Recipe: Creamy Orzo Pasta with Bacon & Fava Beans

AuthorMarla Meridith
DifficultyBeginner

Picture orzo pasta tossed with bacon pieces, shallots fried in bacon grease, al dente fava beans all mixed together in a silky sour cream sauce. You now got yerself a super lunch or dinner.

Creamy Orzo Pasta with Bacon & Fava beans on MarlaMeridith.com @RealCalifMilk #30daysofCAdairy
Yields1 Serving
Prep Time10 minsCook Time20 minsTotal Time30 mins
 8 ounces dry orzo pasta
 olive oil
 1 cup shelled fava beans (about 1 pound in shells)
 12 ounces uncured bacon (or your favorite bacon)
 1 shallot, finely chopped
 8 ounces California sour cream
 garlic salt
 cracked black pepper
 chopped parsley
garnish
 chopped shallots
 bacon crumbles
 chopped italian parsley
1

Cook orzo pasta according to package directions. Drain, toss with some olive oil and set aside. Cook bacon in a cast iron skillet and let it drain on paper towels. Crumble with your fingers so you have small bacon pieces. Keep some bacon grease in the pan (about 1 tablespoon)

2

Carefully peel fava beans. Prepare a bowl with ice water. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Slit the edge of the fava bean pods with a sharp knife and pull out beans. Boil them for about 4 minutes or until tender. Drain & chill beans in the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain the beans again.

3

Sauté chopped shallots in the skillet with bacon grease for a few minutes until translucent. Add the fava beans. Sauté a few minutes more

4

Turn down the heat and add the sour cream. Mix the ingredients together. Add the sauce to the pasta and combine well. Garnish with chopped shallots, bacon pieces and chopped Italian parsley.

Ingredients

 8 ounces dry orzo pasta
 olive oil
 1 cup shelled fava beans (about 1 pound in shells)
 12 ounces uncured bacon (or your favorite bacon)
 1 shallot, finely chopped
 8 ounces California sour cream
 garlic salt
 cracked black pepper
 chopped parsley
garnish
 chopped shallots
 bacon crumbles
 chopped italian parsley

Directions

1

Cook orzo pasta according to package directions. Drain, toss with some olive oil and set aside. Cook bacon in a cast iron skillet and let it drain on paper towels. Crumble with your fingers so you have small bacon pieces. Keep some bacon grease in the pan (about 1 tablespoon)

2

Carefully peel fava beans. Prepare a bowl with ice water. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Slit the edge of the fava bean pods with a sharp knife and pull out beans. Boil them for about 4 minutes or until tender. Drain & chill beans in the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain the beans again.

3

Sauté chopped shallots in the skillet with bacon grease for a few minutes until translucent. Add the fava beans. Sauté a few minutes more

4

Turn down the heat and add the sour cream. Mix the ingredients together. Add the sauce to the pasta and combine well. Garnish with chopped shallots, bacon pieces and chopped Italian parsley.

Recipe: Creamy Orzo Pasta with Bacon & Fava Beans

~ Marla Meridith

Join the Conversation