Description
Hearty sausage & spinach orzo delight combines Mediterranean flavors with comfort meal goodness. Creamy pasta blends savory Italian sausage, tender spinach, and parmesan for a quick, satisfying dinner perfect for sharing with friends.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz (454 g) Italian sausage
- 1 cup (180 g) uncooked orzo pasta
- 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups (473 ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (237 ml) heavy/whipping cream
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sausage Searing: Ignite a large pot over medium-high heat, crumbling Italian sausage and transforming it into crispy, caramelized morsels while breaking into delicate fragments for 5 minutes.
- Aromatic Foundation: Introduce finely diced onions to the sizzling sausage, developing a rich golden landscape and translucent softness through continuous sautéing for another 5 minutes.
- Flavor Infusion: Scatter minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and orzo into the robust mixture, rapidly stirring to awaken and distribute complex flavor profiles within 30 seconds.
- Liquid Integration: Stream chicken broth and heavy cream into the pot, reducing heat to a gentle simmer and allowing ingredients to harmonize and bubble softly.
- Pasta Perfection: Tenderly nurture the orzo for 10-12 minutes, continuously stirring to prevent scorching and ensuring uniform pasta texture throughout the dish.
- Final Transformation: Extinguish heat, folding in Parmesan cheese and fresh spinach leaves, then cover to leverage residual warmth for wilting greens elegantly.
- Seasoning Finale: Allow the creation to rest 3-5 minutes, achieving optimal sauce consistency, then delicately season with kosher salt and black pepper to elevate the overall taste experience.
Notes
- Crumble Sausage Precisely: Break Italian sausage into uniform small pieces for even cooking and consistent flavor distribution throughout the dish.
- Avoid Garlic Burning: Stir garlic quickly and briefly to release aromatics without scorching, which can create bitter undertones.
- Constant Orzo Stirring: Continuously mix orzo during simmering to prevent sticking and ensure creamy, evenly cooked pasta texture.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Add Parmesan off heat to create smooth, silky sauce without risking cheese separation or graininess.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 624
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1023 mg
- Fat: 41 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 109 mg