This one pot Italian sausage orzo recipe is easy, creamy, and comes together fast for a comforting and delicious weeknight dinner.
You may also like my Tomato Orzo with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli for a lighter option or this Lemon Chicken Orzo.

Why you'll love it
Orzo is one of my favorite pastas to cook. The way we're preparing it here is fairly similar to a risotto, but it's way simpler and easier than working with rice. We paired it with tasty Italian sausage, baby spinach, and a rich and creamy parmesan sauce.
This also happens to be a 30-minute one pot meal, which saves on clean-up and is handy when you don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen! The little ones will also enjoy this dinner, and it's a hassle-free way to get meat, veggies, and hearty pasta in a single dish.
Ingredients for it
- Sausage - I used mild Italian sausage. You can use ground sausage meat to save time vs. buying whole sausages.
- Onion - use any variety, but we prefer Vidalia (sweet) onion
- Garlic - if you're a big fan of garlic, feel free to add in even more
- Red pepper flakes - they don't make this dish spicy. It just adds a gentle warmth.
- Orzo - it's a rice-shaped small variety of pasta. You'll find it with all the other kinds of pasta at the grocery store
- Chicken broth - to add more savory flavor to the sauce
- Heavy cream - to make the sauce creamy and luxurious
- Parmesan - I always recommend grating your own parmesan cheese. It tastes and melts much better! I used my Microplane to grate it for this recipe.
- Spinach - we love adding it for a pop of freshness, but you're welcome to leave it out if you prefer
How to make orzo with Italian sausage
This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a soup pot, cook the crumbled sausage meat for 5 minutes, then add the onions and continue cooking for a few more minutes until browned.
- Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and orzo, followed by the chicken broth and cream. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Take the pot off the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and spinach, then cover for a few minutes until the spinach has wilted and the liquid has absorbed more.

Pro tip
- As with any one pot pasta dish, the liquid quantities work as tested on my stove, but pots/stoves/temperatures may vary from my kitchen to yours, so if you feel like it needs more liquid, add another splash of broth or cream. If it seems too wet, let it sit for a bit longer, and it'll soak any excess liquid up in a few minutes.
Substitutions and variations
- Want to add some heat? Use spicy Italian sausage or double the crushed red pepper flakes.
- I wouldn't recommend subbing the heavy cream for anything with a lower fat content. It won't thicken up the same or be as rich and tasty and may even curdle.
- Try swapping half the chicken broth with dry white wine (e.g. sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay) for an elegant touch.
- Orzo is pasta, not rice, even though it looks very similar. If you want to sub the orzo for rice, you may need to adjust liquid measurements and timing since rice usually takes longer.
What to serve with it
- It's a meal in itself, but you can absolutely serve it with a side salad. We recommend this Arugula Salad with Fennel and Cheese or mixed greens with this creamy balsamic dressing.
- If you do want to go all out, try a slice of this Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread.
Leftovers and storage
- This orzo recipe will keep in the fridge for a few days, but keep in mind that it's best when eaten fresh since the pasta will continue to absorb liquid.
- We don't recommend freezing this one because of the dairy content.
- To reheat, simply warm it through in a small saucepan over a low heat, stirring every so often.

Questions about this Italian sausage orzo pasta recipe? Let me know in the comments below! As always, if you make one of my recipes, tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.

Italian Sausage Orzo
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Italian sausage see note
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional, or more to taste
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the sausage meat to a soup pot/Dutch oven. Over medium-high heat, cook it for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the onions and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so, until the sausage is nicely browned and the onion has softened.
- Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and orzo, and cook for around 30 seconds.
- Stir in the chicken broth and cream. Once it starts to bubble, continue cooking for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring fairly often (or else the orzo may stick to the bottom of the pot). You will likely need to turn the heat down a bit (to medium or even medium-low). It should gently bubble vs. boil (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. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately. See more troubleshooting tips in the notes below.
Notes
- For the sausage, you can use anything in the ballpark of 16 oz/1 lb. Here in Canada I buy a 500g pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages and take the meat out of the casings.
- As with any one pot pasta dish, the liquid quantities work as tested in my kitchen, but pots/stoves/temperatures can vary, so if you feel like it needs more liquid, add another splash of broth or cream. If it seems too wet, let it sit for a bit longer, and it'll soak any excess liquid up within a few minutes.
- Orzo is pasta. If you want to make this with rice, you may have to adjust liquid measurements and cooking time (I have not tested this).
- Serves 4-6 depending on how much people eat/what else it's served with.
