Parmesan and Spinach Orzo
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This creamy, velvety orzo side dish is quick and easy + will go with any main dish! An absolute family-favorite.
why i love this recipe
- Crowd-favorite. Not sure what side dish to whip up tonight? This orzo dish is a guaranteed hit with the entire family, and the kids won’t even notice those flecks of green (aka sneaked in veggies for those picky eaters). It’s creamy, garlicky-cheesy goodness.
- Dresses up any meal. This easy side can be paired with anything and everything – steak, shrimp, chicken, all of the things – complementing and rounding out any meal (and honestly making them even better). Added bonus: orzo is quick-cooking, perfect for those busy weeknights, weekend entertaining or holiday get-togethers.
- Short ingredient list. This recipe does not require a ton of ingredients, and most of them are fridge and pantry staples.
- Flexible recipe. This dish is easily adaptable to what you have on hand. You can swap out the spinach for green peas, stir in fresh herbs (ex. thyme or rosemary), add some leftover rotisserie chicken or serve alongside everyone’s favorite garlic butter shrimp.
what is orzo
Orzo is a short-cut type pasta, similar in shape to a long grain of rice. Orzo can be added to dishes, helping to thicken the dish naturally by releasing starch as it cooks, yielding a richer, more velvety smooth consistency.
how to make this easy side dish
- Cook the orzo in boiling salted water, stirring occasionally
- Cook the garlic and onion (and fresh herbs if using)
- Add the flour
- Stir in the milk until thickened
- Add in the leafy greens, then Parmesan, then orzo, seasoning to taste
- Serve immediately
tips and tricks for success
- Cook the orzo until al dente. The orzo is cooked when it is tender but still firm with a chewy bite.
- Add protein. Turn this into a complete meal, serving alongside lemon garlic chicken, honey salmon in foil or a ribeye steak.
- Add more vegetables and greens. Mushrooms, peas, zucchini, asparagus, broccoli and leafy greens (spinach, kale, collard greens, swiss chard or arugula) are all great additions.
- Use high quality Parmesan. While powdered Parmesan can be a convenient option, it contains additives and fillers resulting in a gritty, sawdust texture. Opt for good quality, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or domestic Parmesan – this gives that favorited rich, nutty flavor to the dish.
- Stir often. Orzo releases quite a bit of starch during cooking. Frequent stirring will prevent the orzo from sticking and clumping, yielding even, creamy goodness.
- Add a splash of liquid when reheating. Add a splash of water or milk (about 1 tbs per 1 cup orzo) to prevent from drying out.
what to serve with parmesan and spinach orzo
- Tuscan Lemon Chicken
- Baked (Healthy) Salmon
- Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi
- Weeknight Lemon Chicken Breasts
- The Perfect Steak with Garlic Butter
Tools For This Recipe
Large cast iron skillet
For the best texture and flavor, use a large, heavy-bottomed skillet that holds heat evenly.
Parmesan and Spinach Orzo: Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! This orzo dish will pair very well with any main dish. Top with chicken, shrimp, steak or vegetables.
Frozen, thawed spinach can be used in place of fresh spinach. But be sure to squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible – this will help prevent watered down orzo.
Kale, collard greens, swiss chard or arugula are all great options to swap out the spinach.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Yes! Reheat over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through, adding a splash of water or milk as needed.
Parmesan and Spinach Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 ½ cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
- Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in spinach until wilted, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in Parmesan until melted, about 1 minute.
- Stir in orzo; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
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Creamy yummy
This was really good! We served with grilled maple soy glazed salmon. I actually made this slightly ahead of time and let it sit on the stove with the lid on the pan. Just before serving, I put the pan over very low heat and added milk, a splash at a time, while stirring until the orzo loosened up and became creamy again. I did have to add quite a bit of salt to taste, which I expected, and of course grated extra parmesan on my individual serving. A keeper for sure!
Made this yesterday for super with friends and everyone loved it. I will definitely make this again.
how long do leftovers last for and how should they be stored?
can the orzo be subbed for brown rice?
I cooked up ground mild Italian sausage and added it at the end – bam! Main dish and delicious!!
Mmm. I have loved every recipe of yours that I’ve made and this is no exception. I added diced smoked ham for a protein and called it a meal. Yummy!
This is wonderful!!
I subbed cheddar cheese bc I as out of Parm and subbed fat free half and half for the heavy cream. Even my veggie hating husband loved it! Superb!
Haven’t made it yet. Planning to for tonight. But how much is a serving? Also are the calories per serving or as a dish as a whole?
Fantastic taste. It’s a little saucier than I expected. Would adding more orzo be ok?
Oh gosh, this was so quick and easy and delicious. I love using orzo pasta and even the little one liked it! Would add a meat to top for some extra protein next time, maybe grilled chicken!
That looks delicious! One question. I love the pink spatula in photo # 4. Where can I buy one of those?
It’s from GIR. 🙂
This was great. I did not have flour or milk, and I only had frozen spinach. Tossed the spinach in as the onions and garlic finished. In place of the flour and milk, I retained some pasta water before draining and used that to help bind and melt the parm. Also tossed in some mushrooms and chicken. Overall really good and easy to make!
This was great and easy to make!
I made this and it was delicious! I even froze individual containers for my daughter who is away at school and it freezes well!. Thanks!
Can you substitute frozen spinach for fresh?
I recommend using fresh.
I just made this for my family, paired with your recipe for Baked Lemon Butter Tilapia. We absolutely LOVED the orzo! Fantastic recipe and comes together quickly. Thanks!
Okay, I just made it…and it was damn delicious. It has occurred to me that the taste of the particular parmesan I use will dramatically change the taste–and that’s okay. I probably included more spinach than you intended (couldn’t see how that would be back except for the liquid, so I put in a smidge more flour), and used a combo of cream and Vitamin D milk; other than that, I made it as you directed, and it’s now a permanent keeper to my rotation. Yummy, fast and easy: what more could you ask?
I would like to take this to a friends house for my part of a trout dinner. Does it reheat well? Thanks
Yes, but you may need to add a little bit of milk (1 TBS at a time) to help “loosen” it a bit. Hope that helps!
Made this tonight it was delicious,creamy,and cheesy. I had it as a side with spicy Italian sausage,umm magnifico. I needed to add about 1/2 cup of extra milk before serving as it thickened up a bit. My wife loved it!