The title’s a tongue tornado, however this dish is a breeze to make! Goat cheese and roasted pink peppers are the shortcuts for this creamy, smoky risoni recipe. Underneath $20 for 4 servings, prepared in 20 minutes. Function a meal or facet — it’s like a Mediterranean risotto!
Goat Cheese & Roasted Purple Pepper Risoni (orzo)
As we speak’s recipe is a fast risoni dish that’s easy to make however a bit bit particular due to a little bit of goat cheese stirred via which provides it a creamy edge. The distinctive, gentle flavour of goat cheese with a contact of tang works completely with the Mediterranean flavours right here, particularly on this oozy risotto-like risoni recipe.
It’s a type of dishes that’s quick to make – but firm worthy. Particularly in the event you hold harping on and on about how good goat’s cheese is. Wait, is that simply me?? 😂


Elements on this risoni recipe
Right here’s all it is advisable make this. If you happen to don’t have goat’s cheese, you’ll be able to substitute in a pinch with Danish feta which has an identical flavour and likewise melts. Else, bitter cream, yogurt and even cream plus a squeeze of lemon may have an identical flavour.

-
Risoni / orzo – Referred to as risoni right here in Australia and Italy however orzo in a lot of the remainder of the world, I’ve an enormous mushy spot for these little rice-shaped pastas. I really like that it cooks shortly and that it tastes like risotto (minus all of the patient-stirring work!).
Discover risoni within the pasta aisle at common grocery shops. Substitute with different small pasta like ditalini, star formed pasta or these tiny novelty pasta shapes (think about this with dinosaur pasta!).
-
Goat’s cheese (nearer up picture above) – Cheese created from goat reasonably than cow’s milk and has a definite tang to it. This recipe makes use of the goat’s cheese that has a texture like Danish feta (ie the mushy creamy sort of feta), image above. While you crumble it, it smears in your fingers and when heated, it melts.
Discover it at common grocery shops, often offered in log type. Even my nook retailer sells it!
Substitute with (so as of precedence) Danish feta, bitter cream, full fats Greek yogurt or common cream plus a squeeze of lemon.
-
Roasted pink peppers / capsicum (aka bell peppers) – These are retailer purchased jars with strips of pink capsicum which have been charred and blistered so it has a beautiful smokey flavour and the flesh is tremendous mushy and candy so it melds superbly into the sauce. *Additionally see information field beneath for various names for roasted peppers*
Discover them within the pickle part of normal grocery shops although you’ll find them for significantly higher values (particularly in massive jars) at continental and European delis and produce outlets.
Substitute – Sauté contemporary strips of capsicum, zucchini half moons, asparagus, mushrooms or any vegetable you’d like, although you gained’t get the identical smoky flavour. Or use different jarred/canned greens like artichokes, asparagus, solar dried tomatoes.

-
Tomato passata – Clean pureed, strained pure tomatoes, typically labelled “tomato puree” within the US (right here’s a photograph of Mutti tomato passata offered at Walmart). It’s available in Australian supermarkets these days, alongside pasta sauces and prices across the identical as canned tomato. Passata is superb for making thick, easy tomato based mostly sauces, like we’re doing in right this moment’s risoni recipe. Extra on tomato passata right here.
Substitute: For these of you within the US, substituted with the what you name tomato puree (like Hunts). In any other case, use canned crushed tomato (although the sauce color gained’t be such a vibrant pink color).
-
Kalamata olives – Provides fabulous little briny pops into this dish, and flavours the sauce.
-
Purple onion and garlic – The fragrant flavour bases for this recipe.
Roasted pink peppers – completely different names and jar labels
What we name capsicum right here in Australia, NZ and another components of the world are referred to as bell peppers within the US and candy peppers or simply peppers within the UK and most components of Europe.
So typically right here in Australia, they are going to be offered in jars labelled “roasted pink peppers”. It’s not spicy peppers (ie chilli) that we consider! It’s capsicum. 🙂
Ending: basil or parsley – or nothing
Discovering myself with an abundance of additional basil from stress-testing the basil storing technique I shared final week, I made a decision on a whim to complete the dish with basil and it made it even higher! Although till this week, I’ve all the time been ending it with only a small quantity of parsley.

However in all honesty, there’s a lot happening right here already with the olives and goat’s cheese and roasted peppers, it’s nonetheless 100% scrumptious with none contemporary herbs. I’d in all probability add a teaspoon of dried oregano into the sauce although!
Learn how to make this risoni recipe
It takes round 20 minutes to make from begin to end, together with preparation. There’s little chopping to be completed!
Workflow – Get the risoni boiling then begin on the sauce. The cooked risoni can sit within the colander till you’re able to stir it in.

