It seriously doesn’t get much easier than this Pesto Baked Orzo Meal Prep! Simply toss all the ingredients in a bowl, cover with water, and let the oven do the rest of the work. It only requires 5 minutes of chopping and tastes incredible with a Mediterranean flair, thanks to the fragrant pesto, juicy tomatoes, and kalamata olives. This is the perfect meal to enjoy after a long day when all you want is a cozy bowl of pasta.
This delicious recipe is part of our Busy Girl Dinner series, where we compile delicious, nourishing, quick dinners that make for great meal prep, so you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen even if you’re prioritizing your health and nutrition!
Why I Love This Recipe
- High-Protein: With 22 g of protein per serving, this meal prep recipe is a great way to get your protein while enjoying a cozy bowl of pasta. It will also help you feel satisfied.
- High-Fiber: Each serving packs in 23 g of fiber, supporting digestive health and keeping you full for longer.
- Easy Meal Prep: You can make this recipe in individual portions or as one big batch, making it ideal for quick, stress-free lunches throughout the week. It only requires 5 minutes of prep—it doesn’t get easier than this!
- Mediterranean Flavors: The combination of pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and kalamata olives gives this recipe a bold, tangy flavor profile that’s so satisfying.
Ingredient Notes
- Orzo: Orzo is a small pasta shape that works perfectly for baked dishes. You can swap it with another small pasta shape or a gluten-free option.
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas are full of plant-based protein and fiber, which make this dish hearty and filling. If you don’t have chickpeas on hand, you can use butter beans as a substitute.
- Pesto: The pesto adds a rich, herby flavor to this dish.
- Kalamata Olives: These give a salty, briny flavor that pairs perfectly with the sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. Feel free to adjust the quantity based on your taste preference.
Ingredients prepped, ready to be added to oven-safe bowls
How to Make This Recipe (Summary)
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to get started. Prepare four oven-safe bowls by dividing the orzo, cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, chickpeas, sundried tomatoes, olives, pesto, vegetable stock powder, salt, chili flakes, and black pepper evenly between them. Stir to combine.
Add water to each bowl, stirring again to ensure ingredients are mixed before baking.
Bake the bowls for 25 minutes or until the orzo is tender. While the bowls bake, toast the pine nuts in the oven until golden, about 8-10 minutes.
Remove the bowls from the oven and let them cool slightly before topping with fresh basil and the toasted pine nuts. Adjust seasoning to taste, and enjoy!
Variations and Tips
- Swap the pasta: You can easily substitute the orzo with another small pasta shape or a gluten-free pasta.
- Add some greens: Serve with a side of greens. Grilled broccolini is delicious. To keep the fuss-free approach and minimal dishes, I like to add a handful of pre-washed baby spinach or rocket straight into the bowl when ready to eat.
- Pesto: You can use a store-bought version to save time or make my Creamy Oil-free Almond Pesto for a homemade oil-free version.
- For a spicier version: Add more red chili flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little extra heat.
- If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our Easy Mediterranean Orzo Recipe, High-Protein Orzo Pesto Salad, or our One Pot Mediterranean Orzo Bolognese.
Why You’ll Love This Pesto Baked Orzo Meal Prep Recipe TLDR
- Easy
- Filling
- High-protein
- Flavor-packed
- Perfect for meal prep
Pesto Baked Orzo Meal Prep
Ingredients
- 2 cups (320 g) dry orzo
- 14 oz (400 g) cherry tomatoes - chopped in half
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 spring onions
- 3 cups (490 g) cooked chickpeas
- 2 oz (50 g) pesto
- 1.8 oz (50 g) sun-dried tomatoes finely sliced
- 12 Kalamata olives - chopped and pitted
- ½ tsp (3 g) sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp (1 g) red chili flakes
- 1 tsp (5 g) low-sodium vegetable stock
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 5 cups (1.15 L) water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) fan-forced.
- Divide the orzo, cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, chickpeas, sundried tomatoes, olives, pesto, vegetable stock powder, salt, chili flakes, and black pepper evenly between 4 oven-safe bowls (20 fl oz/600 ml capacity). Stir the ingredients to combine.