- 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.
Linda says
According to my 5 year old finicky nephew - this is amazing! My 7 year old niece was upset over no left overs that she covered her 2nd or 3rd helping w a napkin saying it’s for mommy. I’m still in shock how everyone especially kids loved it. I used Italian ground turkey because a friend doesn’t eat pork. I didn’t put any pepper in it because of the kids. The Italian sausage had enough seasoning in it. I’ve never seen a recipe that young kids loved that wasn’t chicken nuggets!
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Aww love that! So happy your little ones enjoyed it so much, Linda. 🙂
Linda says
Graci said to me “I ate leaves.” “I was huh? When?” She giggled and said “in my food, there were green leaves in it, and I ate them”. She was very proud of herself. 😂 The “leaves” didn’t seem to faze anyone.
Sarah says
This is a delicious recipe. Packed full of flavour. This is definitely going onto my favourites list!
Natasha says
Great to hear!
Kelly says
Agreed! Made it tonight and it was delicious and so easy to make.
Maridele says
As we say in the South, this was slap your mama good. I used half hot/half sweet Italian sausage so I did not add the red pepper flakes. Used half and half instead of heavy cream with no issues. Because I had it, I added fresh broccoli florets near the end of the orzo cooking time. Absolutely wonderful!
For those who are new to orzo as I was, it is hard to find. I finally located it on the top shelf of the pasta section. It is a small box!
Natasha says
Fantastic!
Jack says
Great recipe, thank you so much for sharing!!
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Jack!!
Shelly says
Delicious! I made recipe exactly as described and it turned out so good! Definitely will make again.
Natasha says
Fantastic!! 🙂
Mallory says
A simple and easy recipe that was so so delicious! Made a few adjustments. Vegan sausage, vegetable broth, and reduced red pepper flakes. My toddler still found it “too spicy” so may have to use even less next time. I also added in some extra spinach. Definitely will be making again!
Natasha says
Awesome! I'm glad it was a hit! Yup, you could definitely skip the red pepper flakes altogether next time. Thanks for your comment!
Abby says
This turned out great, even my picky 8 year old liked it! I forgot to buy orzo so used quinoa instead, used similar liquid measurements, maybe 1/4 cup less, and was perfect. Also used precooked chicken sausages instead of Italian sausage. Will definitely make again.
Natasha says
That's awesome!
Linda Hensley says
Made this recipe for the first time last night and it was a hit. Love one pot recipes, so easy! Will definitely make again, but will use less pepper flakes,
my husband wished it was a little less spicy, just right for me though.
Natasha says
Fantastic! Glad you liked it! 🙂
Denise says
Was delicious !! Hubby says I can make it again!!! I know he doesn’t like creamy sauces so I chopped up sun dried tomatoes packed oil and added brocolli instead of spinach and with spicy sausage was delicious!!
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
So happy it worked out, Denise!
Jenko says
Highly recommend ***** Easy to make and delicious.'
Natasha says
Thank you!!
Kristen says
Scrumptious!!!
Natasha says
Thank you so much!
Tanya Marie says
10 out 10! Highly recommend! 5 stars! Chef's kiss 🤣 Wow. A few simple ingredients and packed full of flavor! Unbelievably delicious! I was going to omit the red pepper flakes because of our 4 year old, but I'm glad I didn't (added just a pinch) and she loved it (even the Spinach). We ate seconds and thirds. This is one for the recipe book! FANTASTIC. Thank you so much.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
You're very welcome, Tanya Marie!! So pleased you gave it a try.
Amanda says
This was delicious! I highly recommend.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Fabulous! Thanks, Amanda!!
Lori Hanrahan says
Outstanding! I used half and half as suggested above and I had on hand. Also added more chicken broth as recipe suggested for the consistency I wanted. Soooooo good! Thank you!
Natasha says
I'm thrilled you enjoyed it, Lori! 🙂
Sarah says
Hi, my grocery store did not have any orzo. Can I substitute with another small pasta such as ditalini or similar? Can’t wait to try it!
Natasha says
Hi Sarah! You could try, but I'd keep a close eye on liquid measurements. You may need to add more liquid and/or adjust cooking time, but should be ok. Let me know how it goes!
TGlow says
another winner 🙂 added red pepper after served because i have little kids and used half and half to save some calories, it was still creamy and delicious!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Kristie says
Loved this recipe. Extremely flavorful! Easy to make and clean up. Very hearty, and comfort style food. We added leeks to the recipe, and extra spinach. Next time I will use half & half and omit the cheese to reduce the fat as another reviewer mentioned. Thanks so much, loved it!
