One Pot Orzo with Spinach

A pot of cooked orzo with tomatoes, parmesan and spinach. Dish is garnished with fresh parsley.

This one pot orzo with spinach and parmesan is a satisfying pasta dish that is popular with adults and children. Serve it with some garlic bread, salad and enjoy this comforting dinner:).

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword one pot orzo dish, one pot orzo with spinach

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 635kcal

Author Sonila

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tbsps olive oil extra virgin
1 yellow onion
4 garlic cloves
16 ozs orzo
⅓ cup white wine I prefer pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1.5 cups strained tomatoes passata di pomodoro
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp oregano
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese this is needed during cooking, have more available to garnish on top when serving
2 cups fresh baby spinach
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley use as garnish

Instructions

Chop onion and mince or crush garlic cloves.
Place Dutch Oven on medium heat, add olive oil. Once oil is shimmery, add diced onions and minced garlic. Mix with a wooden spoon occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom.
Once onions are translucent, add orzo and mix slowly to incorporate and lightly toast the grains of orzo until they all become shiny.
Deglaze with white wine and mix until alcohol evaporates.
Add chicken stock/broth or vegetable broth and the strained tomatoes. Mix well and lower heat to low-med.
Add parmesan, salt, pepper, oregano, crushed red pepper and mix. Feel free to add other spices or herbs to your taste. Mix well. Cover the pot and lower heat to low. If needed at this point you can add few tbsps of hot water (it's not always needed).
In about 5 minutes, add spinach and mix as spinach wilts. Check if orzo is al dente, if it needs an extra minute or two. Turn heat off and cover the pot so steam finishes the cooking process. Serve warm and garnish with fresh parsley. On individual plates you can add more parmesan as well as freshly ground black pepper to taste. Enjoy:)

Notes

I love adding marjoram herb when I have it available (dry marjoram).
Store leftovers in airtight container in the refrigerator for few days. Warm up the leftovers in microwave with few tbsps of water or in a skillet with 1-2 tbsp of water and 1 tbsp of butter.
Another adjustment you can make is if you have shredded chicken or diced rotisserie chicken, add it in at the step when you add the spinach. It makes for a delicious complete dinner with more protein that way:).
If you like the pasta to be a bit more runny, add some more stock than I did or few more tbsp of hot water in the middle of cooking (like you would do with risotto).

Nutrition