Is orzo gluten-free? No, orzo pasta is wheat

No. Orzo contains gluten. Orzo (also called risoni) is a small pasta shaped like rice grains, made from durum wheat semolina.

What to know

• In Italy, “orzo” also means barley: orzo in a soup, caffè d’orzo (barley coffee) and orzotto (barley risotto) all contain gluten.
• Gluten-free orzo exists, made from rice, corn or legumes. Look for the gluten-free label.
• Orzo salads and Greek dishes like giouvetsi use wheat orzo. Ask in restaurants.

Keep reading

• Is barley gluten-free?
• Is pasta gluten-free?
• How to say gluten-free in Greek

Sources: EU Regulation 1169/2011 (Annex II: cereals containing gluten, namely wheat such as spelt and khorasan wheat, rye, barley, oats), Coeliac UK, Codex Alimentarius (gluten-free = 20 mg/kg or less). Checked 28 September 2026. We inform, we don’t diagnose: for medical questions, your doctor or dietitian has the last word.