A quick and easy dinner recipe that delivers! This one pan Italian sausage orzo is made with with red bell peppers, onions, garlic, orzo, chicken broth, cream, parmesan, and spinach. It's perfect for busy weeknights— minimal effort and minimal clean up!

Cooking is where my heart is, but during busy weeknights it's not always the most fun. I struggle sometimes to find meals that are not only quick with minimal clean up, but one that my entire family enjoys. Today's recipe is the answer when (1) I need dinner FAST, (2) want something hearty and filling, and (3) want the fewest dishes as possible.

You'll Love This Italian Sausage Orzo, Too!

Minimal effort, maximum flavor
30 minutes total: 10 minutes to prep, 20 minutes to cook
Easy enough to double the recipe
Made in just one pot!
Casual enough for a family meal or fancy enough for guests

Ingredients You'll Need For Italian Sausage Orzo & Why

Here's the round up of ingredients for this Italian sausage orzo recipe... each one has a key job!

Italian Sausage: You can use Italian sweet or spicy Italian sausage, turkey sausage, or chicken sausage— if you can't find it ground, then just take it out of the casing and break it apart (sometimes that's cheaper too!)
Bell Pepper: You can use your favorite variation, I typically have red bell pepper on hand, plus I love the pop of color it gives.
Onion: You want to stay with a lighter onion, like a white or sweet onion for the best flavor without overpowering the rest of the dish.
Garlic: Using fresh garlic always has the best flavor, but you can use jarred minced garlic too.
Orzo: You can find orzo in every grocery store in the pasta aisle. It's usually in a smaller box than a typical box of pasta.
Salt & Pepper: Both add flavor, something you can't get from other ingredients.
Chicken Broth: Using chicken broth adds a ton more flavor than water, though you can use water if you don't have it on hand. If using water, you might need to add a bit more salt. Likewise, you can also use vegetable broth if that's what you have.
Heavy Cream: Using heavy cream will make this the most creamy, but any type of milk will work. I've use dairy-free combinations such as oat milk and almond milk.
Parmesan cheese: Finely grated parmesan adds flavor and depth to the dish.
Spinach: The spinach not only gives the dish a pop of color, but is also nutrient dense! Baby spinach is found in the refrigerated section in the produce department at the grocery store.

Let's Make Italian Sausage Orzo

Here are the steps to make this orzo sausage recipe.

In a large pot, like a dutch oven, cook the sausage over medium-high heat. As the sausage starts to cook, break it up with a spatula until almost cooked. Stir in the chopped pepper, onion, and garlic and cook until soft and the sausage is cooked through— about 5-7 minutes. Then, stir in the orzo.
Add the chicken broth and heavy cream while gently rubbing the bottom of the pan with a spatula to list the flavor bits. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the orzo and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes until the orzo absorbs the liquid, and the orzo is cooked.
Remove from the heat, and stir in the spinach and parmesan until the spinach wilts down.
Serve immediately. Garnish with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Tips & Tricks

Use these tips to help you make the best orzo recipe!

If you're not using a non-stick pot, like a dutch oven, then be sure to stir the orzo every few minutes so it doesn't stick. If it starts too, just use a spatula and it'll come right up.
Don't drain the sausage fat— this gives the dish a ton of flavor! Once you add in the chicken broth, gently scrap the bottom to get the flavor bits up.
It may seen like a lot of spinach at first, but it will quickly wilt down as you fold it into the hot orzo.
Make sure you don't overcook the orzo or it will be mushy. Remember, it's a pasta, so you want it slightly firm but cooked through.

Add What You Have On Hand!

This recipe is highly adaptable— sometimes I toss in extra vegetables that I have that are on their last leg or just need to substitute. Here's a few you can try:

Mushrooms
Zucchini
Peas (add this at the last minute like you do the spinach!)
Squash
Eggplant

More One Pot Dinner Recipes To Try

Here's some reader favorite recipes:

One Pan Italian Sausage Orzo

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Yield: 6 servings

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Description

This one pan Italian sausage orzo is a quick and easy meal made with red bell peppers, onions, garlic, orzo, chicken broth, cream, parmesan, and spinach. It's perfect for busy weeknights— minimal effort and minimal clean up!

Ingredients

1 pound ground Italian sausage, sweet or spicy
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped white onion, about 1/2 medium
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 cups fresh baby spinach

Instructions

In a large pot, like a dutch oven, cook the sausage over medium-high heat. As the sausage starts to cook, break it up with a spatula until almost cooked. Stir in the chopped pepper, onion, and garlic and cook until soft and the sausage is cooked through— about 5-7 minutes. Then, stir in the orzo.
Add the chicken broth and heavy cream, while gently rubbing the bottom of the pan with a spatula to list the flavor bits. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the orzo and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes until the orzo absorbs the liquid and the orzo is cooked.
Remove from the heat, stir in the spinach and parmesan until the spinach wilts down.
Serve immediately. Garnish with parmesan cheese, if desired. The orzo stays fresh for up to 1 week when stored in the refrigerator.

Notes

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: This recipe can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and heat as desired.
Sausage: You can use Italian sweet or spicy sausage or even turkey sausage.
Chicken Broth: Using the chicken broth provides more flavor. If you don't have it on hand, you can use water. You might need to add a bit more salt at the end.
Heavy Cream: Any type of milk works— I’ve used dairy-free milks too, typically oat milk.

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Tagged in: Italian Sausage Orzo, sausage orzo