Smoky One Pot Sausage Orzo with Spinach and Parmesan
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Smoky One Pot Sausage Orzo with Spinach and Parmesan brings sliced smoked sausage or kielbasa, tender orzo, fresh spinach, and Parmesan together in one large skillet. The sausage is browned first, then removed so the onion, garlic, and dry orzo can cook in the same skillet before the broth is added.
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Watch How to Make It
Chicken broth cooks the orzo with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Once the orzo is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, the sausage returns, spinach wilts into the skillet, and butter and freshly grated Parmesan finish the dish.
Ingredients You'll Need
Use 2 pounds of smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced, along with 2 pounds of dry orzo. The recipe also calls for 1 diced onion and 4 to 6 minced garlic cloves, which are cooked after the sausage has been removed from the skillet.
You will need 6 cups of chicken broth, with more available if needed while the orzo cooks. Fresh spinach is added near the end in an amount of 2 to 3 cups, allowing it to wilt directly into the cooked orzo and sausage.
For the finish, use 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 2 to 3 tablespoons butter. A splash of heavy cream is optional and is stirred in with the butter and Parmesan when an extra creamy finish is wanted.
Olive oil is used for browning the sausage. The seasonings are 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, plus salt and black pepper to taste; red pepper flakes are optional.
The only cooking equipment specified is a large skillet. Because the sausage, onion, garlic, orzo, broth, spinach, butter, and Parmesan all move through that same skillet in sequence, having the ingredients prepared before cooking keeps each stage ready to follow the last.
How To Make It
Brown the sliced sausage in a large skillet with a little olive oil until nicely browned. Remove and set aside. In the same skillet, add the onion and cook until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the dry orzo and toast it for 1-2 minutes.
Pour in the chicken broth and add the seasonings. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Stir the sausage back in. Add the spinach and let it wilt into the orzo.
Stir in the butter and Parmesan. Add a splash of cream if you want it extra creamy. Taste and adjust your seasonings.
Yes. The recipe calls for 2 lb of smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced. No. Stir the dry orzo into the skillet and toast it for 1-2 minutes before adding the chicken broth. Add the spinach after stirring the browned sausage back into the orzo, then let it wilt into the mixture. Stir in the butter and freshly grated Parmesan, then add an optional splash of heavy cream for an extra creamy finish. Use more chicken broth as needed. The ingredient list calls for 6 cups of chicken broth, plus more if needed.Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use kielbasa instead of smoked sausage?
Do I cook the orzo before adding it to the skillet?
When should I add the spinach?
How can I make the orzo extra creamy?
What should I do if the orzo needs more liquid?
Wrapping Up
This one-skillet recipe follows a clear progression from browned sausage to simmered orzo and a final spinach-and-Parmesan finish. Keeping the sausage aside while the orzo cooks allows it to be stirred back in just before the spinach wilts and the butter and cheese are added.
Recipe created by Xena’s Kitchen for Trust Me Try It.
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Ingredients
- 2 lb smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced
- 2 lb orzo
- 1 onion, diced
- 4-6 clove garlic, minced
- 6 cup chicken broth +more if needed
- 2-3 cup fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2-3 tbsp butter
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- Optional: red pepper flakes
- Optional: splash of heavy cream for an extra creamy finish
Instructions
- Brown the sliced sausage in a large skillet with a little olive oil until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the onion and cook until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the dry orzo and toast it for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the seasonings.
- Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Stir the sausage back in.
- Add the spinach and let it wilt into the orzo.
- Stir in the butter and Parmesan. Add a splash of cream if you want it extra creamy.
- Taste and adjust your seasonings.
