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The Easiest One Pan Spinach and Artichoke Orzo Bake. Trust me, this is going to become your new go-to for busy nights. Marinated artichokes with fresh spinach, garlic, and olive oil, all tossed together with dry orzo pasta, basil pesto, and then finished with melty fontina cheese. This tasty dish is all made in one pan without even having to boil any water. Simply mix, bake, eat, and enjoy!
Happy Monday! I’m writing this from sunny, warm Miami. Here for a very quick trip but soaking up as much of the warm weather as I can. But by the time you read this, I’ll be home.
I made this yummy bake last week and have been so excited to share it ever since. It’s so good and I think you’ll all love how easy it is to make!
If you remember from last year, I made a Caprese Orzo Bake that I quickly started to make on repeat throughout the spring and summer.
It’s such a smart cooking method that saves us all so much time. And because of that, we especially love this recipe.
I took inspiration from that recipe and applied the cooking method to this orzo bake. I just love the variety of flavors! Plus, it means that there is truly no effort to this one pan pasta dish.
Here are the details
This recipe is so simple it’s going to shock you!
Start with your baking dish. Use a casserole-style pan that can fit lots of pasta and cheese.
To the bottom of the pan, add in the olive oil, garlic, herbs, and spices. I used a few Italian chilies for some heat, and a small amount of paprika too.
Add dry orzo pasta right to the pan, no need to boil it!
Now, mix in the artichokes. It’s best to use jarred marinated artichoke hearts. They’ll come with a mix of oil and spices. I use the DeLallo brand.
Dump the oil and artichokes directly into the pan with the orzo for an even more delicious flavor.
Next mix in basil pesto and a pinch of chili flakes. Or try using the Calabrian chili paste I’ve been loving.
From here simply add water and bake it all up in the oven. As everything bakes together, the orzo will soak up the water and become perfectly cooked. It’s such a simple way to cook orzo pasta!
Pull the dish out, add a mix of mozzarella and provolone cheese, then bake again until the cheese is all melty and bubbling up.
It’s going to smell so delicious!! The pesto really is such a nice addition to the spinach and artichokes.
Top with plenty of fresh basil and that’s literally it. SO SIMPLE, SO DELICIOUS! And I love that there’s basically no prep or extra dishes.
Simple but delicious really is the key! Especially as we head into the nice springtime weather!
Looking for other easy pasta bakes? Here are my favorites:
One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Whipped Ricotta
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake
Lastly, if you make this Easy One Pan Spinach and Artichoke Orzo Bake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pan Spinach and Artichoke Orzo Bake
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 543 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- 1-2 tablespoons crushed Calabrian chili paste, or chili flakes, to taste
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 1 jar (12 ounces) marinated artichokes, quartered (or use 2 smaller jars)
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 3 cups baby spinach, chopped
- 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the olive oil, garlic, shallots, basil, paprika, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Add the dry orzo, artichokes, and pesto. Pour over 2 1/4 cups of water and stir to combine. Place the spinach on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until most of the water has cooked into the pasta, but not all of it.3. Stir the pasta around, then sprinkle the cheeses overtop. Bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling. If there's a lot of oil from the pesto on top, drain off the excess. Top with fresh basil!
This was a fabulous recipe! I did make some changes, just because I had some extra ingredients to use up, and I think they took this to another level!
First, I added 1 lb of ground lamb that I browned with the shallots and garlic.
Once browned, I added a very generous sprinkle of Greek seasoning and then tucked 1/4” cubes of good feta cheese into the orzo mixture before baking it. I also added about 1/2 cup of Kalamata olives into the orzo before baking it. The feta made the sauce nice and creamy and I think it helped soak up the pesto oil.
Because I added feta cheese, I skipped the fontina and put a generous helping of mozzarella on top.
My neighbor stopped by after this baked and exclaimed, “Holy cow! That smells incredible!” Needless to say, she took a share home for her dinner!
Hey Jan,
Happy Wednesday!! 🌞 Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! xT
Made this tonight and it was a hit! I did leave the artichokes with the oil/ marinade that was in the whole jar but there was SO much oil. I ended up scooping some oil out before adding cheese and then at the end and ended up with just over 1/3 cup of oil total that I drained. Next time, I will use just the artichokes and add more water.
