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Italian

Caffè d'orzo (roasted barley coffee)

Vegetarian

Caffè d'orzo

A caffeine-free coffee-style drink brewed from roasted ground barley, made in a moka pot the Italian way. Toasty and malty rather than coffee-bitter; drunk black or with milk. Contains gluten.

Caffè d'orzo (roasted barley coffee) is an Italian hot drink from Italy, ready in about 7 minutes and made with roasted ground barley (orzo). It serves 2 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
2 min
Cook
5 min
Total
7 min
Serves
2
Level
Beginner
Calories
—

Ingredients

2 small cups

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Fill the moka pot (opens in a new tab) base with the hot water to just below the safety valve.

    Food safety: The base is hot: hold it with a cloth when screwing the top on.

  2. Step 2

    Fill the basket loosely with the roasted barley (opens in a new tab), level it and don't press — barley swells and foams more than coffee.

    • 1 min

  3. Step 3

    Screw on the top and set over medium-low heat with the lid open. When the brew flows into the top chamber and starts to sputter, take it off the heat, about 4–5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Pour into small cups, adding hot milk (opens in a new tab) and sugar (opens in a new tab) if you like.

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Italy · Well documentedRoasted barley has long been drunk in Italy as a coffee substitute, and orzo is still served in Italian bars.More food from Italy
Dish
Breakfast · Snack · Hot drinks
Cooking method
Boiled
Taste
nutty, mild, earthy
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free
Without the optional extras: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Whole-food focused, Dairy-free, No added sugarWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Child-friendly
Techniques
Boiling

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom milk
  • Contains: Glutenfrom roasted ground barley (orzo)

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

Nutrition not available for this recipe

Not enough data to calculate: Roasted ground barley (orzo). We show nothing rather than a made-up number.

Good to know

Tips

  • No moka pot: simmer 1 heaped tbsp per 150 ml water for 3–4 minutes, rest 2 minutes and strain through a fine sieve.

Common mistakes

  • Packing the basket like coffee, which can block the pot as the barley swells.

Food safety

  • Contains gluten (barley): not suitable for coeliac disease.

Storage

  • Drink fresh.
Does caffè d'orzo contain caffeine?

No. Barley contains no caffeine, so orzo made from pure roasted barley is caffeine-free. Some instant 'orzo' blends add coffee — check the label.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sip & Blend

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Milk, hot (optional)120 ml · 124 g
Used in step 4

Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sip & Blend

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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