Creamy Mushroom Spinach Orzo

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I stole this recipe for Creamy Mushroom Spinach Orzo from damndelicious.com. This delicious recipe can be served as a side dish or main course. Mushrooms and onion are sautéed in a skillet, and then garlic and thyme are added. Next flour and vegetable broth are whisked in before adding half-n-half and Parmesan cheese. The vegetable mixture is cooked until thickened and seasoned with salt and pepper. Before serving cooked orzo and fresh spinach are added and cooked until the spinach is wilted. Another delicious recipe featuring orzo pasta!

Did you know? Orzo is Italian for “barley.” Orzo is tiny and rice-shaped and often used in soups.¹ (see more trivia in the Trivia tab)

The ingredients for this recipe are: 1 cup orzo pasta, 3 tbsp olive oil, 8 oz cremini mushrooms, 1 shallot, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, 2 tbsp AP flour, 1 ½ cups low sodium vegetable broth, ½ cup half and half, ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese, salt / pepper and 3 cups shredded baby spinach

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then add sliced mushrooms and chopped shallot, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-5 minutes.

Stir in minced garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in vegetable broth, and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.

Next stir in half and half and Parmesan cheese and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add in the fresh spinach.

Stir and cook until the spinach has wilted, then add in the cooked and drained orzo.

Stir well to combine, serve immediately.

If you liked the recipe for Creamy Mushroom Spinach Orzo you can try other orzo recipes like Orzo Salad, Vegetable & Orzo Tian, Lemon Butter Orzo with Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes or Balsamic Baked Chicken with Mozzarella.

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Creamy Mushroom Spinach Orzo

This delicious recipe can be served as a side dish or main course. Mushrooms and onion are sautéed in a skillet, and then garlic and thyme are added. Next flour and vegetable broth are whisked in before adding half-n-half and Parmesan cheese. The vegetable mixture is cooked until thickened and seasoned with salt and pepper. Before serving cooked orzo and fresh spinach are added and cooked until the spinach is wilted.
Course Pasta, Side Dish
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 1 shallot minced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tbsp AP flour
  • 1 ½ cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • ½ cup half and half
  • ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt / pepper
  • 3 cups baby spinach

Instructions

  1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallot, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in vegetable broth, and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.
  4. Stir in half and half and Parmesan cheese and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Stir in orzo and spinach until the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes.
  6. Serve immediately.