Pizza comes in all shapes and sizes, with all different kinds of crusts—Chicago-style thin crust, chewy French bread, pillowy deep dish—but have you ever thought about opting for no crust? We aren’t talking low-carb, either. Instead, we’re swapping in one beloved carb for another: the classic crust for an unconventional option, orzo. Perfect for the times that you're craving two things and can’t decide which to prepare, this pizza orzo combines everything you love about pizza and pasta into a satisfying and comforting dinner.
To make this mashup, you’ll start by cooking your orzo in a pizza-inspired sauce. Rather than already crushed or pureed tomatoes, we opted for canned whole peeled tomatoes. Adding the tomatoes whole with their juices incorporates texture into your sauce without too much extra work. Just use a wooden spoon to break them up in your pot as the sauce cooks.
Once the orzo is cooked in the pizza sauce, this dish is honestly pretty delicious as is, but don’t stop there. It’s made even better by being topped with mozzarella, a little basil, and some pepperoni, then broiled until the cheese is melty and the pepperoni get a touch crispy.
This recipe doesn’t use up a whole pack of pepperoni, but don’t worry—we’ve got the perfect idea for the leftovers: Our antipasto chopped salad is a killer side for this orzo dish, and can easily be made with pepperoni instead of salami. The crunch from the lettuce and tangy dressing are just the balance this cheesy dinner needs.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below.