Creamy Spinach Orzo
A creamy and garlicky orzo dish enriched with fresh spinach and Parmesan, perfect as a side or light main dish in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo pasta Short-grain rice-shaped pasta
- 2 cups fresh spinach Loosely packed, roughly one small bunch
- 2 tablespoons olive oil For sautéing
- 3 cloves garlic Minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup heavy cream For creaminess
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Freshly grated preferred
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper To taste
Instructions
Cooking
- Heat a medium pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Warm until shimmering.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30–60 seconds until fragrant; avoid browning.
- Stir in the orzo and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to toast lightly.
- Gradually pour in 2 cups of water or low-sodium broth; stir and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed (about 8–10 minutes).
- Remove from heat, stir in fresh spinach, allowing it to wilt from the residual heat.
- Add 1 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Stir until creamy, adjusting consistency as needed.
- Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve warm.
Notes
For a lighter finish, swap heavy cream for half-and-half. For a dairy-free version, use coconut cream and vegan Parmesan. Test the orzo for doneness at 7 minutes.