One Skillet Mediterranean Orzo
One-skillet dinners are domestic salvation. Personally, I loathe pre-heating the oven. This dish is done in 15 minutes on the stovetop - easy enough for the guys in your life ;) I love the idea of not having to boil pasta or wait for dinner to bake up in the oven! Most of my favorite recipes are done in one pan - check out my One-Skillet, No-Bake Lasagna! I love simple tricks that help you cut down on time and save extra steps in the kitchen! :)
This recipe made me almost cry into my bowl. I’m serious - it’s so good. It’s packed with rich Italian flavors that remind you of your favorite baked pasta dish. Tender orzo pasta, hearty ground beef, tomatoes, bright spinach, and the glorious nuttiness of grated Parmesan. In 15 minutes. It’s easy, I promise :) Let’s get cookin!
What You Need: (Serves About 4)
8 oz orzo pasta
(1) 16 oz. package of spinach
1 ½ cups+ chicken broth
1 lb ground beef - definitely feel free to substitute ground turkey to keep it lighter! :)
¼ tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & Pepper
½ yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
(1) 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes - Note: I recently made this 2x since posting this recipe. I was lured by a 2/$1 deal on Safeway Diced Tomatoes. Don’t do it!! It completely changed the taste of this meal. If you can, use S&W Italian Recipe Diced, Crushed, or Stewed Tomatoes.
½ cup shredded/grated Parmesan cheese
What To Do:
Dice 1/2 a yellow onion and mince 2 cloves of garlic.
In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the yellow onion and garlic until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
Add the ground beef or turkey, browning it at first as your break up the meat into tiny pieces. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. After breaking up the meat, turn the heat down to medium-low to cook the meat gently. This will prevent it from becoming tough and dry.
Once the meat is almost cooked thru (some pink is remaining), dump in the diced tomatoes and their juice, the orzo, and about 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth. Stir to incorporate and cook covered at a low simmer. You can add more broth as needed for the orzo to cook thru.
Once the orzo is cooked, dump in a bag of spinach and stir to incorporate. The spinach will wilt easily with the heat of the pasta. Taste for seasoning–that’s it! Serve with tons of grated Parm and you’re done :)
My favorite part about this dish is how light it tastes. The tomatoes coat the orzo but don’t weigh it down, and the spinach makes every bite feel really well balanced and fresh. I just love how easy it is to make! This pasta comes out creamy and delicious without any unhealthy ingredients. I hope you try it :) And if you do, let me know! :) Have a great week!