Chipotle Chorizo Orzo
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Serves: 6
Yumm, yumm, and yumm. This is so full, and I mean, FULL of flavor. It is reminiscent of a deeply flavored, chipotle chili. Can I say, “Yumm!” again?
It is not a difficult recipe, but mise en place is essential: Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go. Have chorizo sliced, tomatoes chopped, etc. It will make cooking enjoyable! This is true for any recipe you endeavor to create.
Orzo is pasta, not rice, even though the shape reflects that of rice. Some recipes call cooking recipes in plenty of water as you would other shapes of pasta. In my recipe, the orzo is cooked in just enough liquid to be absorbed and cooked through, creating a rich, creamy dish.
The cumin is used as an “undertone” not as a main flavor. You want this to be about the chipotle peppers and chorizo. But, if you’re a cumin lover, add more!
Mexicanplease.com has a post with helpful information on prepping dried chiles. Use very hot tap water, not boiling water to cover the dried chiles. Not wanting to use H2O from your faucet? Boil 1 cup of water in the microwave (or stovetop) and allow it to cool slightly.
If you’re wanting a side dish, simple roasted veggies or lightly seasoned black beans are good options.
Enjoy!
Chipotle Chorizo Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 ounce chipotle (Morita) chile peppers, stems and seeds removed, see Notes
- very hot water, just enough to cover the chiles in a small bowl
- 14 - 16 ounces chorizo link(s), sliced into 1/4" slices, see Notes
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (avocado, vegetable, etc.)
- 1 cup white onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a garlic press
- 1 large tomato, cored and chopped (1 1/2 cups), see Notes
- kosher salt or sea salt, to taste
- 4 cups unsalted or low sodium beef stock, or vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta, see Notes
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup heavy cream (not milk), see Notes
- 6 ounces fresh spinach (hardy stems removed) chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
- lemon and/or lime wedges, for serving, see Notes
Instructions
- This step is optional, but brings more flavor to the chiles: Place the chiles in a dry pan over medium-high heat. Toast the chiles until fragrant. Some smoke is fine and normal, but don’t allow the chiles to blacken all over.
- Place the chiles in a small-medium bowl. Pour enough of the hot water just to cover. You may place a bowl or plate on top to help submerge the peppers if desired.
- Allow the peppers to hydrate for at least 20 minutes.
- Drain the chiles, reserving the liquid. Set aside.
- In a large skillet or 5 to 6-quart Dutch oven, cook the chorizo over medium-high heat, browning both sides. Turn heat down as needed to not burn the sausage. Remove them to a bowl or plate.
- If the chorizo did not yield much fat, add the tablespoon of oil to the pan. If your chorizo releases a lot of fat, pour off, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan.
- Add the onion, cumin, white pepper, and a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally until lightly browned/caramelized. Add the garlic and stir continually for about 20 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir often until the tomatoes have softened.
- Take the pan off the heat and scrape the mixture into a blender. Add the hydrated chipotle chiles and about ¼ cup of the reserved liquid.
- Puree the mixture, adding more liquid as needed to produce a consistent flow of ingredients in the blender. Puree until the mixture is fairly smooth.
- Pour the pureed mixture back into the pan. Add 4 cups of stock. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and/or cumin as desired. This is the liquid that the orzo will be absorbing, so it must taste very good.
- Add the orzo and stir to combine all the ingredients thoroughly. Turn the heat to a gentle simmer and place the lid slightly ajar. Cook the orzo for 15 minutes, or according to the cook time for al dente pasta on the package, stirring occasionally because the pasta may stick to the bottom of your pan, and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Be aware that brands of orzo can vary in cook times. You’ll need to taste-test to determine the doneness of the pasta.
- Turn the heat off. Add the spinach and stir to wilt. Add the chorizo and heavy cream. Gently stir to thoroughly combine and allow the chorizo to warm through. You may add more stock, reserved liquid from the peppers, or heavy cream to thin the mixture if you’d prefer a looser pasta.
- To serve, scoop into individual bowls (or one large serving bowl) and top with cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice from a wedge. Serve very warm and enjoy!
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