well. I did have to add more water than the recipe calls for, I used closer to 3.5 cups. Anything less and it would’ve burned and the orzo wouldn’t have been fully cooked.
Hi Abby,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! xx
This dish was delicious. And super easy. The only thing I will do differently when I make it again is to use homemade pesto versus store bought. Thanks for a great one-pan recipe.
Hi Michelle,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
Our dinner tonight minus mozzarella – A+!! Peppers were a surprise ingredient and so good!! Thanks So Much!♥️
Hi Amy,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
Sooo good! I did not have peperoncinis, added chopped baby Bella mushrooms and diced chicken. I so happy I was able to use garden kale pesto and some tomatoes I already roasted the end of last summer. It was absolutely delicious. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
Hi Rachel,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
I am making this now! I have read and re-read the steps. When do you put the tomatoes back in? It says to pull them out after the 10 minutes, but when do you put them back in? Any comments? Thank you so much!
I don’t think you take them out of the dish, rather you remove the dish from the oven to add the next ingredients and then everything goes back in. 🙂
Yes! Thanks Nikki!
Hi Lina,
The tomatoes are never removed from the dish, you are simply pulling them out of the oven. Please let me know if you have any other questions. xTieghan
A great dish, and so easy. I added some chopped spinach and it turned out terrific! Thanks for all you do!
Hi Cindy,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! xx
Hi Tieghan,
I’m planning on making this tonight and I have Ciliegine Mozzarella balls-would that work if I cut them into pieces?
Well, I’m just a subscriber, but I would say yes.
Hi Kelly,
Sure, that would be great! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Made this as a side with salmon yesterday and it was amazing!! My kids even asked me to send some in their lunch tomorrow (which NEVER happens) ordering your cookbook now
Hi Kristy,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
This recipe was so good!!! My family and guest loved it…. Was so simple, I love a one dish recipe. We fought over the leftovers for lunch the next day !
Hi Lorie,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
I made this for Saturday’s Lunch, great!
Hi Olga,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback! xx
One dish, genius! Really good as a side to our barbecue tonight. Loved the combination of tomatoes and pepperocini! I think next time I’m going to add artichoke hearts as well, just for fun. Thanks for another winner!
Hi Leslie,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback! xx
This was SO good! Your cookbook arrived on Thursday and I’ve been trying to figure out what to make first. Then I saw this. It did not disappoint! My house smelled so amazing while it was in the oven 🙂 My SO is Italian and he loved it! So good and thank you for your relatable content on IG and best wishes for continued success 🙂
Hi Danielle,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback! xx
How do you make it if you use precooked rice? Lg laria
Hi Maria,
This recipe will not work with precooked rice. Please follow the recipe and instructions as is:) Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
How much salt did you add to this?
Hi there,
You will add salt and pepper to your liking, so a pinch or a heavy pinch. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! This looks amazing! My kids don’t love whole tomatoes, but I can sneak in crushed tomatoes in recipes like your spicy pesto rigatoni? Could that work here?
Hey Anderson,
Sure, I bet that would work just fine for you! I hope your kids love the recipe, let me know how it goes:) xx
This is amazing! A new favorite!!
Hi Melanie,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback! xx
This was so good. Loved having to use only one pan. Somehow the basil didn’t make it home with me from the store but it still worked!
Hi Maureen,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend!☀️ xx
Looks so good! Would this work at room temp at a picnic?
Hi there,
Sure, that will work, but I think this is best served hot with the baked cheese on top. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx