This recipe is a quick and easy to make one pan side dish. Onions and garlic are sautéed before adding in milk, broth and seasonings. Uncooked orzo pasta is added in next, once the pasta is cooked Parmesan cheese and spinach is folded in. This side dish combines pasta and vegetables and can be paired with any main entrée.
Course
Side Dish
Cuisine
American
Prep Time5minutes
Cook Time15minutes
Total Time20minutes
Servings4people
Ingredients
2tbspbutter
2clovesgarlicminced
1large shallot¼ cup minced
2cupschicken or vegetable broth
1cupmilk
¼tspgarlic powder
¼tspsea salt
¼tspblack pepper
1cupdry orzo pasta
¾cupfresh grated Parmesan cheese
2cupschopped fresh spinach
Instructions
Melt butter in a large pan over medium-high heat and sauté the shallot and garlic until tender, adding the garlic towards to end to prevent browning.
Add milk, broth, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir with whisk to deglaze pan.
Turn the heat to medium, add the orzo and stir. Cook for 10 minutes, once boiling, reduce to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally.
Once al dente, remove from heat. Sauce will be thin and thicken as it cools. Add parmesan cheese and chopped spinach and fold into the orzo.
Season to taste as desired plus add additional cheese if needed.
Recipe Notes
I use a 10 oz box of frozen spinach that I thaw and drain before I add to the recipe.