Minty Spiced Courgette Orzo

Minty Spiced Courgette Orzo

This one has become a proper weeknight staple for us, and honestly we didn't expect to love it as much as we do. There's something about the combination of golden, slightly caramelised courgette, fresh mint, and a little chilli heat that just works so well together. The orzo soaks up all those flavours beautifully and gives you this creamy, comforting texture without any actual cream involved. A squeeze of lemon at the end lifts the whole thing and makes it taste really bright and fresh. If you've got 25 minutes and a courgette in the fridge, make this tonight.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Large saucepan
  • Microplane or fine grater
  • Colander (optional, for draining if needed)

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 medium courgettes
  • 2 tbsp plant-based butter
  • 1 red chilli
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 300g orzo
  • 750ml vegetable stock
  • 10g mint leaves
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method

1

Prep the ingredients

  • Slice the courgettes into ½ cm rounds
  • Trim and finely slice the chilli (deseed if you prefer less heat)
  • Peel and grate the garlic
  • Zest the lemon and slice in half
  • Pick and finely slice the mint leaves (save a few small ones for garnish)
2

Cook the courgette

  • Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat
  • Add the courgette slices, a little salt and pepper and fry until golden on both sides, approx 2 mins on each side
  • Transfer the courgette to a plate and set aside
  • Don’t clean out the pan
3

Cook the orzo

  • Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and stir to melt down
  • Add the chilli and fry for 2 mins
  • Add the lemon zest and garlic and fry for 1 min
  • Add the capers and cook for 1 min
  • Add orzo and stir for 1 min
  • Pour in the veg stock, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for  10 minutes stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender
  • Take the pan of the heat
4

Finish and serve

  • Squeeze over the lemon juice, sprinkle over the nutritional yeast and sliced mint and fold into the orzo
  • Sprinkle the courgette rounds over the top of the orzo and gently fold them in, making sure they don’t get mushy
  • Drizzle over a little olive oil, season with black pepper, garnish with mint leaves, spoon into bowls and serve immediately

Tips & Variations

  • Get the pan hot enough: We know it's tempting to rush, but let the courgette sit in the pan without stirring too much. You want real colour on it, not just steam. That golden crust is everything.
  • Chilli heat your way: Henry always leaves the seeds in because he loves the kick, but if you're cooking for people who prefer things milder just deseed it first. Either way it's delicious.
  • Make it more filling: Ian loves stirring through a tin of drained butter beans or chickpeas right at the end. It adds protein, makes it even more satisfying, and takes barely any extra effort at all.

Why This Works

The trick here is getting the courgette properly golden before anything else goes in. Don't rush that step, because that caramelisation is where all the flavour comes from. The mint goes in at the end so it stays fresh and fragrant rather than wilting into nothing, and that contrast with the warm spice and lemon zest is what makes this recipe really sing.