Hey Cat,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for testing this recipe out, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
So easy and so delicious! Perfect for our Good Friday dinner.
Hey Sharon,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:) 🐣🍭
This was SO good and SO easy to make!! Clean up was really easy too. All of my favorite flavors are in one dish! 🙂 Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Hi Haley,
Lovely!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well:) xx
Oh my goodness, this was so delicious
My husband had 4 helpings💗
Have you made this with chicken? His comment was I should add chicken to make it a full meal. It was perfect to me, except I would add less chili flakes. It was a little too spicy for my taste, but still absolutely delicious. I used the cheese I had on hand, which was Monterey Jack and Italian cheese, and it turned out great ..Thank you for all your wonderful and yummy recipes..
Hey Karen,
Happy Wednesday!! 🌞 Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Chicken would be great to add! xT
I made this for dinner when hosting extended family and it was a hit! Great flavors. Drained the artichokes and didn’t have any issue with excess oil. I didn’t add any of the spicier flavors since we had some sensitive palates, and added chili flakes to my portion directly. Delicious! Will make again and again.
Hey Jenna,
Lovely!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well:) xx
This recipe is SO good!!! We are eating vegan and low carb…so I made a few changes and it’s still so delicious. I use lentils (black) instead of orzo and do not add any cheese ☹️. I omit the oil (yes, low oil too) and use water packed artichokes and a vegan pesto I purchase at Trader Joe’s. I also try to throw in another vegetable. I’ve added chopped broccoli and today riced cauliflower. Today is my third time making this!!! I’m sure I’ll be making again and again!!
Hey Michelle,
Happy Wednesday!!🌈 🐇 I am so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you! Thanks for sharing your feedback and trying it out! xT
Do you think I could substitute Orzo with Arborio Rice to make the recipe Gluten Free?
Hi Aimee,
Yes, I think that would work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Could I use chicken stock instead of water?
Hey Paula,
Totally, that would work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
For the first 15 minutes of cooking, is the baking dish covered?
Hi Cathy,
The baking dish is uncovered:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Another super recipe! I thought I had two jars of artichokes but only had one so I halved the recipe and it turned out perfect. Where have these Calabrian chilis been all my life! 😀
Hey Lynn,
Fantastic!! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
Soooo gooood!!! Thank you Tiegen, this is a new family favorite!
I mean Tieghan! Sorry for my poor spelling of your beautiful name.
Your recipes get me excited to cook!
Lol no worries:)
Hey Amy,
Happy Monday!! ☀️⛅️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Excellent! So easy and really good! I couldn’t find marinated artichokes so I used one 12 oz can and alittle more than a half cup of pesto it came out perfect also I had to sub chili powder for flakes. I’ll definitely make this often!
Hey Barbie,
Happy Sunday!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
I’m wondering if the spinach artichoke orzo bake can be made ahead and reheated?
Hi Gina,
You bet, that would work well for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
OMG this recipe is delicious and has a spicy kick! I chopped up some prosciutto and layered it on top with the cheese before the second part of the baking process. After the 10 minutes, I broiled it for 2 minutes and it was on point.
Hey Memes,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:)
Would this recipe freeze well?
Hi Susan,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Do you think it would be best to bake it, then cool before freezing?
I would freeze before baking:)
Great veggie recipe. I mistakenly drained the artichokes but think that turned out well as I saw some of the comments about too much oil. I think maybe I’d reserve a couple tablespoons of the liquid to add in next time. I used fresh basil but I’m not a fan of basil pesto so I added the same amount of tomato pesto, very good. I used Calabrian peppers and maybe added a little extra, the heat was great. All else was the same. Really good!
Hi Deborah,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xx
I would love to try making this, but could I substitute quinoa for the pasta? I’m not sure if that would change the baking time or if more/less liquid would be needed?
Hey Cynthia,
So sorry, I have never tested this recipe with quinoa so I’m not sure what the exact results would be! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx