Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Sausage

Creamy parmesan orzo is a supremely saucy dish with spicy Italian sausage and fresh spinach. If you need a delicious one-pot meal that’s ready in less than 30 minutes, this orzo recipe is a winner!

Want to try more one-pot recipes? Try my Easy One Pot Cajun Shrimp and Rice and One Pot Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Sausage next!

Garlic Parmesan Orzo

We’ve upgraded parmesan orzo pasta from your favourite side dish to a full family meal! It’s cheesy, creamy and so comforting.

Although it’s a pasta, we prepare it like rice, simmering it with chicken broth for more flavour. Adding butter, heavy cream, and a generous helping of cheese, makes it ultra creamy and rich.

Here’s Why You’ll Love this Parmesan Orzo Recipe

• Easy Weeknight Meal: This recipe is made with simple ingredients and takes as little as 20 minutes to cook. This is a no-brainer meal after a long workday.
• Flavourful: Cooking orzo like rice is more efficient; it results in a better-tasting final dish. I toast the rice for deeper flavour, then cook the rice with chicken broth. Once you have it this way, no other method will do!
• Versatile: I love the savoury depth that sausage adds to this dish but you can make it vegetarian or add chicken instead.

What is Orzo Pasta?

Orzo is a small, oval-shaped whole grain pasta that looks like rice. However, you can boil it like pasta or simmer it like rice (although it cooks faster than rice).

This pasta is versatile enough to be served as either a side dish or entree, depending on how you cook it and what you add to it.

What Does Orzo Taste Like?

Orzo has a subtle, nutty flavour and tender, chewy texture. Due to its heavy starch content, it has a creamy consistency that pairs well with cheese.

Ingredients

• Orzo Pasta: This rice-shaped pasta absorbs other ingredients well. When cooked, it has a texture similar to risotto.
• Mild Italian Sausage: or hot sauce, casings removed, crumbled
• Butter: Use this to toast the orzo.
• Garlic cloves: Freshly minced garlic tastes much better than garlic powder,
  • Chicken Broth: Use this as a flavour base.
• Heavy Cream: This adds a rich, creamy depth.
• Italian Seasoning Blend: This adds a blend of oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary for a fresh, herbaceous taste.
• Parmesan Cheese: Grate it yourself for the best results. The pre-shredded cheeses have a grainy consistency when melted down because of anti-caking agent.
• Handful of Spinach: This adds a fresh element to the dish and a nutritious quality.
• Salt and Pepper: Add to taste.

How to Make Parmesan Orzo

1. Add the butter and mild Italian sausage to a large skillet, breaking it into crumbles with a wooden spatula. Cook until browned and cooked through. Discard excess oil if needed then add the minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
2. Add orzo and toast for 2-3 minutes, then add chicken broth, Italian seasoning and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cover. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add heavy cream, parmesan cheese and spinach. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Let the orzo and sauce simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and orzo cooked. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Substitutions

• Broth: Instead of regular chicken broth, try a low-sodium chicken broth for less salt. You can also use vegetable broth.
• Fat: Instead of butter, cook with olive oil, or a blend of the two.
• Dairy: For a less rich final dish, use half and half instead of heavy cream.
• Cheese: Believe it or not, parmesan is not vegetarian because it typically contains animal-derived rennet, an enzyme used in the cheese-making process. Look for a parmesan clearly labeled as vegetarian or swap it for another cheese. Use asiago or mozzarella as a substitute for parmesan.
• Spicy: Add red chili flakes for a kick of spice.
• Meat: If you don’t want to use pork, try this parmesan orzo with grilled chicken, shrimp, or ground beef.
• Meatless: Simply omit the sausage. Keep the dish hearty by adding another vegetable like mushrooms or broccoli.

Tips

• Toast the orzo. It enhances the natural nutty notes of the pasta, improving the overall taste of the dish.
• Cooking orzo in chicken broth is the key to the amazing flavour.
• Be careful not to overcook the orzo. Orzo only needs about 10 minutes to cook otherwise, it gets too mushy.
• Stir occasionally to ensure the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the skillet.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Once it has cooled to room temperature, store leftover parmesan orzo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers over low heat on the stove or in the microwave. You may need to add a splash of cream, broth, or water to loosen up the sauce because it thickens as it cools.

However, I don’t recommend freezing this dish. The cream and cheese won’t thaw well.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Interested in more Delicious Pasta Recipes? Check These Out!

• Pesto Orzo Salad
• Orzo Salad with Sundried Tomatoes and Feta
• Lobster Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce
• Creamy Tomato Pesto Shrimp Pasta
• Creamy Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Seafood Pasta
• Bruschetta Pasta Salad
• One Pot Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Sausage
• Rasta Pasta
• Creamy Shrimp & Broccoli Alfredo Pasta

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