Beef stew with orzo Calories

Brown bite-sized beef, soften onion and other aromatics, then simmer the meat in broth until tender. Add orzo near the end and cook until just soft, stirring so the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pot.

Chuck is a reliable choice for beef stew with orzo because its connective tissue softens during slow cooking and gives the broth body. Cut the beef into similarly sized pieces so they become tender at roughly the same time.

Add the orzo only after the beef is tender, usually toward the end of cooking. Orzo absorbs liquid quickly, so adding it too early can leave you with overcooked pasta and a stew that is thicker than intended.

To keep beef stew with orzo from getting mushy, cook the beef fully before adding the pasta and stop cooking when the orzo is just tender. Serve promptly, since the pasta continues absorbing broth as the stew sits.

Yes, you can make beef stew with orzo in a slow cooker, but cook the beef and broth first and add the orzo near the end. Leaving the pasta in for the full slow-cooking time can make it swollen and soft.

Orzo in beef stew with orzo is pasta, not barley. It is shaped like a large grain of rice and is usually made from wheat semolina, so it cooks more like small pasta than a whole grain.

Beef stew with orzo keeps for three to four days in the refrigerator when cooled and stored in a covered container within two hours of cooking. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, until it is steaming hot throughout.

Yes, beef stew with orzo can be frozen, though the orzo may soften after thawing. Cool it, divide it into airtight portions, and thaw in the refrigerator; add a splash of broth while reheating if the pasta has absorbed much of the liquid.

Serve beef stew with orzo with crusty bread, a crisp green salad, or roasted vegetables. The stew already includes pasta, so a simple side adds freshness without making the meal feel too heavy.