-
Cook dinner risoni till a tiny bit underneath completed ie. very al dente. The centre shouldn’t be raw-pasta exhausting however only a bit firmer than you’d prefer to eat. Cause: the risoni will hold cooking within the sauce so we don’t need it totally cooked at this stage.
-
Reserve pasta water – Simply earlier than draining, scoop out a mugful of the pasta cooking water. We will likely be utilizing this to loosen the olive pasta sauce later. It’s good observe to make use of the pasta cooking cooking water as a result of it’s obtained starch from the pasta in it which helps the sauce cling to the little bits of risoni (I preach this for each single pasta recipe I share!).

-
Drain and rinse – Drain the risoni then give it a fast rinse underneath chilly faucet water to rinse off extra starch. If you happen to skip this step, the sauce can get a bit too “gluey” from extra starch, and likewise prevents the risoni from sticking collectively because it’s sitting within the colander ready for use.
-
Sauté – Utilizing a big deep skillet (the one I exploit is 30cm/12″) on excessive warmth, cook dinner the onion first for round 2 minutes till it begins to melt. Then add the strips of capsicum/peppers and garlic. Cook dinner for an additional 1 minute till the garlic is mild golden, and the onion is fairly floppy.

-
Sauce – Add the passata and olives, then stir.
-
Simmer – Deliver to a simmer then decrease the pinnacle and simmer for 3 minutes on medium warmth, stirring from time to time. Throughout this step, the briny, salty flavour from the olives and the smoky flavour from the capsicum/peppers releases into the sauce which provides flavour. YUM!

-
Risoni – Add the cooked risoni, salt and about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Stir via till the risoni is coated within the sauce.
-
Basil and melty goat’s cheese – Add a lot of the goat’s cheese (reserve a bit for garnish) and stir it via till it melts and turns into creamy (it melts shortly). Then stir via the basil (if utilizing), simply earlier than serving.
Then you definitely’re completed! Ladle into bowls or into a big serving bowl, sprinkle with goat’s cheese (or simply add a clump if it’s mushy and sticky – extra impactful!) and little basil leaves or chopped basil. Then dig in!

Learn how to serve this risoni dish
That is substantial sufficient and definitely attention-grabbing sufficient to be a meal by itself. Basically, it is a vegetarian pasta dish (regardless of the repetitive comparisons I make to risotto!) which includes a respectable quantity of greens (tomato, onion, capsicum/bell peppers) so that you don’t want so as to add a facet dish to spherical out your meal.
Nonetheless, it’d even be terrific served as a facet dish with a easy piece of protein. I really meant to {photograph} it with a chunk of pan fried fish or prawns/shrimp plonked on high, cooked with simply salt and pepper. Then the concept could be to eat the protein with the oozy risoni taking part in a number of roles right here – just like the sauce in addition to a starch and vegetable facet.
Attempt it with my on a regular basis marinated hen breast (named as such as a result of it’s made with pantry staples), Italian marinated hen, Lemon Garlic Marinated Pork Chops or pile over some Greek Lamb Meatballs (think about that!).
Hope you get pleasure from! – Nagi x
SUGGESTED SIMPLE PROTEINS TO SERVE WITH THIS RISONI
FAQ
3 to 4 days within the fridge. Loosen with a splash of water and reheat within the microwave. I don’t assume it will freeze very properly. I’m a bit selective about which pasta dishes I freeze – just about solely pasta bakes.
Sure! Use rice as a substitute of risoni/orzo. Simply use 3 – 4 cups of cooked rice of alternative (begin with 3 then add extra if there’s sufficient sauce) and stir it rather than the risoni.
Different char grilled canned / jarred vegetable in the event you discover them (asparagus is the one one I recall seeing), although you could possibly after all substitute with different issues like solar dried tomatoes, canned asparagus or artichokes. You can too sauté your personal slices of capsicum / pink peppers or different greens of alternative – the sky’s the restrict actually! Mushrooms, zucchini slices and many others and many others.
Goat cheese or goat’s cheese is cheese created from goat milk reasonably than cow milk which is the milk used for the on a regular basis cheese we devour – cheddar, tasty, colby and many others. Cheese created from goat milk has a gentle flavour with a definite tang to it.
There are all kinds of kinds of goat cheese – agency, creamy brie-type and many others. The Danish-feta model one we’re utilizing right this moment is the commonest selection right here in Australia that you’ll find at common grocery shops (it’s even offered at my nook retailer!). Different kinds of goat cheese are usually solely discovered at speciality cheese shops and delis.
Substitute with (so as of precedence) Danish feta, bitter cream, full fats Greek yogurt or common cream plus a squeeze of lemon.
As a facet observe, one of the best goat cheese I’ve had in my life (and I eat a LOT of cheese from all around the world!) is Tongola Cheese in Tasmania. Small batch, household run goat farm (Leap Farm) and solely accessible at native farmers markets in Tasmania which makes it additional particular.
Leap Farm can also be a carbon constructive farm which is a rare feat for a working farm to attain. I’ve plenty of respect and admiration for Iain and Kate Subject who personal and run the farm and Tongola Cheese. I really feel very lucky that I had the chance to satisfy them and go to the farm (and style the cheeses!).
Watch make it
Hungry for extra? Subscribe to my publication and observe alongside on Fb, Pinterest and Instagram for the entire newest updates.

Creamy Goat Cheese & Roasted Purple Pepper Risoni (Orzo)
Prep: 7 minutes
Cook dinner: 13 minutes
Mains
Mediterranean vibes, Western
Servings4
Faucet or hover to scale
Elements
- 250g/ 8oz risoni pasta (orzo) , or different very small pasta (tiny stars, novelty shapes like dinosaurs, ditalini)
- 2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt , for cooking the pasta
- 2 tbsp additional virgin olive oil
- 1 pink onion , halved then reduce into 5mm / 0.2″ slices (sub common onion)
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 310g/ 10oz jar chargrilled / fire-roasted sliced pink capsicum/peppers (~ 1 cup), drained, roughly chopped into 2.5cm / 1″ items (Observe 1)
- 2 cups tomato passata or puree (Observe 2)
- 1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives or different briny/pickly factor (like pickles, chopped)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 120g/4 oz goat’s cheese , the creamy feta sort (Observe 3)
Ending – CHOOSE (Observe 4)
Forestall display from sleeping
Directions
-
Boil risoni – Deliver a small pot or massive saucepan of water to the boil. Add salt and cook dinner risoni till just below al dente (ie nonetheless a bit agency inside) as it’s going to cook dinner extra within the sauce. 8 minutes for me.
-
Drain & rinse – Simply earlier than draining, scoop out 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and put aside. Drain, rinse briefly underneath the faucet then go away the risoni within the colander whilst you end the sauce.
-
Sauté – Warmth the oil in a big non stick skillet (30cm/12″) over excessive warmth. Add onion and cook dinner for two minutes till beginning to soften. Add garlic and capsicum strips. Cook dinner for two minutes till the onion is softened.
-
Simmer – Add tomato and olives. Deliver to a simmer, decrease warmth to medium and simmer for five minutes, stirring from time to time.
-
Soften goat cheese – Add cooked risoni, salt, pepper and the pasta cooking water. Stir to mix. Add a lot of the goat’s cheese (reserve some for garnish), stir so it melts.
-
Basil & serve – Stir via basil or parsley simply earlier than serving. Divide between bowls. Crumble over reserved goat’s cheese, sprinkle with additional basil. Dig in with a spoon!
Recipe Notes:
PS It’s not spicy, regardless of the title “pepper” 🙂
2. Tomato passata – Bought in bottles within the pasta aisle (typically canned tomato part). US: substitute what what you name “tomato puree” (eg Hunts). Extra on passata in publish or right here. Substitute with 600g/21 oz (1 1/2 cans) canned crushed tomato and simmer for a couple of additional minutes.
3. Goat cheese is cheese created from goat milk which has a particular creamy texture with a gentle flavour that could be a bit tangy. You want the mushy feta type for this dish, often offered in log type – melts superbly into sauces. Bought at common grocery shops. Substitute with Danish feta (ie the creamy type) or bitter cream (1/2 to three/4 cup). Else, yogurt or 1/3 – 1/2 cup cream plus a squeeze of lemon juice will ship an identical flavour.
4. Herb finishes – Basil is my first choice, the freshness actually elevates the dish. If I don’t have it, I exploit parsley or add 1 tsp dried oregano after I add the garlic.
Leftovers will hold for 3 to 4 days within the fridge. Reheat in microwave and loosen as wanted with splash of water to make it oozy once more.
Diet per serving. Calorie financial savings from utilizing heavy on low-cal greens – tomato passata, fireplace roasted pink peppers (it’s not packed in oil) and onion.
Diet Data:
Energy: 452cal (23%)Carbohydrates: 61g (20%)Protein: 16g (32%)Fats: 17g (26%)Saturated Fats: 6g (38%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 2gMonounsaturated Fats: 9gLdl cholesterol: 14mg (5%)Sodium: 1531mg (67%)Potassium: 869mg (25%)Fiber: 6g (25%)Sugar: 9g (10%)Vitamin A: 1427IU (29%)Vitamin C: 49mg (59%)Calcium: 126mg (13%)Iron: 4mg (22%)
Use the leftover risoni for one among these recipes!
Lifetime of Dozer
We celebrated Christmas final weekend because it was the primary weekend everyone was again in Sydney! As you may think, there was a good variety of meals presents (our complete prolonged household is very into meals!) so Dozer spent a good period of time snuffling across the pile of presents.

The expression on his face after I was coaxing him to get out of there… “are you speaking to me?” “I don’t perceive what you’re saying” 😇

In the long run, I gave up and joined him. 😂
