Description
A luxurious yet effortless one-pot side dish featuring creamy garlic parmesan sauce, tender orzo pasta, and wilted baby spinach. Perfect for dinner parties or weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340g) Orzo Pasta
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 6–8 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240ml) Chicken or Vegetable Broth (low-sodium)
- ½ cup (120ml) Heavy Cream
- 1 cup (100g) Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
- 5 oz (150g) Baby Spinach, fresh
- 1 Lemon, zested and juiced
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for finishing)
- Salt for pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes).
- Before draining, scoop out ½ cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Drain the orzo and do not rinse.
- While pasta cooks, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted and foaming, add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden, but not brown.
- Pour in chicken broth and simmer for 1 minute to deglaze the pan. Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually add grated Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. If too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Add fresh baby spinach to the skillet and stir until just wilted (30-60 seconds).
- Add the drained orzo to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly with the sauce. Add lemon zest and half the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and remaining lemon juice as needed.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with extra Parmesan and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
[‘Save the starchy pasta water; it helps emulsify the sauce.’, ‘Use fresh Parmesan cheese, not pre-grated, to avoid graininess.’, ‘Remove pan from heat before adding cheese to prevent separation.’, ‘Add lemon juice at the end to prevent curdling.’, ‘This dish does not freeze well due to the dairy sauce.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 14
Keywords: creamy garlic parmesan orzo, party side dish, one pot pasta, orzo recipe, spinach pasta, easy dinner, gluten-free option