One Pot Easy Sausage and Spinach Orzo Recipe
Creamy sausage and spinach orzo with Italian sausage, mushrooms, Parmesan and tender orzo. This easy one pot dinner is packed with flavor and ready in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild or hot Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil if needed
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cups dry orzo
- 3 cups chicken broth plus more as needed
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 4 cups baby spinach
- Chopped Italian parsley or fresh basil for serving
Instructions
- Brown the sausage. Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and cooked through. Transfer the sausage to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.
- Cook the mushrooms and onion. Add the olive oil if the pan looks dry. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and any released liquid has evaporated. Add the onion and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until softened.
- Add the garlic and orzo. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the dry orzo and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Simmer the orzo. Pour in the chicken broth and return the sausage to the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the orzo is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. Add an extra splash of broth as needed if the pan becomes dry before the orzo is fully cooked.
- Finish the dish. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, and spinach. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the spinach has wilted and the sauce is creamy.
- Serve. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Divide among bowls and top with additional Parmesan and parsley or basil.
Notes
- Mild or hot Italian sausage both work well. Use hot sausage for a spicier dish or a combination of the two.
- Brown the mushrooms until their moisture has evaporated so they develop deeper flavor instead of steaming.
- Stir the orzo frequently while it cooks to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- The orzo should still look slightly loose when you remove it from the heat. It will continue to thicken as it rests.
- Add more broth a few tablespoons at a time if the orzo needs additional liquid while cooking.
- Finely grated Parmesan melts more smoothly into the sauce than coarsely shredded cheese.
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