- Pour 1¼ cups of water into each bowl and stir again to ensure the mixture is well-combined.
- Transfer the bowls to the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Toast the pine nuts in the oven for 8-10 minutes until golden.
- Remove the bowls from the oven and let them cool slightly. Top with fresh basil and the toasted pine nuts. Adjust seasoning as needed and enjoy!
Notes
Video
Per Serving/Portion
FAQ
This dish can last up to 4 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container.
I wouldn’t recommend freezing this one.
You can substitute chickpeas with butter beans.
Yes, jarred pesto works great in this recipe, but make sure to check the label if you’re looking for vegan pesto, as some brands contain cheese.
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I’ll admit to having been worried at how liquid it was after coming out of the oven, but 1.5 hours later, it had absorbed much of the surplus! I reheated it in the microwave and it was really delicious!
So happy you loved it Saffie, looks great 💚
I made this last night and it was a little soupy. Any tips or tricks I may have missed? The flavors were fantastic and I want to give it another go.
Hey Kate! So happy you loved it. You could just use a little bit less water 🥰
Absolutely loved this! I’ve made loads of Sarah’s salads and a soup but this was the first hot meal recipe. Wow, this is so full of protein and flavour. Perfect for this early autumn weather we are having in the UK and perfect for me as I am doing loads of running and need more protein in my diet. I’m veggie not vegan but I adore all the plantbaes recipes and have bought the same meal prep bowls and given some pots of food to friends as gifts. Everyone loves them! My friend will be getting a pot of this one tomorrow.
Aw this made me so happy to read 💚 Thank you for trying the recipes! And how kind of you to share with your friends, it means so much to know the recipes are being enjoyed and passed around. I hope your friend loves their pot tomorrow just as much as you did!
This is so good!!!!! My husband ate it too and he doesn’t care for plant based food!
Can you possibly add nutritional information at the bottom? I didn’t see it!
Wow I’m so glad both you and your husband loved it! Click “nutritional information” under the video in the recipe instruction to unveil, we keep them hidden as numbers do not serve everyone 💕
I made this for me and my kids. For the kids I altered it according to their likes. It was such an easy and delicious recepie! 🥰
So happy to hear that Petra 💕
Hi Sarah, looks very delicious! Quick question. If you meal prep, do you put it in the oven before storage in the fridge, or do you put it in the oven before eating? In case of the first, how would you then reheat it?
Will give this one a try!
Hi lovely, I put them in the oven and cook them all at once, then you can reheat them in the microwave directly in the bowl (remove the plastic lid) or on the stove (pour into a small sauce pan, and cook on low heat) 💚
Loved it! It’s comfort food. I made half the recipe, and it’s still more than enough for me. Next time I’ll probably double or add some different vegetables. I ended up cooking it longer, I put everything in one glass bowl, unfortunately the water didn’t evaporate in 30 minutes, so I left it on for another half hour and then just left it in the oven. It would be great if you could also label recipes that can be put in the freezer too. You’re helping me to eat more diverse foods and more healthily. Thanks so much, Sarah! 🙏🕊
Hey Sandy, so happy you loved it, and thanks for sharing your tips to cook it all in one bowl! That’s a great idea about the freezer label, I’ll try to get on that soon 💚
Hi I’d love to know what size Jars you have? I love these ideas and can’t wait to see more!
Thanks so much Jenna! The jars are 600ml, I got them from Ikea 🙂
You’re going to love this Pesto Baked Orzo Meal Prep recipe! Make sure to rate it 5 stars and leave a comment if you enjoyed it!
This turned out perfect, great recipe!! Can you make more quick oven recipes like this in other flavors (Moroccan, Mexican, etc)? Thank you! <3
Hey Bryn, so happy you enjoyed it! I have a Mexican inspired one coming soon, Moroccan is such a good idea, I’m adding it to my “recipes to try” file (it’s a big one 😂), thank you 💕