Rich, velvety, and comforting are just some of the adjectives I would use for this Creamy Vegan Tomato Orzo. It welcomes hints of fresh aromatic rosemary and features robust flavored plump tomatoes and creamy plant based cheese. This dish is sure to be a celebration in your belly or at the dinner table with loved ones.
A lot of people ask me what my favorite cheese is and hands down I will say every time, Treeline Cheese. Their cheese offers the tart and creaminess that everyone would look for in a spread. I'd also recommend their hard cheeses as I find they offer so many of the same elements you will find in dairy cheese, except with their cheese you know you're receiving 100% of Mama Earth's abundance since their cheese is cashew based.
You'll find I used this cheese in a Vegan Beet + Goat Cheese Salad (recipe coming soon!), because it's that good. But do note that you can absolutely enjoy the rich flavor and texture with any vegan cream cheese. Use what's accessible to you. What would otherwise be just tomato sauce, transforms into a luscious pasta dish that you can serve as a main, and add some garlic + oil broccoli rabe or have it on the side with breaded eggplant cutlets.
Let's not forget fresh rosemary. I love using fresh herbs because it brings in so many of the senses into cooking and the eating experience. It offers aroma, taste, and even a bit of texture. Not to mention the beauty it has within it's dark green leaves, offering a incredible contrast to the pink sauce. When cooking with herbs, I suggest using fresh as the flavor tends to be more powerful. Unlike most herbs like parsley and dill, you can add this herb to the pot at the very beginning. It's very sturdy and hearty and can tolerate high heat.
Oh and one more thing! You can make this in your instapot. Just set the timer for 4 minutes and allow it to quick release the steam. (instruction below). Bon appetit!
Ingredients:
1 tsp vegan butter or olive oil
2 cloves diced garlic
2 cups vegetable broth (I recommend 1 veggie bouillon:2 cups of water)
1 cup plant milk
14.5 oz crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1.5 cups dry orzo pasta
1/2 cup Treeline Soft Garlic Spread** (or regular vegan cream cheese)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
**Many grocery stores now carry Treeline Cheese, but you can also purchase directly from their website.
Steps:
Stovetop:
In a large pot, melt your butter or heat up olive oil over medium-high heat. Once sizzling, add the diced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add water, veggie bouillon, plant milk, tomatoes, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is mixed well together.
Once the sauce is boiling, bring it to a low boil and then add the orzo. Simmer without a lid for 8-10 minutes (follow instructions on pasta packaging). Stir every so often to prevent the orzo from stick to each other. Cook until al dente.
Remove the pot from the heat, set aside and allow the sauce to thicken through cooling down. Then stir the vegan cheese and nutritional yeast in. Allow the cheese to completely melt into the red sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Instapot:
In a large pot, melt your butter or heat up olive oil over medium-high heat. Once sizzling, add the diced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add water, veggie bouillon, plant milk, tomatoes, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is mixed well together. Then add dry orzo and mix in well.
Cover the instapot, set on pressure cook, and set time for 4 minutes. Once it completes pressure cooking, quick release steam.
Open the lid when safe to do so, remove the pot from the heat, set aside and allow the sauce to thicken through cooling down. Then stir the vegan cheese and nutritional yeast in. Allow the cheese to completely melt into the red sauce. Serve and enjoy!