As a new mom, I’m having a hard time “doing it all”—juggling meetings and deadlines at work, spending precious time with my one-year-old, and chipping away at a constantly growing to-do list. When the end of the day approaches and it’s time for dinner, I have about two working brain cells left to figure out a substantial meal. I say meal—not meals—on purpose. Instead of making us adults one thing and baby something else, I need a dish that we can all enjoy. More times than I can count, I reach for a few pantry staples and make this orzotto.
This recipe comes together using a similar (but easier) method for making traditional risotto, with less stovetop-babysitting involved. It’s a perfect meal to serve to my toddler. The pieces of broccoli are bitsy enough for baby-safe eating, and the cheesy pasta entices little ones just enough to overlook the vegetal brassica, which many babies love to avoid. The rest of the broccoli is for the adults in the room—I like to cut it into florets, season those with olive oil and crushed red pepper flakes, and give them a quick char under the broiler. Then everyone’s happy.
If you do plan on serving this to little ones, be mindful to season only the adults’ orzotto with salt, as added salt for babies is not recommended. Cool off the children’s portions until lukewarm and serve hot immediately for the adults. Try to reserve enough orzotto for leftovers, because it makes for the perfect next-day lunch.
Read more: The Cheesy Orzotto My Toddler and I Can Both Have for Dinner