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Creamy Garlic Spinach Orzo

Published: / Updated: / 58 Comments

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This creamy garlic spinach orzo is a comforting and easy to make side dish that comes together fast and will have everyone asking for seconds!

creamy orzo with spinach in a serving bowl

Creamy orzo is my new favorite side dish. The way I make it is sorta similar to how you'd make risotto, but it's quicker and a bit easier since we're not adding the broth bit by bit. One pot, no fuss, done and done.

I added some parmesan cheese to this orzo with spinach dish since pretty much any creamy recipe can be enhanced by parmesan cheese, amirite? Straight out of the Salt & Lavender playbook. 

I suppose you could eat this creamy spinach parmesan orzo as a meatless main course if you wanted to, but I'd then definitely serve it with something like a side salad to lighten the meal up a bit overall. 

You may also like my Creamed Spinach (with Frozen or Fresh Spinach!) or this Creamy Tuscan Orzo.

creamy spinach orzo in a pot with a wooden spoon

Recipe notes & tips:

  • While you're cooking this recipe, you may think to yourself "there's way too much liquid", but I promise it all gets absorbed as the orzo cooks and it releases starch. 
  • I know I'll get questions on whether rice can be substituted for the orzo since it looks similar (even though one is pasta and one is not). My answer is "it depends" and "you may need to adjust liquid measurements and do some testing". Rice typically takes a lot longer to cook.
  • You can use frozen spinach if you thaw it and squeeze the water out really well, but fresh spinach is probably your best bet. 
  • I think a bit of lemon zest would be delicious in here.
  • If you don't have any heavy cream, try half-and-half instead.

What to serve with creamy garlic spinach orzo?

Try the Easiest Baked Chicken Thighs, a roast (try my Skillet Roasted Chicken), steak, or any main course really. 😛

More amazing orzo recipes to try:

close-up of creamy garlic spinach orzo

I hope you will love this creamy spinach orzo recipe as much as I do! Questions? Ask me in the comments below.

creamy orzo with spinach in a serving bowl

Creamy Garlic Spinach Orzo

This creamy garlic spinach orzo is a comforting and easy to make side dish that comes together fast and will have everyone asking for seconds.
4.75 from 20 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 333 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add the oil, butter, and onion to a pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and orzo. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often (this infuses the orzo with more flavor and toasts it a bit).
  • Stir in the chicken broth and cream. Once it starts to bubble, continue cooking for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring fairly often. You will likely need to turn the heat down a bit (to medium or even medium-low). You want it to gently bubble vs. furiously boil, and you don't want the liquid to reduce too much before the pasta has cooked.
  • Take the pot off the heat, stir in the parmesan and spinach, and cover the pot for 3-5 minutes or until it has thickened up to your liking. The orzo will absorb the liquid quickly, so if it still seems like there's too much liquid, just wait a little bit longer. Season with salt & pepper as needed.

Notes

  • Orzo is pasta. If you want to make this with rice, you may have to adjust liquid measurements and cooking time (it would be a different recipe).
  • Feel free to leave the spinach out if it's not your thing or you don't have any. I just add it for a bit of color and texture and to make it a bit more nutritious.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 8gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 473mgPotassium: 236mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1710IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 144mgIron: 1mg
Keyword creamy orzo, creamy spinach orzo
Author Natasha Bull
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  2. NTrauff says

    1 star
    Way too much liquid for the amount of orzo......took about 30 min to reduce so it wasn't soup and then the orzo was mush. I would boil orzo until tender in chicken broth and then add to butter, onions, thickened whipping cream and then parm and spinach.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Sorry it didn't work out for you - that's a bummer. I wonder what went wrong since this recipe has been tested multiple times and has many 5-star reviews.

      Reply

  5. Karen D says

    4 stars
    I made this exactly as instructed and the texture and creaminess was perfect but it was lacking something. It was a bit bland for me. I may try to add asiago cheese to up the flavor a bit.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Yup, everyone's tastes vary. I think adding asiago is a great idea! And make sure you add enough salt too.

      Reply

  6. Dylan says

    5 stars
    Absolutely amazing! I included some mushrooms and asparagus as well for a bit more volume and it tasted fantastic.

    Reply

  7. Candy says

    5 stars
    OMG! This may be the creamiest, most delicious orzo I’ve ever had. And, BONUS! - so easy to make. Thank you so much for a recipe that will grace my dinner table often.

    Btw, I paired this with Easy Chicken Piccata (cakescottage.com), simple seasoned-buttered green beans, and five-cheese Texas toast. Scrumptious!

    Reply

  8. Sam says

    5 stars
    This was incredible. It would make a great side dish but I’m not ashamed to say I ate it as a main course tonight. So comforting and so creamy.

    Reply

  10. Roy Gullick, Jr. says

    5 stars
    I made this last night as a side for Fish Piccata (Catfish). I left out the Italian Seasoning since I didn't have any but sauté chopped cremini mushrooms until slightly crisp. This is a keeper!! I may add chicken or sausage to make it a meal in the future.

