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Nothing’s better (or easier) than this One Pan Corn and Zucchini Pesto Orzo Casserole with crispy, crunchy cheddar on top. Made using healthy vegetables and herbs, this bake is so darn easy, and so darn delicious. It’s made entirely in one pan and in under an hour. Grab some orzo pasta, plenty of herbs, and all the summer zucchini and corn that you can find. Toss everything together in a baking dish, then add creamy Havarti and sharp cheddar cheese. Bake until the top is crispy and crunchy. Simple, but SO GOOD.
With the abundance of summertime zucchini, corn, and herbs, I’m doing all I can to use everything up before the season ends. I’m overwhelmed with ideas, but that’s a good thing, and very exciting! I love this time of year so much.
Before leaving for Mexico, I was trying to use up some of the herbs we had in the greenhouse. You’re going to hear me say this again and again over the next few weeks, but the amount of basil we have is unreal. So much basil, so lots of basil recipes coming soon!
I thought I would highlight the fresh zucchini and corn with this recipe. It’s the perfect all-in-one dinner and it takes no time to prepare.
Ingredients
- Zucchini or yellow summer squash
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic, chopped
- Shallot
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Fresh corn
- Chili flakes
- Dry orzo pasta
- Basil pesto
- Havarti or mozzarella cheese
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Fresh basil
The background
Do you guys remember the caprese bake I made a while back? While that dish inspired this one. I LOVED that method of cooking orzo in the same pan as everything else. Not only is it super easy, but the orzo ends up tasting even more delicious because it becomes infused with the flavors of the dish.
I wanted to take that cooking method and apply it to this recipe, just switch up the flavors and summery ingredients.
The details
The recipe starts and ends in the same baking dish.
I like to use a mix of zucchini and yellow summer squash, but you can use either/or for this dish. Give them a nice thin slice, then toss with olive oil, garlic, shallots, fresh thyme, and some Italian seasoning.
Roast the zucchini to help remove the water and get the cooking process moving along.
When the zucchini is ready, add the corn, the orzo, the basil pesto, and some chili flakes for a little heat.
Toss everything together, then pour over the water, so simple. The water cooks the pasta just as if we’d boiled it on the stove. Once the water is in, bake another 10 minutes or so. Allow the water to cook into the pasta, then stir, 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! Especially during these fun summer days.
Looking for other easy summer 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 One Pan Corn and Zucchini Pesto Orzo Casserole, 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 Corn and Zucchini Pesto Orzo Casserole
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 737 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 zucchini or yellow summer squash, sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 cups fresh corn
- chili flakes
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 1 jar (8 ounce) basil pesto
- 3/4 cup shredded Havarti or mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup fresh basil
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the zucchini, olive oil, garlic, shallots, thyme, Italian seasoning, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Roast 15 minutes. Pull the zucchini out of the oven. To the same pan, add the corn, orzo, and pesto. 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 cheeses. Bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is 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 July 11, 2022
I was so excited to use fresh summer produce from my CSA box in this recipe but it was a fail. One tablespoon of dried herbs is overpowering and 2.5 cups of water was not nearly enough to cook the pasta, I kept having to add more until it was mostly cooked. Too greasy with the olive oil, cheese, AND pesto. This needed way more testing before sharing.
Hi Dana! I am SO sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe! I really appreciate the feedback and I will look into some changes! xT
I usually use mushrooms and spinach in the orzo bake This is a good summer alternative with corn and zucchini
Yummy
Great idea, Rachel!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your feedback! Have a wonderful weekend!
This recipe was easy and delicious! I added chicken sausage for a protein boost. We will definitely be adding this to our rotation.
Hey Sarah,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was a hit! xx
I added shrimp at the end to make it a meal. Another HBH winner!
Hey there,
Happy Sunday!! I’m so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, I appreciate you making it! xx
Love this! Could it be made with frozen corn? Or would it be too watery?
Thanks so much, Jane! Sure, frozen corn would be just fine for you to use. Have a great week! xT
How would you recommend preparing this for freezing and reheating? Looking To make this for a soon to be mom And was hoping The instructions at the end Would give some insight on freezing and reheat Period
Hi Marissa,
I would make the recipe through step 3 and freeze. Your friend can then reheat from frozen on low, I would say 300F covered with foil. I hope this helps! xx
I eat gluten free and still this worked so well with Jasmine rice. Just cooked it a little longer.
Hey Julia,
Wonderful! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xT
This looks delicious! How many does servings is this?
Thanks so much, Patricia! This recipe makes 6 servings. Please let me know if you give it a try! xT
I’ve made this a few times and it turns out so delicious each time!! Are you able to use another pasta besides orzo or is that the recommended one to use?
Hey Courtney,
So glad to hear you have been enjoying this recipe! I would stick with a small pasta like orzo or stars, that will work nicely! xT
I made this last night – so tasty and so easy! I added in cubed chicken with the zucchini at the beginning and it turned out great! Would definitely recommend – a delicious summer dish!
Hi Lauryn,
Wonderful! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear it turned out well! x
Fabulous! I shared with my colleagues and everyone LOVED it! It even fed my picky family. Thank you for the delicious ideas!
Hey Samantha,
Wonderful! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear it turned out well! x
Going to make tonight but have a somewhat stupid question regarding the corn. I plan on cutting the corn off the cob for the recipe. Do I need to cook the corn on the cob before cutting the kernals off?
I also plan on using zucchini and squash. Do both need to be roasted prior to adding the other ingredients?
Hey Melissa,
Not stupid at all:) You do not need to cook the corn first. Yes, you can roast both the zucchini and the squash as directed in step 2. I hope this helps! xT
I’ve made this so many times. So simple, delicious, and always a crowd pleaser!!!
Hey Adrianna,
I appreciate you making this recipe so often and sharing your feedback! So glad to hear that it always turns out well for you! Xx
Made this for dinner tonight. Amazing. Abundant. Awesome. Thank you.
Thanks so much, Tami! Love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for trying it out! x
I’ve made this over 10 times. I love it! Such an easy dish to throw together.
I’m curious if this is one you can freeze well? I think I’m most nervous about the zucchini being super mushy after freezing. Let me know your thoughts!
Hey Brisa,
Happy Sunday! I appreciate you making this recipe so often and your comment, so glad to hear it is always a hit! I’ve never tried freezing this, but I think it’s worth a try! x
Delicious! I added fresh jalapeños as well. Will definitely be making this again.
Hey Kayla,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT