📖 Instructions

1. First things first: get that water boiling! Fill your large pot with about 6 cups of water and bring it to a rolling boil. While that's happening…
2. Chop those cherry tomatoes! Give those little guys a rough chop. Don't worry about making them perfect; rustic is good. About half an inch in diameter is ideal. I always get distracted when chopping vegetables.
3. Next up, the aromatics: Mince 3 cloves of garlic. If you're feeling fancy (or lazy!), you can use pre-minced garlic, but fresh is always best, trust me. Once minced, set it aside.
4. Time to cook the orzo! Add 1 1/2 cups of orzo pasta to the boiling water. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Cook according to package directions, but remember; we want it a little bit al dente, so maybe a minute less than the package states.
5. Drain that orzo: Once the orzo is almost cooked, drain it using your colander. Set aside; we will bring it back in just a moment.
6. Sauté the garlic: Add a tablespoon of olive oil to your pot. Once hot, toss in your minced garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds, or until it's fragrant, but don't burn it! It'll turn bitter very quickly.
7. Add the tomatoes: Toss the chopped cherry tomatoes into the pot with the garlic. Cook them for 2-3 minutes, or until they burst and release their yummy juices.
8. Combine orzo, garlic, and cheese: Now, add the cooked orzo to the pot with the tomatoes and garlic. Stir gently to combine everything evenly.
9. Stir in the parmesan: Add 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (or more, if you're a parmesan fanatic like me!) and stir until the cheese is melted and creamy.
10. Season to taste! Add salt and pepper to your liking. I usually go a little heavy on the black pepper—it adds some nice spice and oomph!
11. Serve it up!: Serve your Garlic Parmesan Orzo with Burst Cherry Tomatoes immediately. It's best fresh, but the leftovers are pretty darn tasty as well, honestly. Enjoy!