One Pot Creamy Tuscan Orzo

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 0.5 onion (medium, chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 0.25 tsp Italian seasoning
• 0.25 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (Use chicken broth or vegetable broth; choose one.)
• 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• 2 cups baby spinach (fresh, packed)
• fresh basil (for garnish)
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.

2. 2

   Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes, until translucent.

3. 3

   Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, sun-dried tomatoes, and uncooked orzo. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often to infuse the orzo with the flavors.

4. 4

   Pour in the broth and cream. Once the mixture starts to bubble, cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring fairly often. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low as needed to keep it steadily bubbling without a furious boil; take care not to let too much liquid cook off before the pasta is done.

5. 5

   Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan and fresh spinach.

6. 6

   Cover the pot for a few minutes to let the orzo thicken. If it still seems too runny, leave it covered a little longer; the orzo will absorb liquid quickly.

7. 7

   Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm.

Notes

The source suggests cherry tomatoes as a substitute for sun-dried tomatoes and rice as a substitute for orzo. It recommends low-sodium broth to avoid an overly salty dish. The source does not specify a particular type of sun-dried tomato.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• side dish
• vegetarian
• one-pot
• stovetop
• comfort food
• weeknight