Italian Sausage Orzo
This easy Italian sausage orzo recipe is creamy and quick, perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.
Equipment
- soup pot
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
Meat
- 16 ounces Italian sausage see note
Vegetables
- ½ medium onion chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
Spices
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional, or more to taste
Pasta & Liquid
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
Dairy
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan
Greens
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach packed
Seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
Cooking Steps
- Add the sausage meat to a soup pot/Dutch oven. Over medium-high heat, cook it for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the onions and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so, until the sausage is nicely browned and the onions have softened.
- Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and orzo, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the chicken broth and cream. Once it starts to bubble, continue cooking for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring fairly often (or else the orzo may stick to the bottom of the pot).
- Take the pot off the heat, stir in the parmesan and spinach, and cover the pot for 3-5 minutes or until it has thickened up to your liking. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.
Notes
For the sausage, you can use anything in the ballpark of 16 oz/1 lb. If you feel like it needs more liquid, add another splash of broth or cream. Orzo is pasta, adjustments may be needed if using rice. Serves 4-6 depending on serving style.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 535kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 19gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 1000mgPotassium: 385mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1637IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 162mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!