Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Orzo (30 Minutes, ONE-PAN)

Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Orzo - on a white plate.

Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Orzo (30 Minutes, ONE-PAN)

Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Orzo is a quick and easy pasta dish made in just 30 minutes entirely in one pan! It's just like risotto but so much simpler! Serve it as a meatless main dish or a side dish with chicken or shrimp.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword creamy orzo, spinach mushroom orzo

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 306kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 oz baby bella mushrooms or crimini
salt and pepper

Creamy orzo

1 cup orzo uncooked
2 cups chicken broth or stock
5 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbs from Provence
½ teaspoon paprika or more
¼ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
5 oz fresh spinach
½ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more, to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook mushrooms

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet. Cook sliced mushrooms, generously seasoned with salt and pepper, on medium-high heat for about 1 or 2 minutes until lightly browned and softened. Remove half of the cooked mushrooms from the skillet to a plate.

Make creamy orzo

To the same skillet with the half of cooked mushrooms, add uncooked orzo, chicken broth, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer (medium-low) and cook for about 5 or 10 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the orzo is cooked through.
Add fresh spinach during the last 5 minutes of cooking the orzo.
Add ½ cup of cream. Stir everything on low-medium - do not bring the sauce to a boil.
Season with salt and more smoked paprika, if desired. Stir in the remaining half of the cooked mushrooms.
When serving, sprinkle a small amount of red pepper flakes over the creamy orzo.

Nutrition