Description
This creamy Italian sausage orzo dish is rich, comforting, and packed with flavor. Perfect for family dinners or special occasions!
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces hot Italian sausage
- 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
- 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
- Feel free to use mild sausage if you prefer less spice.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute sausage with plant-based sausage.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 40g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 100mg