The best part about fall is all the pumpkin anti-inflammatory paleo recipes! There is something so cozy and delicious about pumpkin recipes, and when the fall season rolls around you can count on me to be putting pumpkin in everything, from sandwich cookies and coffee cake, to Italian soup and creamy pasta. This one skillet AIP and Paleo meal idea is a great AIP fall dish. The Creamy Pumpkin Orzo beautifully pairs pasta, pumpkin, and herbs together for one tasty dish. Plus, did I mention that this pumpkin anti-inflammatory paleo recipe is gluten free, grain free, diary free and only takes about 20 minutes to make? This AIP pasta recipe is just what you need for the cozy season!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made through links on this post at no additional cost to you!
Let's Talk about this Pumpkin Anti-inflammatory Paleo Recipe
This Creamy Pumpkin Orzo is made using cassava flour orzo. Jovial foods makes an awesome orzo that you can find at your local health food stores or get delivered straight to your door. You can order this 6 pack of orzo which gets you the most bang for your buck or try the sampler pack with three different types of pasta. I love this orzo pasta and also used it to make my Italian sausage orzo.
This Creamy Pumpkin Orzo uses coconut milk to make it rich and creamy without the dairy. The orzo packs a punch with savory herbs and is topped with bacon to make the flavor complete. This dish is so good! This one skillet paleo meal only takes 20 minutes to make. I like to pair it with a protein like Italian sausage and it serves two. This AIP pumpkin recipe is also a great side dish for a party or AIP and Paleo Thanksgiving. One recipe makes about 4 small side servings. This is one of my favorite pumpkin anti-inflammatory paleo recipes, and will be a hit no matter what you make it for.
Tips and Tricks on Making This AIP Pumpkin Recipe
Can I use dried sage in this one skillet paleo meal?
You can always use dried herbs in place of fresh herbs. I like the extra flavor punch of fresh herbs when I can use them. But since I don’t always have fresh herbs on hand, dried herbs work great in a pinch. In general you will use one third of the dried herb for the fresh herb. So for this pumpkin anti-inflammatory paleo recipes you will use about 1 teaspoon died sage. If it is completely powdered use ½ to ¾ teaspoon.
What type of bacon should I use for this pumpkin anti-inflammatory recipe?
You can use your favorite bacon for this recipe. Thick or thin bacon work great, just pick whichever is your favorite. The main thing you want to watch out for is nitrates which can be bad for your health and are not AIP compliant. Try to find bacon that is nitrate free to be 100% AIP compliant.
Can I use a different shape of noodles for this one skillet paleo meal?
You can definitely try this recipe with different types of pasta but I prefer the orzo. I find that the orzo mixed with the riced cauliflower makes such a nice subtle blend that you don’t even notice the cauliflower there. Just make sure that you are using grain free pasta for your recipe to keep it AIP & Paleo!
Let’s make some Creamy Orzo Pasta (one of my favorite pumpkin anti-inflammatory paleo recipes)!
To make one of my favorite pumpkin anti-inflammatory paleo recipes, start by heating up a medium skillet to medium high heat. This 10 inch Lodge cast iron skillet is my favorite! Add your three slices of bacon to the skillet. Cook the bacon for 4-5 minutes or until done, flipping halfway through the cook time.
While the bacon is cooking, take your onion and chop it into small bite sized pieces, mince the garlic, and chop up the fresh sage.
When the Bacon is finished, remove it from the skillet and add the onions, garlic, fresh sage, and thyme into the skillet with the bacon grease. Cook the onions, garlic, and herbs for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic starts to brown and the onions look translucent.
When the onions and garlic have cooked for a few minutes, add in the riced cauliflower and orzo. Brown in the skillet for another 1-2 minutes.
Cooking The Orzo Pasta
Cover the orzo and riced cauliflower with the bone broth and let simmer in the skillet for 10 minutes. Add in the salt at this point. If the liquid starts to run out, you may need to add a little bit of water to make sure the pasta is covered so that is cooks through. Stir the pasta occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the skillet.
While the pasta is cooking, take your bacon and chop it into bacon bits to garnish the top.
Finally, add in the pumpkin and coconut milk and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the orzo cooks through.
Take your orzo off the burner and serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Pair with a protein like Italian sausage to make a meal for two, or serve as a side for up to four.
If you liked this AIP Pumpkin Recipe, you should check out these!
If you tried this recipe and loved it, it would mean the world to me if you drop a rating and comment below. It helps people just like you find healthy recipes to support them on their wellness journey.
AIP & Paleo Creamy Pumpkin Orzo
Ingredients
- 3 Slices Bacon Nitrite free
- ½ Medium Yellow onion
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh sage
- ½ Teaspoon Dried thyme
- 1 ½ Cup Riced cauliflower
- ⅓ Cup Grain free cassava orzo Link in notes
- 1 Cup Chicken bone broth or stock
- ¾ Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Cup Pumpkin puree
- ⅓ Cup Coconut milk
Instructions
- Start by heating up a medium skillet to medium high heat. Add your three slices of bacon to the skillet. Cook the bacon for 4-5 minutes or until done, flipping half way through the cook time.
- While the bacon is cooking, take your onion and chop it into small bite sized pieces, mince the garlic, and chop up the fresh sage.
- When the Bacon is finished, remove it from the skillet and add the onions, garlic, fresh sage, and thyme into the skillet with the bacon grease. Cook the onions, garlic, and herbs for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic starts to brown and the onions look translucent.
- When the onions and garlic have cooked for a few minutes, add in the riced cauliflower and orzo. Brown in the skillet for another 1-2 minutes.
- Cover the orzo and riced cauliflower with the bone broth and let simmer in the skillet for 10 minutes. Add in the salt at this point. If the liquid starts to run out, you may need to add a little bit of water to make sure the pasta is covered and it cooks through. Stir the pasta occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the skillet.
- While the pasta is cooking, take your bacon and chop it into bacon bits to garnish the top.
- Finally, add in the pumpkin and coconut milk and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through.
- Take your orzo off the burner and serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Pair with a protein like Italian sausage to make a meal for two, or serve as a side for up to four.
