Spinach Parmesan Orzo
Creamy spinach parmesan orzo is a comforting dish featuring orzo in a Parmesan cream sauce with fresh baby spinach. It’s a simple, but tasty side dish or vegetarian main meal.
Sometimes the simplest things taste the best.
A lot of Italian foods are built on this principle.
And this Spinach Parmesan Orzo is an Italian style recipe for times when you just want something that’s simple yet delicious.
It only uses a handful of ingredients and has a really easy prep.
And the result is a light main dish perfect for warmer weather or an excellent side dish for chicken or fish.
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Butter– Divided
- Orzo pasta– A cup of uncooked orzo
- Broth– Chicken broth or vegetable stock or broth if you are vegetarian
- Garlic– Fresh garlic minced
- Spinach– Baby spinach
- Parmesan cheese– Shredded
- Salt and pepper– To taste
How to Make
Spinach parmesan orzo is so easy to make!
Start by melting 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet over medium high heat.
Once the butter has melted, stir the orzo into and cook it until it is lightly toasted and golden.
Add the broth to the skillet and bring everything to a boil.
Once the broth boils, cover the skillet and turn down the heat so the liquid is just at a simmer.
Let the orzo simmer for about 15 minutes or until the orzo is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
While the orzo is simmering, prepare the spinach.
In a second large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
Then add 1 tablespoon of the minced garlic to the melted butter and saute it for about 30 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant.
Stir in 10 ounces of baby spinach and a pinch of salt, letting it cook until the spinach wilts.
Set the spinach aside until orzo is done.
When the orzo is done, stir the spinach and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese into it.
Taste it and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat them in microwave until warmed through.
Can I Use Frozen Spinach?
Unfortunately for this pasta dish you should not use frozen spinach due to it’s high water content. Fresh is best and will also wilt without turning to mush.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t add too much salt. The Parmesan cheese and broth both add saltiness.
- A little squeeze of lemon juice would make this nice and bright.
- Make it a full meal and add some shredded rotisserie chicken to this dish or even cooked, crumbled Italian sausage.
Other Orzo Recipes
Spinach parmesan orzo is a delicious side dish or light main dish that’s so easy to prepare.
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other orzo recipes?
Try these:
If you’ve tried this SPINACH PARMESAN ORZO, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Spinach Parmesan Orzo
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter divided
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
- 3-4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet over medium high heat and add 1 cup orzo. Stir until the orzo is lightly browned/toasted. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the orzo is tender and the liquid is absorbed.4 tbsp butter, 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta, 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- While the orzo is simmering it is a good time to prepare the spinach. In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Add 10 ounces of baby spinach and a pinch of salt. Saute until wilted. Set aside until orzo is done.1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, 3-4 cups fresh baby spinach, salt and pepper
- When orzo is done add the spinach and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and mix well. Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. The Parmesan will add some saltiness to the dish, so be sure to give it a taste to ensure you don’t add too much salt!1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Notes
- Don't add too much salt. The Parmesan cheese and broth both add saltiness.
- A little squeeze of lemon juice would make this nice and bright.
- Make it a full meal and add some shredded rotisserie chicken to this dish or even cooked, crumbled Italian sausage.
Nutrition
recipe adapted from Life Tastes Good
This is the kind of meal I would enjoy tremendously. The other day I made basmati with spinach. it was lovely!
I love basmati rice! I may just have to give this recipe a try with a rice base instead of pasta. The idea sounds delish! My favorite way to prepare basmati is making a yellow rice with it.
OMG!
Loved it..Sent to to family members & friends…
Love new recipes…tired of the same old things…I also make my own concoctions..🙂
I made this as a side dish to salmon and it was delicious!
So glad you loved it, Connie! I usually pair it with chicken dishes, but salmon is a beautiful choice. I can’t wait to enjoy the two together!
Thoughts on the flavor profile and substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth to make this vegetarian?
Oh, you can totally make that easy swap to go the vegetarian route! It will still be flavorful and yummy, I just personally prefer the flavor from the chicken broth.
I’ve been making this for years but never had a recipe. I served it as a side to chicken and cooked spinach as a side also, in a little olive oil.
This is was a hit! The first time I made it was for a big group and it paired well with salmon and halibut.
This was delicious and ridiculously easy! Will definitely make it again!
Could you use frozen spinach?
Yes, but make sure it’s thawed completely and you’ve drained/strained all excess liquid. I stick mine between a layer of paper towels to ensure I’ve squeezed out as much as possible before adding to the pasta.
First time making orzo and it was fantastic! Then made chicken soup with orzo; I’m hooked. Thank you for this tasty and easy recipe.
Made this with salmon tonight for dinner. This is a fantastic side. We loved it
After realizing my spinach was spoiled, I tried to remedy this with hopefully a can of spinach…only had collards. So, I left it out. It still turned out good.