Orzo Pilaf with Onion and Labneh Calories

Orzo Pilaf with Onion and Labneh is a Turkish-style pasta pilaf made with small rice-shaped pasta, sautéed onion and creamy labneh. It is served as a side dish or a simple meat-free meal.

Orzo is pasta, not rice, even though its small, rice-like shape can make it look similar. In Orzo Pilaf with Onion and Labneh, it is cooked by absorption like a pilaf.

Add the labneh after the orzo has finished cooking and you have taken the pan off the heat. Boiling labneh with the pilaf can make it separate or turn grainy, while stirring it in at the end keeps the texture creamy.

Toast the orzo briefly with the onion before adding liquid, then cook it gently without frequent stirring. Stop cooking once the pasta is tender and the excess liquid is gone; mix in the labneh only after removing the pan from the heat.

Serve Orzo Pilaf with Onion and Labneh alongside grilled chicken, meatballs or roasted vegetables. A crisp salad also balances the soft, creamy pilaf, and works especially well when you are serving it as a vegetarian main.

Yes. Rice-shaped orzo is the usual choice for this dish; thin vermicelli cooks faster and gives the pilaf a finer texture. If you substitute vermicelli, use less liquid to start and watch it closely as it cooks.

Yes, you can cook it ahead and refrigerate it in a covered container. Reheat it gently with a splash of water, stirring as it warms; the labneh thickens the pilaf as it cools.

Orzo Pilaf with Onion and Labneh keeps for a few days in a covered container in the refrigerator. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, and discard the dish if its smell, appearance or texture has changed.

Yes, stock works in place of water and gives the orzo a deeper savory flavor. If the stock is salty, reduce any extra salt, since the labneh adds its own tangy richness.