This rich, umami sun dried tomato orzo is cooked in one pot with spinach, precooked chicken sausage, garlic, broth and a topping of parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and basil. This is a lick-your-bowl-clean kind of dinner that works perfect for those busy weeknights.

A pot of sun dried tomato orzo on a white table topped with fresh basil. A wooden spoon is scooping out some and there are ingredients scattered on the table around the pot of orzo.

This one is giving cozy-pants-but-fancy-flavor energy…

This is one of those dinners that just never disappoints. Like, for real. It kinda feels like something you’d order at a fancy little restaurant (kinda like my Puttanesca-vibin’ shrimp and veggie pasta)…but your get to eat in your pajamas in the comfort of your own house. Oh, and you don’t have to do a sink full of dishes after since its made in one pot. ANNNNNDDD it comes together in about 25 minutes, so you don’t have to wait until Saturday night to make it when you have oodles of time…you can throw it together on a Tuesday night when you’re tired and really want your pajama pants AND a freaking delicious dinner at the same time. Its a unicorn of a recipe, my friends.

Oh and there are veggies. Of course. Because I am me. 4 cups of baby spinach wilt right into perfectly tender orzo simmered in flavorful broth, with those rich umami sun dried tomatoes and a little help from grated Parmesan and sliced chicken sausage. In the end, you have this creamy, hearty pot of yum that almost felt a little too easy to make to taste so good. I personally love finishing mine with a squeeze of lemon for a touch of brightness, but you can absolutely skip it if you’d rather keep things extra mellow….

Let’s make this together. Just you and me….

Jump to Recipe Instructions
Sausage coins in a pot after being browned.
Drizzle some oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and cook the chicken sausage until browned. About 5 minutes. Remove from pan into a bowl and set aside.
Diced onions sautéed in a large white pot with minced garlic sitting on top. A bowl of browned sausage coins sits in a bowl next to the pot.
Add the remaining oil to the pot and reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and sauté until softened. Then add the garlic.
Uncooked orzo and sun dried tomatoes on top of sautéed onions and garlic before being stirred in. There is a bowl of sliced sausage next to the pot.
Add the sun dried tomatoes and orzo.
Broth being poured into the pot with uncooked orzo, sun dried tomatoes, sautéed onions and garlic.
Stir in the broth then bring the pot up to a gentle simmer.
Cooked sun dried tomato orzo in a pot with lemon, a bowl of spinach, parmesan cheese, and sausage next to the pot.
Cook until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Browned sausage coins, baby spinach, and grated Parmesan cheese sitting on top of cooked sun dried orzo in a pot before being stirred in.
Turn off the heat then add the salt, pepper, parmesan, spinach, browned sausages, and lemon juice. Stir until the spinach in wilted.
A pot of sun dried tomato orzo on a white table. A wooden spoon is scooping out some and there are ingredients scattered on the table around the pot of orzo.
Taste the orzo and add more seasoning as needed.
A plate of sun dried tomato orzo on a white table topped with fresh basil. A fork is on the plate with a bite on it, and there is a napkin and ingredients scattered on the table around the plate of orzo.
And plate it up!
Spinach and Sun Dried Tomato Orzo with Sausage
5 from 25 votes

Spinach and Sun Dried Tomato Orzo with Sausage

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Author: Taesha Butler
This rich, umami sun dried tomato orzo is cooked in one pot with spinach, precooked chicken sausage, garlic, broth and a topping of parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and basil. This is a lick-your-bowl-clean kind of dinner that works perfect for those busy weeknights.
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Ingredients
 

  • 12 ounces Italian fully cooked chicken sausage, cut into coins
  • 1½ Tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3-5 cloves garlic , minced
  • ½ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil , 4 ounces
  • 2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
  • 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice , optional but adds such a nice balance to the flavor*
  • fresh basil, for garnish, optional

Instructions
 

  •  Drizzle ½ tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and cook the chicken sausage until browned. About 5 minutes. Remove from pan into a bowl and set aside.
  • Add the remaining oil to the pot and reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and sauté until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and continue to sauté until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the sun dried tomatoes and orzo and stir for 30 seconds to coat the pasta.
  • Stir in the broth then bring the pot up to a gentle simmer. Stir every few minutes until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes. If all the liquid is gone before the pasta is fully cooked, stir in a little more broth or water and continue cooking
  • Turn off the heat then add the salt, pepper, parmesan, spinach, browned sausages, and lemon juice (if using). Stir until the spinach in wilted.
  • Taste the orzo and add more seasoning as needed.
  • Divide evenly between 6 bowls and top with additional Parmesan and fresh basil, if desired.

Notes

Recipe Notes

  • This dish is still delicious without the lemon juice. However, if you have it, it does add some nice flavor to balance out the richness of the cheese.
  • You can use a whole wheat or gluten-free orzo in this recipe, but the cook time may vary. Check the doneness of the pasta often and add more liquid as needed to continue cooking.
  • To make this dairy-free, omit the cheese and taste and add more salt/seasoning as needed. You could also add some nutritional yeast to mimic the cheesy flavor.
  • I like to buy the sun dried tomatoes that are already chopped in the jar. However, if you can’t find this kind, you can use the whole sun dried tomatoes in oil and just chop them yourself. Be sure to include some of the oil in the dish because it has a lot of flavor.
  • If you want the orzo extra creamy, stir in a soft, creamy cheese like goat cheese, cream cheese, or herbed boursin. Or you could add a splash or heavy cream or half and half if you have that on hand.
  • If you want to add even more veggies, you could sauté some shredded or chopped zucchini or carrot with the onion at the beginning of the recipe. Instead of spinach, you could add a few cups of chopped kale. However, kale taste a little longer to cook, so add it in with the broth.
  • Like a little spice? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the oil while you sauté the onions and garlic.
Calories: 407kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 964mg, Potassium: 409mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 2267IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 115mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutritional information provided here is only an estimate shared for convenience and as a courtesy. Information will vary based on ingredients + brands used to create the recipe.