Spicy Italian Sausage Orzo
This spicy Italian sausage orzo recipe is a super comforting one pot pasta. It has a creamy tomato sauce with a kick along with oregano, fresh basil, garlic, and parmesan!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 16 ounces hot Italian sausage see note
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce see note
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + more for serving
- 1 handful fresh basil torn/chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the sausage meat to a soup pot/Dutch oven. Over medium-high heat, cook it for 5 minutes, breaking it up with your spoon as you go along.
- Stir in the onions and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so, until the sausage is browned and the onions have softened.
- Stir in the garlic, oregano, and orzo. Cook for about a minute.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cream. Once it starts to bubble, continue cooking for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring fairly often (so the orzo doesn't 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 basil, and cover the pot for about 3-5 minutes or until it has thickened up to your liking. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately with some extra parm grated/shaved on top if desired.
Notes
- Serves 4-6 depending on what else it's served with.
- For the sausages, anything around 16 ounces/1 pound will work – it doesn’t need to be exact. You can either buy ground sausage meat or, if using whole sausages, take the meat out of the casings.
- Tomato sauce in North America is similar to passata in the U.K./Australia/etc.
- Troubleshooting tips: 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 think it needs more liquid, add another splash of cream or broth. If it seems too liquidy, let it sit for a bit longer, and it'll soak any excess liquid up within a few minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 548kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 1134mg | Potassium: 524mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 963IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 2mg
