I’ve been on a pasta kick lately, and orzo pasta is one of my current favorites. I’m not a fan of rice, so orzo is the perfect side dish substitute for me.
You can make it so many different ways, and you can easily adjust it to make it a main dish, too.
WHAT IS ORZO?
Never tried orzo? I promise you won’t regret it.
Orzo is a flat, rice-shaped pasta that is great served plain, in soups, or in salads. It absorbs liquid and flavor really well, so it’s a great side dish to add to any meal.
The texture is similar to that of rice, but it cooks up a lot faster. It has double the protein of brown rice (and less fat).
More orzo recipes
If you already love orzo, you’ll love these recipes, too:
How to make spinach and mushroom orzo
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this side dish:
With spinach, chicken broth, mushrooms, and orzo (plus a few herbs and spices), you have the perfect side dish ready to go in just 30 minutes.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tablespoon butter. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring often until mushrooms are softened and brown.
- Lower heat to medium, add remaining butter and orzo. Stir until the pasta starts to turn a light golden brown (it will only take a few minutes).
- Add chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down to a simmer and continue stirring until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed (it will take about 10 minutes).
- Remove from heat, then add parmesan cheese and spinach, stirring until the cheese is melted and spinach is wilted. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Serve warm.
This recipe serves 8 as a side dish, but you could serve 4 people with “main dish” size servings. It would also be really tasty with some grilled chicken added in for more protein.
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Pair this orzo with:
- Cheddar Baked Chicken
- Easy Marinated Pork Chops
- The Perfect Steak Marinade
- Slow Cooker Short Ribs
- Fall-off-the-bone BBQ Ribs
Spinach Mushroom Orzo Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons butter divided
- 12 ounces baby portobello mushrooms (sliced)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 cups dried orzo pasta
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups baby spinach
- salt and pepper to taste
- garlic powder to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tablespoon butter. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring often until mushrooms are softened and brown.
- Lower heat to medium, add remaining butter and orzo. Stir until the pasta starts to turn a light golden brown (it will only take a few minutes).
- Add chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down to a simmer and continue stirring until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed (it will take about 10 minutes).
- Remove from heat, then add parmesan cheese and spinach, stirring until the cheese is melted and spinach is wilted. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Recipe Details
Adapted from this recipe
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See how to make another perfect pasta side dish here:
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