The orzo cooks in the pan. No colander.
Brown a pound of Italian sausage for five minutes, garlic for thirty seconds, then a cup and a half of dry orzo and three cups of chicken broth straight into the same skillet. Covered, nine minutes, one stir.
Four cups of spinach go in by the handful and disappear in about a minute. Half a cup of parmesan off the heat. There is no pasta water to drain and no second pot sitting in the sink at nine.
Ingredients
The recipe serves 4. Plan on 12 minutes to finish (plus earlier prep).
- 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1.5 cups dry orzo
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
How to Make It
- Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium-high. Add the sausage and break it up; cook 5 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in the orzo and broth. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook 9 minutes, stirring once, until the orzo is tender and most of the broth is absorbed.
- Stir in the spinach by the handful until it wilts, about 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan.
Do the Slow Part Early
Brown the sausage before practice so the night-of cook is just orzo and broth.
- Brown and crumble the sausage in the morning
- Mince the garlic and measure the broth ahead
- Pre-wash the spinach so it is ready to drop in
Store and Reheat
Orzo drinks up liquid as it sits, so add broth when you warm it back up.
- Microwave 2 to 3 minutes with a splash of broth, stirring once
- Or reheat on the stove over low with 1/4 cup broth
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge
- Serve with: crusty bread, a simple green salad, lemon wedges
Make it fit tonight
Small changes that make this one fit your night
Brown the sausage at four
Do it early and the night-of work is just orzo, broth, and a lid.
Orzo keeps drinking
It absorbs more overnight, so add a quarter cup of broth when you warm it.
Pre-washed spinach
Bagged leaves go straight in without a colander or a salad spinner.
Half a torn baguette
Crusty bread is the only thing this pan needs to feel like a finished meal.
Lemon over the top
A squeeze cuts the sausage fat so it sits lighter right before bedtime.
Plan the next step
Build your one-pan rotation
Use the planner to line up a few one-skillet dinners like this for the busiest practice nights.