Description
A creamy baked orzo dish featuring sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and a sprinkle of parmesan, perfect for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for greasing pan)
- 2 cups dry orzo
- 1 (7oz) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drained and roughly chopped)
- 4 cloves minced garlic (~1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (+ more to taste)
- ½ cup grated parmesan (+ more for serving)
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken stock (+ more as needed)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (optional)
- Fresh basil (for serving)
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400℉. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Add orzo, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, dried basil, kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and grated parmesan to the greased pan. Pour in broth and cream and gently whisk to evenly combine.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the dish from the oven. Carefully remove the foil, add spinach, and stir to gently incorporate. If you feel the pasta is too dry at this point, add an additional ½ cup of cream or stock.
- Return to the oven, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. A tiny bit of residual liquid is okay; it will absorb as the pasta sits.
- Let the orzo sit for 5 minutes, then serve with additional fresh parmesan cheese and ribbons of fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- This dish can be customized by adding your favorite vegetables or proteins.
- Make sure to stir the orzo well after adding the spinach to ensure even distribution.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 45mg