Lennie says
Followed the recipe. It was unfortunately, too spicy (for my kids) with the red pepper flakes, but the flavor was delicious! I will definitely be making this again without the red pepper. 🙂
Natasha says
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Too bad about the spice, but I guess it's good for them to try a bit while they're young hehe. Agreed, you can for sure leave the red pepper flakes out next time and it'll still taste good. Thanks for your review, Lennie! 🙂
Lane says
Veganized this and it turned out great! Would recommend for vegans/vegetarians, very easy to substitute with veggie sausage, vegetable broth, nondairy parmesan, and oat milk/butter replacement combo to replace the heavy cream. Made a great amount too. Thanks for this recipe!!
Natasha says
Awesome!!
Amie F. says
Hi there! Thanks for the recipe! This is easy and yummy! I have doubled the amount of orzo, broth, cream and Parmesan with only adding one extra cup of spinach but kept all the other ingredients at the same measurements as the original measurements and it turned out just as yummy to take to a potluck style Thanksgiving! Thanks again for sharing!
Natasha says
You're very welcome!! So glad you liked it, Amie! 🙂
Lexie says
Hi there! I’ve made this serval times now and it has quickly become a favorite! We love it so much we decided to make it as a side for Friendsgiving! I’m wondering if you could recommend how long this should be reheated in an oven? We are making a double batch to feed everyone and it will be made ahead so I thought this would be the easiest way to reheat it.
Keep me posted! 😊
Natasha says
Hi Lexie! Glad you love this recipe. 😀 I think the oven should work, but I'd just be guessing on timing as I've never made a double batch or tried reheating an orzo recipe in the oven. I'd probably keep it at a fairly low temperature (not more than 350F), put it in a casserole dish like a 9x13, cover it with foil and stir it every now and then when you go to check how hot it is. You might want to add a little more cream before you put it in the oven as the orzo will soak the sauce up a bit.
Amy says
This was delicious. I cook a lot and love recipes that come out great the first time! This was simple and so yummy. I used HOT sausage and no other salt, pepper or heat. For reference, 3 oz baby spinach was great. Printing this recipe to make again and sharing with my family so they can enjoy too!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Amy says
Such a flavorful meal! Hardest part was waiting! Even got my husband to eat spinach.
Natasha says
I love that!! 😀
Carrie Spellerberg says
I absolutely love this recipe and have made it several times. This week I added some mushrooms and they made it even more amazing. I may try to make it with chicken next time.
Natasha says
So happy to hear it!! 😀 There's a lemon chicken version linked in the post if you're interested.
Denise Kunz says
Two for two. This is the second day in a row I have made one of your recipes. I’m so glad I came across your page. This sausage orzo is soooooo good. Not a lot of ingredients, but packed with a lot of flavor. This dish will definitely be made again and again.
Natasha says
That's great!! 🙂 So happy you found me! Thanks for your review.
Jennifer says
One of the most delicious dishes I’ve ever had. Can’t wait to make again and try some more of these delicious recipes!!
Natasha says
Aww thanks, Jennifer! Glad it was a hit!
Sarah says
I make this all the time and love as is, but I need to cook for a slightly bigger crowd than normal. I’m thinking of 1.5 the orzo and liquid but keeping everything else the same. Thoughts? Think it will work?
Natasha says
I think that should work, yes! You may need to play it a bit by ear... like if it looks like it needs a little more time or liquid, adjust on the fly.
Robin says
I made this with broccoli florets and sweet red peppers with the onions. And subbed some wine for some of the broth. Delicious!
Natasha says
Glad you liked it, Robin!
Christi says
Comfort food! My whole family loved this dish. I loved cooking it in one pot! I might even use half alphabet pasta next time to surprise my little kids. Today I enjoyed the leftovers and added some chopped tomatoes on top. They added a good balance to saltiness of the parmesan and sausage.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Aww I love the alphabet pasta idea! So glad it's a hit with your family. 🙂
Randi says
Made this tonight with elbow macaroni (the store didn’t have orzo pasta) and added sun-dried tomatoes. It was wonderful! Thank you for another great dinner recipe.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
You're very welcome, Randi!! So glad it worked out! 🙂
Meghan says
Quick, easy, and delicious!
