Baked Orzo Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb orzo pasta (uncooked)
• 2 cup water
• 24 oz pasta sauce (high quality recommended, such as Rao's Tomato Basil)
• 5 oz baby spinach (roughly chop if using large leaves)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk or part-skim)
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese (torn into 1-inch pieces, or shredded mozzarella)
• fresh basil (for topping)
• Parmesan cheese (for sprinkling)
• crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.

2. 2

   Add the uncooked orzo, 24 oz of pasta sauce, and 2 cups of water to the prepared baking dish and stir until well combined.

3. 3

   Add the baby spinach to the dish and stir until it is evenly mixed into the pasta liquid.

4. 4

   Use a spoon to add the ricotta in large dollops across the dish. Stir slightly to distribute, but do not combine completely so that pockets of cheese remain.

5. 5

   Tear the fresh mozzarella into 1-inch pieces (or use shredded mozzarella) and spread evenly across the top of the orzo mixture.

6. 6

   Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

7. 7

   Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and the cheese is bubbly.

8. 8

   Top with fresh basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes before serving.

Notes

To make this recipe vegan, use vegan ricotta (like Kite Hill) and vegan mozzarella shreds. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free orzo. You can substitute the ricotta with cottage cheese if preferred.

Nutrition per serving

• main dish
• vegetarian
• one-pot
• baked
• pasta
• dinner
• easy