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This Creamy Spinach Orzo is the side dish to end all other side dishes!
Not only will you impress everyone at the table, but this colorful and tasty dish is packed with veggies and creamy goodness, without adding a cream!
You may ask how, and I’ll tell you – it’s all in how you cook this amazing and easy Creamy Spinach Orzo side dish!
Ready for eat? Read on and see how to make this easy orzo side dish recipe today!
What is Orzo?
It’s got a funny sounding name, but orzo is nothing more than pasta. It’s often in the shape of a flattened grain of rice, or it can be almost in a teardrop shape.
It’s a quick-cooking pasta, so don’t set it and forget it! This dish cooks up into perfection in about 10 minutes.
What You Need To Make Creamy Spinach Orzo
- Large skillet with lid
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife – Henckels are my absolute favorite for quality, durability, and value!
Ingredients to Make This Easy Spinach Side Dish Recipe
- Spinach – fresh spinach washed and spun dry
- Orzo
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- Low sodium chicken stock
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Butter
How To Make One Pot Spinach Orzo Recipe
- Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the chopped garlic and sautee until fragrant.
- Add the orzo and cook over medium heat until the orzo becomes lightly golden brown.
- Add the stock and put the lid on, cooking as per suggested cooking time on the package, or until the orzo is el dente. Soft, but still some firmness. Most of the liquid will have evaporated.
- Add the spinach and mix well to wilt the spinach.
- Add the tomatoes and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- This easy spinach orzo side dish can be made ahead of time and reheated. It’ll lose some of its creaminess, but it’ll still be delicious.
- A pinch of red pepper flakes will add a bit of spicy zip to this easy pasta side dish recipe.
- Fresh spinach works best, but thawed and squeezed frozen spinach will also work. Make sure it is well squeezed, and add about a cup.
- The color from the tomatoes really adds a great visual appeal to this dish, but if you don’t like tomatoes, chopped red bell peppers would look great, too! Just toss them in a few minutes before the orzo is finished cooking.
- Want some more flavor? Add about 1/2 cup of crumbled feta as a garnish to this dish.
Is Creamy Spinach Orzo Freezer Friendly?
Like most pastas, this dish will freeze tolerably well. It’ll lose some of its creaminess in the thawing process, and the tomatoes will lose some of their liquid.
It is best eaten fresh, but if you do freeze it, chill it completely and put it in a zipper-top bag with as much of the air removed as possible.
Freeze it for up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw it and then warm it gently in the microwave.
Orzo is very much a pasta, and has gluten in it from the wheat flour.
Orzo needs to be boiled in liquid, much like any other pasta, in order for it to cook.
Orzo is a pasta, so it is higher in carbs but low in fat. Look for whole wheat orzo for the most nutritional value.
Like This Easy Spinach Orzo Recipe? Also Try:
Step By Step Process for Making This Spinach Side Dish Recipe
Ingredients to make Creamy Spinach Orzo. Melt the butter and sautee the garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant. Add the orzo and toast. Toast the orzo until golden brown. Add the chicken stock, simmer and cover. Fold in the spinach and heat until wilted. Add the lemon, juice and tomatoes and season.
Creamy Spinach Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups orzo
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock low or no sodium
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups raw spinach
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Melt the butter and sautee the garlic over medium high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the orzo and toast over medium heat until lightly golden brown.
- Add the chicken stock and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for about 6 minutes until the orzo is tender but still firm. (Check the package to see the recommended cooking time.)
- When cooked, fold in the raw spinach, stirring to wilt it. You might need a bit more heat to get the spinach wilted. Remove it from the heat.
- Add the sliced grape tomatoes, and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning adding salt and pepper as needed.
- Enjoy!
If pasta and carbs are your pleasure, also check out these kolaches, spaetzle, or these amazing toasted ravioli.
Beth says
This looks so delicious and tasty! My husband is going to love this recipe! I can’t wait!
Cate says
This recipe looks so easy to make and so delicious, thanks for sharing!
Jessie says
This sounds like an amazing side dish and easy to make!