    Reply

  11. Joanne says

    5 stars
    Yum! Another delicious recipe that's easy to make. I substituted with lightly cooked broccoli. Next time I'll probably try it with chicken, but I think Italian sausage would work fine as well. I really like one pot meals.

    Reply

  12. Kris says

    5 stars
    OMGosh! This is wonderful! I prepared the dish just as you instructed (shocker right?!?!?!) WOWZA soooooo good! Thank you for sharing (;

    Reply

  13. Madalena says

    5 stars
    loved this a lot, very easy and quick. however I found that amount of whipping cream to be overpowering, next time I'm going to start with less and see how it tastes, or just add it to the end

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      I'm glad you enjoyed it! You could definitely try tweaking it. Perhaps start with more broth and see how it goes.

      Reply

  14. Rae says

    5 stars
    First time I've seen your website and first recipe. Very tasty and easy. Went well with a baked lemon cod and I'm sure many different veggies could be added in case someone didn't like spinach. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Welcome to my blog! So glad you found me!! 🙂 Agreed on swapping veggies if need be. So pleased you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  15. Melinda says

    5 stars
    We just had this as a side to grilled salmon, and it completely stole the show!! Absolutely luxurious, and I can’t wait for a little bowl for lunch tomorrow!! 🥰

    Reply

  16. Zue307 says

    I am making this for lunch now. Instead of orzo and spinach, I used macaroni, broccoli and shredded chicken. The sauce is superb! Thank you very much, Natasha.. 💗💗

    Reply

  18. Kim R says

    First of all every recipe I have made from your blog has been a hit. My family appreciates you! I want to make this as a side for Christmas dinner can I make ahead of time? Thanks

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Aww that's great!! You're welcome. I think this one should be fine to make ahead of time. I'd warm it on a low heat. You may need to add a little more cream or even a splash of chicken or veg broth when reheating, though.

      Reply

  19. Lily says

    5 stars
    This was so good! Even my husband who doesn’t like creamy meals loved it! I love all your creamy recipes so I knew I was going to like it lol thanks for al your recipes!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Mary! Sub at your own discretion. It may curdle and/or end up too watery. It won't be as rich/creamy, but it could work out (I have not tested it with milk). Let me know if you do end up trying! 🙂

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! I honestly have no idea. The liquid measurements would be different, and so would cooking time. You'd have to do some experimenting. Let me know if you try!

      Reply

  23. Jessica M says

    I saw this on your Instagram and I knew I had most of the ingredients on hand. It was a perfect comfort-y side dish for a chilly night. I omitted the butter and reduced the oil to made it a tad lighter. Also used whole wheat orzo and whole milk as it’s what I had on hand. I also got to use some leftover veggie broth from Thanksgiving. It turned out delicious and was a perfect side dish to lemon garlic salmon. I’ll definitely make this again!

    Reply

  24. Andrea Crosby says

    5 stars
    Ok so I never leave reviews
    Don’t really know why but I’m here to
    Tell you all that this is truly yummy!!
    I loved it and it was simple to make
    I will say I tried it exactly as is and loved it. I then tried it exactly but added a little lemon zest and juice
    Kinda digging that as well.
    Excellent recipe that I will add protein to and some toasted pine nuts for a main dish next time
    Super excited to have a new go to.

    Reply

  25. camille says

    5 stars
    loved this! so easy to cook and the flavors are great. I added roasted tomatoes and shrimp to it. Might do portabella mushrooms next time. thanks!!!

    Reply

  26. Stephanie says

    Really want to try making this! It looks delicious. What other pasta could you use as a substitute if you don’t have orzo?

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Macaroni or ditalini maybe? But then the liquid ratios might be a little off since this recipe is designed for orzo. Let me know if you do try experimenting! 🙂

      Reply

  27. Kristin says

    Absolutely delicious. Super easy to make and what a great return! Smelled and tasted heavenly. I don't normally leave comments but this was excellent. Hubby super happy. Too adult a taste for my kiddos sadly ( or maybe the wilted spinach was the turnoff) but I kept going back till leftovers were gone. I used half and half and a nice parmesan and we had with marinades ribeyes on the grill...yum!
    Thank you for this new favorite!

    Reply

  28. AngelaML says

    5 stars
    I cannot believe no one else has commented already on this so delicious recipe! So good!!!

    My favorite dish at our Italian local place is the Chicken/Spinach/Tomato Risotto. So I was immediately intrigued with your version, which uses orzo instead of the rice. I tried to duplicate the dish, so added 2 cups of cooked chicken and fresh diced tomatoes. (I do not like sun dried tomatoes). I was going for a one pot meal. And we loved the results!

    I also would add more garlic and the Italian seasoning, just my preference.

    Thank you so much Natasha for your easy and quick recipes. They are definitely helping me get through this pandemic with providing great tasting and easy to prepare meals. Something I can control.

    Reply