Orzo-riginal Spinach And Tomato Pasta
Ah, the perfect recipe for those days when you feel like impressing yourself with a crazy delicious meal but can’t be bothered to spend more than 15 minutes in the kitchen.
This recipe combines tender, creamy orzo with fresh spinach, chunky tomatoes, and sautéed onions. It's exactly what you’ll crave on a cool summer night or, honestly, whenever you’re hungry and feeling a bit extra.
You’ll need a pound of orzo pasta, a can of plum tomatoes (12 ounces, because you’re not crushing fresh tomatoes with your bare hands), one yellow onion (because any other color is just wrong for this), and a good four to five large handfuls of fresh spinach (because measurements are for baking, not for art like this). Add two tablespoons of minced garlic (because who doesn’t love garlic breath?) and half a cup of grated Parmesan, and then season the chaos with salt, pepper, dried oregano, garlic powder, and garlic salt. Don’t forget a splash of EVOO—extra virgin olive oil, for those who don’t speak acronym.
Start by boiling some water and cooking your orzo pasta according to the package instructions. Usually, it takes about five minutes of boiling before you have to shock it with cold water and set it aside to drain. Timing is everything here, folks. You want that orzo ready to join the party just as the sauce finishes.
Next, heat a large frying pan and add a generous glug of EVOO. Add the chopped onions and minced garlic, letting them get to know each other for about five minutes until they become fragrant friends. Then, add the spinach to the mixer and stir occasionally until it starts to wilt—about two minutes, give or take.
Now, add the can of plum tomatoes, juice, and all, and gently break apart the tomatoes with a spatula or spoon. Feel free to crush them with your hands before adding them to the pan, but that’s your call. Stir everything together while sprinkling in salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and a shower of grated Parmesan cheese.
With the sauce ready, it’s time to bring back the orzo. Drain it well and mix it into the pan, adding a bit of garlic salt, more oregano, and yes, more Parmesan. Taste test to ensure the flavors are to your satisfaction. Adjust the spices as needed—this is where you get to play chef.
Turn the heat down to low and let it all sit for a few minutes to thicken up. When ready to serve, feel free to top with even more Parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley for garnish because presentation is everything, darling.
And there you have it. Orzo-riginal Spinach and Tomato Pasta—a dish so easy, you might actually make it again.
Orzo-riginal Spinach and Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
Instructions
- Boil water, and cook the Orzo pasta according to the package instructions. It typically takes about 5 minutes (no more) in boiling water, then remove from heat, add some cold water to cool it down. Set aside and drain as soon as the spinach and tomato sauce is done.
- In a large frying pan, add EVOO, chopped onions and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes, then add spinach, occasionally stir until spinach starts to wilt - roughly 2 minutes.
- Add the can of plum tomatoes, include the juice. Start to gently break apart the tomatoes with a spatula or spoon. I like to have bigger chunks in mine, but if you’d like, it might be easier to break them apart with your hands prior to adding them into the pan.
- Stir everything together, while adding salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and grated parmesan cheese.
- Drain and add the orzo pasta, while sprinkling in a little garlic salt, more oregano and parmesan cheese.
- Taste test here, add additional spices if desired.
- Turn heat to low, let it sit for a few minutes to thicken.
- Once ready to serve, feel free to add more parmesan, and some parsley for garnish.