Natasha says
Thank you!! Happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Sandi says
Made this tonight - Italian perfection. Had a really stressful day and wanted something fast. We used 1/2 and 1/2 to reduce fat and turkey Italian sausage. It was so easy! We like the freshness of the spinach so we put it in our pasta bowls and topped with the orzo mixture. Will definitely make this again
Natasha says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Maria Newhart says
This is my go to meal. My boys love this. I did use the Jimmy Dean sausage and it is delicious.
This is also my go to site for Easy and Delicious recipes. I am so glad I found your site. Thank you for everything.
Natasha says
That's great!! You're very welcome! Your comment made my day, Maria. 🙂
Texgirl says
Very, very good! I will definitely make again. Like you advised, I pumped up the fresh garlic, supplemented with garlic powder and onion powder. I think I might add fresh mushrooms or/and sun dried tomatoes next time. But it was wonderful as made using your recipe. Thanks!
Natasha says
Thank you!! Glad you liked it!
Katie Riolo says
This is so simple yet so divine. Not a morsel left.
Natasha says
Wonderful! 😀
RHONDA RAE says
This was so delicious. I opted to use baby bell sliced mushrooms instead of the spinach, and cooked them at the beginning with the Italian sausage. It's easy to find ground italian sausage (hot) so that is what we used. Served it up with garlic toast, and we both loved it. In fact, hubs asked me to keep this on regular rotation. Yums!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! 😀
Colleen says
House hold favorite! Perfect meal that is simple and feels fancy
Natasha says
Fantastic!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Cindy B says
Saw this recipe on IG, one pot was perfect for my husband to make ( I have a broken ankle and can’t stand). It was delicious, we both loved it and will be adding it to our week night recipe’s. It’s fast and perfect for a week night dinner and decadent enough for weekend splurging.
Natasha says
I'm so happy it was a hit!! 😀 I hope your ankle heals soon! Thanks for your review.
SadSamuraiSoup says
This recipe is super simple and delicious. I got it in the table really quickly and it was a hit at my house. This dish is rich and hearty. I would recommend this as a great end of summer/fall dish.
Natasha says
Thanks so much for your review!! Glad you liked it!
Rachel says
Another hit! It’s SO good!
Worth the pain from the dairy haha
Natasha says
Hahahaha I'm glad you liked it 😀
Rachel says
Made this the other night and it was a huge hit! I actually used whole milk instead of heavy cream and it was absolutely delicious.
Natasha says
Fantastic!!
jessica says
What can be used (non-dairy) instead of heavy cream?
Natasha says
Hi! I haven't tested anything besides the cream. You could read thru the comments to see if anyone else has tried anything, though.
Joanne says
I have made this a few times and it is a huge hit! Love the one pot dishes -this is a very easy meal to make and clean up. Only issue for me is quantity - my teen sons will polish it all off and there is none for any one else 🙁 so I might try to double the orzo and liquid, per one of the reviews, and see how that turns out! This is an excellent recipe!
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
So happy it's a hit in your home, Joanne! Hoping you'll get to try some next time. 🙂
Tempest says
Made this dish twice! Loved it. Highly recommend it.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
That's wonderful to hear! 🙂
Gracie says
Loved this recipe!
Natasha says
So glad, Gracie! 😀
Steph says
Delish!! Made it exactly as directed with the exception that I added mushrooms (they needed to be used). With the spicey sausage it’s fantastic. Will make again.
Natasha says
So glad you liked it!!
Chandra Hendricks says
Wonderful recipe! Easy and quick preparation, with very few dishes at the end! I will be using this one over and over, love it!
Chandra says
I forgot to mention this as t I used fresh arugula instead of spinach and it turned out perfectly!
Natasha says
Fantastic! 🙂 Thanks for your review!
Mollie says
Was so excited to try this, but it is WAY too salty!!!
Natasha says
Strange... most people very much enjoy it. Maybe the sausage you bought was very salty?
Rachel says
The recipe doesn’t specify how much salt to use. Maybe try adding less while cooking and then you can add more in the end once it’s already cooked.
Brenda says
But you decide how much salt to add. It's not even in the recipe!
Terry says
I've been making a similar recipe that uses linguine, but I think I like this better as the finer texture of the pasta better matches the sausage. I did use less cream and as it was very salty (either from the sausage or my homemade chicken broth) I added fresh diced tomatoes for some juiciness. I also used chard in place of spinach as this was what I had. Great weeknight recipe!
Natasha says
Glad you enjoyed it, Terry!!
Jay says
We make this every week and it’s a hit every time with my picky toddlers! Literally obsessed.
Natasha says
Yay!! I'm so glad. 😀 Thanks for your review!