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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!
Yum, this has become a family favourite!
Love to hear this Karen! Thanks for making this recipe so often and your feedback:) xT
This is amazing. I eat this at least everyother week. I put extra of everything in it because, that’s just me. I also add greek olives. I wish I could say that a pan lasts me for a few days; but, that would be a lie. One of the most delicious dishes I’ve ever discovered on line. Several of her other recipes are also incredible. Well Done Tieghen! Keep them coming please.
Hey Denise,
Thanks so much for making this recipe so often!! Love to hear that it is always enjoyed:) Have a great weekend! xT
My family really enjoyed this recipe and we’ll be adding it to our “make again” list. I did have two modifications to make.
First, cooking it uncovered wasn’t cooking the pasta. At the 15 minute mark my pasta was still very crunchy. I ended up covering it and that solved it.
Second: I mixed in the cheese and then added some more to top. This is more of a preference, but makes for a cheesier dish and not just a layer of cheese on top.
Hi Meredith,
So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and sharing what worked well for you! Have a great Friday! xT
I am eating this as I write this. It is fabulous. It is everything you say it is! Bravo!
Hey Kathleen,
Love this!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your feedback! So glad it was enjoyed:) Xx
Just made this according to recipe, but I heeded the advice of others and used 3 cups of water and it required baking for 28 minutes for orzo to be done. Wondering if the pan should be covered on this initial baking? (To cook the pasta faster?) Flavor was good, will make again.
Hi Gretchen,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback! I did not cover while the orzo was cooking but you certainly could! Glad to hear this was enjoyed! xT
Hi there I love this recipe and would love to bring to a friends daughter post partum I would love to add chicken thighs when and how would I add those?
Hi Gretchen,
So glad you have been enjoying this recipe! I would add cooked chicken in step 3. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
So excited to try this! I realized I don’t have any orzo in the house though and want to make this tonight. Can I substitute risotto? Or something else?
Thanks Lindsay! Sure, I bet risotto would also work well for you! Let me know how the recipe turns out:) xT
I made this yesterday. I had to improvise a little because I didn’t have marinated artichokes so I used unmarinated and added some Italian dressing. I also added a little feta cheese. This was delicious.
Hey there,
Awesome! Thanks so much for trying this dish and sharing what worked well for you, so glad it was enjoyed! xT
So so good! This was an easy and delicious recipe! Added provolone and extra mozzarella cheese along with chicken (cooked with paprika and salt and pepper). I also had some mushrooms that I tossed in. Thank you for your amazing recipes!
Hi Luba,
Thanks so much for your kind message and trying this dish! So glad to hear that it turned out well for you:) Xx
My daughter has a pine nut allergy- could I omit the pesto? Or is there a substitution you recommend?
Hey Kristin,
The pesto is adds really great flavor here so…I actually have a homemade recipe that uses pistachios rather than pine nuts. Would that be okay for her? The recipe is located here:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/essentials/
Let me know if this helps! I hope you love this dish:) xT
So yummy on a cold stormy night! Loved how the flavors combined. The only thing we encountered is that the Orzo took about an hour to fully cook. 2o minutes was not adequate. I checked the oven temp and it was 400. So I don’t know if I was using a different type of Orzo than was called for. Family loved it, served with Chicken thighs. I appreciate your creativity!
Hi Valerie,
I appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing what worked well for you! Glad to hear it was enjoyed:) Xx
Couldn’t not believe how simple and yummy this dish is! My husband and I both loved!! One of our kiddos loved too! Next time will cut back on the chili paste for our other kiddo but my husband and I thought it was the perfect amount of spice! Will definitely be adding this one to the rotation!
Hi Jenna,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for trying it and your comment! Happy Friday:)
Making this tonight, so excited! I was going to add smoked chicken sausage, think I can throw it in to the pan with all the other ingredients before it goes in the oven? I could cook the sausage separately but I was really hoping it could absorb all the flavors and cook together. Thoughts? If so, would you just the cooking time or liquid at all?
Hi Monica,
I haven’t tested adding meat to this, so I am not sure how much liquid or cooking time would need to be added. For best results, I would cook the meat separately and then add it in step 3. I hope this helps! xT
Could you throw a meat in there? If so what would you recommend? I’m thinking cooked sausage….?
Hi Darci,
Totally, I think cooked sausage or cooked chicken would both be great here! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
I used quinoa instead of orzo to impart some protein since my husband and I are vegetarian. It came out delicious. I did need to increase the bake time by 12 minutes. And did use a combination of cheeses I had in the refrigerator. I would definitely make this dish again.
Hey JeanMarie,
Awesome! I love to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT