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    Home » Appetizers & Sides

    Creamy Garlic Spinach Orzo

    Published: Oct 12, 2020 / Updated: Jan 2, 2023 / 82 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Jump to Recipe

    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!

    Love one pot orzo recipes? Try my Creamy Spinach Bacon Orzo next.

    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:

    • Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
    • Mediterranean Orzo Salad
    • Lemon Orzo Salad with Chicken
    • Lemon Chicken Orzo (One Pot Pasta)

    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.
    4.81 from 26 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 333 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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
    « Honey Lemon Salmon
    Instant Pot Lentil Stew »

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    1. mary says

      January 17, 2023 at 10:05 AM

      5 stars
      My first time to have or cook orzo. This was fantastic and so much easier than risotto. Thank you for a great recipe.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 17, 2023 at 10:14 AM

        Yay!! You're very welcome! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Lori says

      December 29, 2022 at 6:16 PM

      5 stars
      Delicious!! It paired perfectly with steak. I didn't add spinach because I was out, but diced up a tomato and stirred that in at the end, and it was great!

      Reply
      • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

        December 29, 2022 at 10:51 PM

        So happy it worked out, Lori! Sounds perfect with steak.

        Reply
    3. Stacey says

      November 3, 2022 at 6:22 AM

      This looks so good! Can this be frozen? I’d love to have more lunches for work prepped in advance.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        November 3, 2022 at 10:50 AM

        Hi! I'm glad you like it! So, I generally don't recommend freezing cooked pasta or creamy sauces, but you're welcome to experiment to see if you still like the texture/taste if you happen to have leftovers.

        Reply
    4. Elayne says

      July 31, 2022 at 3:09 PM

      Sounds great. My question is a two parter. 1. Do you serve this hot or cold? 2. Can you make it ahead (and reheat)?
      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 31, 2022 at 5:35 PM

        Hi! Yes, you serve it hot. You can make it ahead, but leftovers do soak up the sauce a bit the longer it sits. Let me know if you try!

        Reply
    5. Brenda says

      July 25, 2022 at 3:08 PM

      This was such a hit at my monthly family dinner. Now I get requests for it all the time. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 25, 2022 at 4:11 PM

        That's so nice to hear, Brenda! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Wendy says

      July 10, 2022 at 2:33 PM

      I followed your recipe to the tee and it came out amazing 🤩. Served it with baked chicken thighs. Love this recipe! Thank you

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 10, 2022 at 5:23 PM

        Awesome!! So glad you enjoyed it, Wendy!

        Reply
    7. Monica Lucas says

      July 4, 2022 at 1:01 PM

      Can I add cod to this

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 4, 2022 at 1:06 PM

        I guess you could experiment, but I'd probably just cook it separately and add it in towards the end or just serve the cod on the same plate with the orzo as a side dish.

        Reply
    8. Katie Marini says

      June 21, 2022 at 7:24 AM

      Can this be made ahead and reheated; how many days does it stay good?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        June 21, 2022 at 9:55 AM

        Hi Katie! So, in my experience, orzo does love to soak up liquid. Leftovers will still be ok for 3-4 days, but it does tend to get a bit puffy.

        Reply
    9. MV says

      April 28, 2022 at 6:45 PM

      5 stars
      Ahhhhmazing! Made it vegan with cashew cream (cashews, garlic, lemon, nutritional yeast, salt). Will definitely be making again, a new favorite.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 28, 2022 at 9:20 PM

        That's awesome!!

        Reply
    10. Clare says

      March 26, 2022 at 5:18 PM

      5 stars
      Thank you for this I really enjoyed it! I've made it as a side dish for my garlic butter chicken kiev tonight and it will be so nice on its own too! I may have added a little bit too much butter .. it's a little oily when I reheat it hah - but very delicious!
      I actually really hate cooking. I'm a serial uber eats user! So for Lent I decided to give up ordering food and force myself to properly cook as a student. I find it very hard to concentrate and even this took me triple the cooking time as I'm so slow!!! But I've really enjoyed making about four of your recipes so far so thank you for making cooking worth it!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 26, 2022 at 10:40 PM

        I love that!! I'm so happy you're pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and doing some cooking. 😀 Thanks for letting me know, and so pleased you like this recipe!

        Reply
    11. Jenna says

      January 23, 2022 at 5:17 PM

      5 stars
      We have made this recipe many times and absolutely love it! I substituted herbes de provence seasoning for the Italian seasoning this time and it was still super delicious.

      Reply
      • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

        January 23, 2022 at 8:20 PM

        That makes us so happy to hear! So glad you enjoy the recipe 🙂

        Reply
    12. Mae says

      January 20, 2022 at 6:50 AM

      5 stars
      Made this last night using the chicken version of this recipe. Absolutely fantastic and a great way to use up leftover chicken. Hubby came home and said "did you cook that in one pot", I said yes. Can you tell its he who does the dishes. Super tasty, super easy and I will be making it again and soon. Not sure why someone said theirs was soupy. Mine was perfection!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 20, 2022 at 9:53 AM

        Haha I love that!! 🙂 Thanks for your review, Mae!

        Reply
    13. Jamie says

      January 13, 2022 at 4:28 PM

      5 stars
      Made this tonight using the half and half and I LOVED it!!!

      Reply
      • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

        January 13, 2022 at 8:32 PM

        That's so nice to hear, Jamie! Thanks for reviewing!

