Roasted Broccoli & Sweet Potato Orzo Pasta – caramelized roasted veggies mixed with orzo pasta, a light buttery sauce, and sweet dates. An excellent balance of healthy and indulgent; perfect for lunch or dinner!
Why hello there, 2017. We’re going to start the year off right here at Fork in the Kitchen – with balance.
But first – how was your New Years Eve?! What resolutions do you have for 2017?
I’m not much of a resolutions lady myself; I generally am on a carousel ride of growth and learning experiences (that’s putting it nicely sometimes, isn’t it?) which means I’m trying to always find ways to better myself, life, and find balance.
This year more than ever I’m really going to be focusing on that B word. Balance between work, social events, and this side hobby/job/hustle that I love. In between it all, it can be so easy to forget take care of myself – and I’m sure you’ve been on this crazy ride of life, too, finding it just as hard to remember to take care of yourself. So, will you join me on this journey to create a more balanced life with self-care, love, and kindness? Excellent.
So then, this pasta. This pasta is about balance my friends, which is why it’s so perfect for the first post of 2017. We’ve got roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes — hiiiiii, lovely caramelized, crispy, sweet, bites of deliciousness. Remember my how-to-roast-veggies post? That’s what we’re starting with (almost).
The balance comes in with the orzo – I’m not totally ready to give up pasta first thing in 2017. BALANCE, PEOPLE. So… orzo is the perfect compromise for me. I love how simple it is – the little baby…noodles? … rice? …pasta rice? Anyway, I love them, and in this simple pasta salad they’re dynamite.
A little foreshadowing here – I’ll be starting the Whole 30 at the end of the month as a reset on this thing we call eating habits…so cutting back on my pasta intake in the form of using orzo instead of lets say, fettuccine, is step one.
Ok – so the roasted veggies and orzo are fantastic, right? That’s not all! << who can name that game show? >> There are also dates in here – sweet, chewy dates that are so unexpectedly wonderful in this dish. It reminds me of the sweetness of some middle eastern dishes and adds a depth of flavor between the slightly sweet sweet potatoes, the broccoli, and the orzo.
Roasted Broccoli & Sweet Potato Orzo Pasta also makes the best lunch. You can make a huge batch for dinner and then be set for flavorful lunches throughout the week – done, and done! Feeling like superwoman (or man!) already.
Basically we should just call this pasta the Balance of 2017. Cheers to seeing what else 2017 has in store!
Get the Recipe Roasted Broccoli & Sweet Potato Orzo Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 large head of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 large sweet potato, diced into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Red Pepper Flake, to taste (~1/8 teaspoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/3 cup white wine or vegetable stock
- 6 dates, (approx. 1/4 cup), chopped
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil + additional for roasting veggies
- 8 oz. orzo pasta
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with broccoli and sweet potatoes; drizzle with olive oil until coated; salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway between.
- Meanwhile, cook orzo according to package directions.
- In a skillet heat butter and olive oil. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flake. Cook for 1-2 minutes; add thyme and rosemary. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes; slowly pour in wine/stock while stirring to deglaze pan. Reduce for another 1-2 minutes. Add dates and cook for 2 minutes.
- Toss orzo, roasted vegetables, and sauce together. Serve immediately.
This recipe is part of our collection of 30-minute vegetarian pasta recipes – check it out!
OMG!! I made this for tonight’s dinner and It is very yummilicious!! I’ve never roasted veggies until a few weeks ago when I made the roasted veggie recipe you have posted and let me tell ya, I’m now a big fan of roasted veggies! This year is a year full of healthy eating for me and my family and I so appreciate your recipes!! Thank you for helping me find my healthy balance with food:)
Aren’t roasted veggies the best?! Love them!
Thanks for sharing – so awesome to hear that you’re enjoying my recipes!