Mushroom Orzo with Brown Butter Crispy Sage

A simple dish that showcases all the mushrooms, with an easy to whip up pasta, and finished with the best garnish: brown butter flavoured crispy sage leaves.  What more could you ask for as the weather starts to take on some autumn vibes.

This is an easy weekday meal, it really comes together quickly.  But it also makes a great first course for a dinner party, or as part of a autumn Sunday roast dinner.

Mushrooms

Use whatever you can find at the markets.  I love chanterelles, but will be happy with cremini or shitake mushrooms as well.  If you have some fun button topped chestnut mushrooms or even king oysters, they will all work great.  Combine them all for a pure celebration of the ‘shroom!

Use a scrubby or mushroom brush to clean the mushrooms, and trim away any woody stems.  Slice larger ones into slices (about 1/6th inch is good) Once they are all prepped, you can start with the large skillet or braiser. You will start with olive oil, butter, finely diced shallot or onion, and minced garlic. Once they have softened and taken on a light golden hue, it is time to add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring regularly to soften and cook the mushrooms.  You will only need about two minutes or so.  Wait to sprinkle in some salt and pepper until the mushrooms are cooked through and have developed a golden crust and are almost cooked through.  If you salt mushrooms too early when sauteing, they will release too much water and become a soppy mess instead of becoming nice and meaty.

Orzo

Now it’s time to add the orzo pasta.  Rather like making a rice risotto, you will add the pasta and toss it in the fats and vegetables to coat it all evenly.  Then add some white wine! This will help give a lovely depth of flavour and also cut through the richness of the dish. 

Once it has reduced, you will add some chicken or vegetable stock.  I always add chicken stock, as it has such a lovely buttery undertone. But feel free to use vegetable broth to keep the dish vegetarian.  Let everything in the skillet simmer till all the liquid has been absorbed.  Then go in with more stock.  Keep stirring regularly to ensure that nothing is scorching at the bottom of the skillet.  In all, it should take about ten minutes for the liquid to be absorbed and the orzo to be tender.  If you really want that creamy risotto texture, feel free to add extra stock towards the end, and let it cook down a bit.  Once you add the cheese, it will form that decadent saucey effect of a loose and yet creamy risotto.

Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese.  You can also use Grana Padano, Peccorino, or even a lovely Gouda.  I also add some dried chilli flakes for a bit of heat to balance the richness of the ingredients.  The Brown Butter Crispy Sage garnish can be made towards the end of cooking the orzo, in a separate skillet.

Brown Butter Crispy Sage

It is as simple as letting butter cook over medium heat in a small saucepan or skillet.  Sage leaves are added towards the beginning. It will go through all the stages of foaming until it starts to get brown, nutty and aromatic.  In French it is called Beurre Noissette, which translates as Hazelnut Butter- because of the perfect nutty aroma and hue the butter takes on.  Once the butter is at this stage it can be taken off the heat.  Done, the sage leaves are ready in no time at all.  You can finish this with salt and pepper and a touch of lemon and serve it over anything your little heart desires. Feel free to use only the sage leaves, or also the brown butter over this dish.

I’m showing it here with sage leaves from my balcony, so they are on the smaller side! So if you are using smaller sage leaves, feel free to use more, for impact.  If they are large, then four good crispy leaves per person should b goo

Final Thoughts

You can drizzle some of the butter along with the crisped up sage leaves over the entire skillet and bring it to the table to serve up family style.  Or you can serve up in individual plates or bowls, and then drizzle the butter and sage leaves over each serving.

I also like to squeeze a little lemon for brightness and to balance the dish.  And of course, a cracking of fresh pepper is always welcome.

This is a satisfying meal for me, I often just make a smaller version for my lunch.  It also makes a beautiful addition to an autumn feast!

If you want to serve this up in the spring time, feel free to omit the Brown Butter Crispy Sage, and just use a generous topping of finely chopped fresh herbs like thyme, parsley, chives, etc.

For other orzo dishes check out One Pot Lemony Spring Chicken and Orzo, Saffron Orzotto with Asparagus, Skillet Garlic Butter Chicken and Orzo, Baked Cheesy OrzoBolognese, Creamy Turkey Pot Pie Orzo  For other Brown Butter Sage dishes, check out Roasted Tomato Orzotto with Brown Butter Sage Sauce, Squash and Chestnut Orzotto with Brown Butter Sage.

If you make this easy and cozy Mushroom Orzo with Brown Butter Crispy Sage Leaves, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.

Love Jen

4 from 1 vote

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Mushroom Orzo with Brown Butter Crispy Sage Leaves

An easy and simple pasta dish that celebrates all things mushroom. Rather like a risotto, but with less cooking time, you will love serving this up with the crispy sage leaves. It makes a great weekday meal, or even a side to an Autumn feast!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Keyword brown butter sage, mushroom orzo, orzo

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Mushroom Orzo, for four

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 large shallot finely diced
• 2-3 medium garlic cloves minced
• 3 cups cleaned, trimmed and sliced fresh mushrooms
• 12 oz (340 grams) dried orzo
• 1/2 cup white wine, optional, but makes a difference in flavour!
• 4 cups of chicken stock can use vegetable stock if desired, may need more depending on how creamy you like the final texture.
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• dried chilli flakes for finish
• lemon juice for finish

Brown Butter Sage Sauce

• 6 tbsp butter cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
• 16 large fresh sage leaves patted dry, use more leaves if they are smaller

Instructions

Mushroom Orzo

1. In a large skillet or braiser, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Stir till they are just starting to turn translucent, about 6-8 minutes.

2. Add the mushrooms. Continue to stir, softening the mushrooms evenly. Stir for about two minutes till they start to form a crust.

3. Add in the orzo pasta. Stir the pasta in the fats and vegetables till evenly coated. After about two minutes the pasta should start to be toasted.
4. Add the white wine and cook down, stirring to ensure that nothing is sticking to the bottom of the skillet.

5. Once the wine has almost completely reduced, add two cups of the broth. Stir through, and let everything simmer. At this point you can also add 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper.

6. Once the liquid has been absorbed, add two more cups. Stir and simmer. If you find that the items at the bottom of the skillet are starting to stick, you can reduce the heat to medium low.

7. You may need a third cup of stock to get the pasta to fully cooked. Test the pasta and then add in. Feel free to use the third cup or even a bit more to get it extra creamy like a true risotto.

8. Once the pasta is fully cooked through, remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the grated cheese. Finish with dried chilli flakes to your desire, as well as fresh cracked pepper. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and the Brown Butter Crispy Sage.

Brown Butter Crispy Sage

1. While the orzotto is simmering you can make the brown butter sage.
2. In a small sauté or sauce pan, heat the butter over medium low heat.
3. As soon as it starts to foam up, add the sage leaves and cook together for about 3-5 minutes.
4. The butter will foam and turn brown. Don't stir or touch at this point.
5. When the foam subsides, remove the pan from the heat. The sage should be crispy.
6. Set the sage aside.
7. Serve the orzo from the skillet, just drizzle the butter over everything. Top with the sage leaves. Do the same if serving up the orzo in individual bowls or plates.
8. See blog post for more details.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to use your favourite grating cheese in this dish. Peccorino, Grana Padano, even Gouda will all work!
If you want to serve this dish in the springtime, omit the Brown Butter Sage and just use finely chopped thyme and parsley.

This dish is can easily be prepared for two or even one. I like 3 oz of orzo per person for this dish, since it does eat like a meal as opposed to just a side dish.