        Reply
    14. NTrauff says

      December 31, 2021 at 9:35 PM

      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

        January 1, 2022 at 11:27 AM

        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
    15. Judi says

      September 24, 2021 at 7:22 PM

      How would I adjust the recipe if I want to add chicken.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 25, 2021 at 9:23 AM

        If you're adding cooked chicken, I'd simply stir in in towards the end so it warms through. Or try this related recipe with chicken: https://bit.ly/3m1hY58

        Reply
    16. Lauren says

      June 21, 2021 at 3:59 PM

      5 stars
      So good!! So easy and packed with flavor. Can wait to make again.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        June 21, 2021 at 4:20 PM

        Fantastic!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it, Lauren!

        Reply
    17. Karen D says

      May 10, 2021 at 9:10 AM

      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

        May 10, 2021 at 9:52 AM

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

        Reply
    18. Dylan says

      April 16, 2021 at 2:57 AM

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

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 16, 2021 at 8:16 AM

        That's great to hear!! I'm glad the mushrooms and asparagus worked with it too.

        Reply
    19. Candy says

      April 7, 2021 at 8:07 PM

      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
      • Natasha says

        April 7, 2021 at 8:26 PM

        You're very welcome!! So happy you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    20. Sam says

      March 28, 2021 at 7:15 PM

      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
      • Natasha says

        March 28, 2021 at 8:36 PM

        That's great to hear!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Sam.

        Reply
    21. Patricia Andrews says

      March 11, 2021 at 4:02 PM

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious and easy

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 11, 2021 at 7:03 PM

        Thank you!! 🙂 So glad you liked it.

        Reply
    22. Roy Gullick, Jr. says

      February 24, 2021 at 8:41 AM

      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
      • Natasha says

        February 24, 2021 at 9:06 AM

        Nice!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Yes, chicken or sausage could definitely be added... in fact, I have a lemon chicken version of it here: https://bit.ly/2ZP1PFr

        Reply
    23. Joanne says

      February 16, 2021 at 11:08 PM

      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
      • Natasha says

        February 17, 2021 at 9:31 AM

        I'm so happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂 I agree about the sausage... now the gears are turning in my mind!

        Reply
    24. Kris says

      February 13, 2021 at 11:40 AM

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

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 13, 2021 at 11:59 AM

        Haha love that!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it 😀

        Reply
    25. Madalena says

      January 27, 2021 at 7:54 PM

      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

        January 28, 2021 at 9:27 AM

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

        Reply
    26. Rae says

      January 26, 2021 at 12:45 AM

      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

        January 26, 2021 at 9:31 AM

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

        Reply
    27. Melinda says

      January 25, 2021 at 6:38 PM

      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
      • Natasha says

        January 25, 2021 at 8:35 PM

        That's awesome!! So glad you enjoyed it, Melinda!

        Reply
    28. Zue307 says

      January 22, 2021 at 11:09 PM

      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
      • Natasha says

        January 23, 2021 at 9:40 AM

        Enjoy!! 🙂 You're welcome!

        Reply
    29. Tracy says

      January 10, 2021 at 10:22 PM

      5 stars
      Delicious! Served with fish and asparagus. My kids(5 and 7) even loved it, they said it tastes like white sauce 😂

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 11, 2021 at 11:11 AM

        Hahaha that's great!! I'm so happy it was a hit. 🙂

        Reply
    30. Kim R says

      December 23, 2020 at 10:00 AM

      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

        December 23, 2020 at 10:25 AM

        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
    31. Lily says

      December 22, 2020 at 1:07 PM

      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

        December 23, 2020 at 10:30 AM

        That makes me so happy!! 🙂 You're very welcome, Lily!

        Reply
    32. Mary says

      December 17, 2020 at 12:54 PM

      Never have heavy cream in the fridge... substitute milk ???

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 17, 2020 at 12:57 PM

        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
    33. Gloria Young says

      December 9, 2020 at 3:14 PM

      Can I use a substitute for the cream?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 9, 2020 at 4:23 PM

        You could try half-and-half.

        Reply
    34. Shameem says

      December 8, 2020 at 8:53 PM

      Can this be made with oats or quinoa? 🤔

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 8, 2020 at 9:19 PM

        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
    35. Jessica M says

      December 8, 2020 at 7:03 PM

      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
      • Natasha says

        December 8, 2020 at 9:19 PM

        I'm glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂

        Reply
    36. Andrea Crosby says

      December 8, 2020 at 6:39 PM

      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
      • Natasha says

        December 8, 2020 at 9:20 PM

        I'm so happy to hear that!! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to write me a review!

        Reply
    37. camille says

      December 8, 2020 at 5:44 PM

      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
      • Natasha says

        December 8, 2020 at 9:20 PM

        You're welcome! 🙂

        Reply
    38. Stephanie says

      December 8, 2020 at 12:11 PM

      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

        December 8, 2020 at 1:03 PM

        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
    39. Kristin says

      December 4, 2020 at 3:17 PM

      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
      • Natasha says

        December 5, 2020 at 9:35 AM

        I am so happy that you enjoyed it! And I really appreciate you taking the time to leave me a comment... it really helps us recipe bloggers out! 🙂

        Reply
        • Kristin Kossack says

          December 12, 2020 at 4:08 AM

          5 stars
          My pleasure! Keep up the good work! Wishes for a safe and wonderful holiday to you and yours! Thank you again😁

          Reply
          • Natasha says

            December 12, 2020 at 1:18 PM

            XOXO

            Reply
    40. AngelaML says

      October 31, 2020 at 6:20 PM

      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
      • Natasha says

        October 31, 2020 at 7:15 PM

        I'm so happy you liked it, Angela! 🙂 Thanks for commenting, and you're very welcome.

        Reply

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