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Orzo with Calabrian Chili and Garden Vegetables

This Calabrian chili orzo combines tender pasta with zucchini, sweet peppers, and garlic, while Italian seasoning and olive oil add depth. Calabrian chili paste brings gentle heat softened by creamy crème fraîche, making it a colorful side dish to serve alongside salmon or other simply prepared mains.

  • Prep10 mins
  • Cook15 mins
  • Serves4
  • DifficultyEasy
Orzo with Calabrian Chili and Garden Vegetables

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Orzo with Calabrian Chili and Garden Vegetables, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

51 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
53 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
14 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityGood
87 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

57
Heart Health
63
Metabolic
24
Digestive
26
Inflammatory
32
Performance
45
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add orzo, and cook uncovered until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, drain thoroughly, and return the orzo to the pot. Add crème fraîche and Calabrian chili paste. Set aside and keep warm.

  2. 2

    Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Once the oil shimmers, add vegetables and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add Italian seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Remove the vegetables from the heat.

  3. 3

    Gently stir vegetables into orzo. Serve immediately.

About This Recipe

Orzo with Calabrian Chili and Garden Vegetables is made with 13 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 25 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Bell Pepper, Black Pepper, Chili Paste, and Crème Fraîche. Each serving provides about 195.97 kcal.

Recipe Questions

What is Orzo with Calabrian Chili and Garden Vegetables made of?
The main ingredients are Bell Pepper, Black Pepper, Chili Paste, Crème Fraîche, Garlic. The full list of 13 is above.
How long does it take to make Orzo with Calabrian Chili and Garden Vegetables?
About 25 mins in total: 10 mins to prepare and 15 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 195.97 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Orzo with Calabrian Chili and Garden Vegetables easy to make?
This recipe is rated easy, with 13 ingredients and 3 steps.
Is Orzo with Calabrian Chili and Garden Vegetables healthy?
Orzo with Calabrian Chili and Garden Vegetables has an easyChef Pro health score of 51/100. Per serving, it provides 195.97 calories and 6.41 g of protein, or 13% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: saturated fat at 1.52 g (8% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten and Garlic, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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