This One Pot Parmesan and Spinach Orzo Pasta is a recipe that we began making years ago, and it’s continuously been in our rotation of recipes. I started making this dish when our 8 year old daughter was 2 or 3 years old, and to this day, she still asks if we can have this for lunch or dinner. Now that she is 8, our daughter enjoys measuring the water, and adding the parmesan cheese and spinach. Whenever we make this orzo dish at home, I double the recipe to have leftovers, although I think it tastes the best when it is hot off the stove.
First, begin by melting 2-3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet. This will be used to brown and toast the orzo. Toasting the orzo will surprisingly give the dish a deeper flavor than you would have without toasting the orzo, so I would recommend not skipping this step.
Once the butter begins to sizzle, add the minced garlic and orzo in. Begin stirring it, until the orzo begins to brown.
Next, add 16 ounces of water and 1 heaping tablespoon of chicken base. Then, bring the water to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, cover the pot. You will reduce the heat and let it simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
When the orzo is finished simmering in the broth (or slightly before), add the handfuls of baby spinach to the pot. Toss and cover again briefly, just until the spinach begins to wilt.
Once the spinach wilts, toss in and mix the parmesan cheese until it melts. You can also add salt and pepper to taste, but I often skip this step.
When the spinach is wilted and the parmesan cheese is melted, serve the parmesan, spinach, and orzo pasta into dishes. I like to toss a bit of additional parmesan cheese on top.
If you enjoy this One Pot Parmesan Spinach and Orzo recipe, you might also like some of the following recipes:
Vegetable Couscous with Tomatoes and Sweet Mini Peppers
Ricotta Cheese and Ground Beef Spaghetti Bake
One Pot Parmesan and Spinach Orzo Pasta
Orzo, spinach, parmesan cheese, chicken broth, garlic, and butter come together to make a tasty and toothsome pasta dish that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons of butter
- 2 cups (16 oz or 1 lb) uncooked orzo pasta
- 4 cups of water
- 1 heaping tablespoon chicken base
- 1-2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2-4 handfuls of fresh, baby spinach
- 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste are optional
Directions
- Step 1 Melt the butter over a medium high heat in a medium skillet and add the orzo and minced garlic. Cook until the orzo is lightly browned.
- Step 2 Add the water and chicken base, and bring it to a boil.
- Step 3 Cover and let everything simmer for approximately 15 minutes, or until the orzo is cooked.
- Step 4 Toss in the spinach and stir it until it is wilted. Then add the parmesan cheese and stir it in until it is melted. Then, it is ready to be served.
