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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!
Omg this as delicious!! 🙌🏽 I added just a little sun dried tomatoes before the second bake because it just seemed like it wanted it – but otherwise 😋 spot on. I loved it. My husband (who’s no vegetarian….unlike myself) LOVED it. So much so he has thirds. This is one of those amazing as it is but has so much potential to add to and create from dishes.
Thank you yet again for another wonderful dish. 10 🌟
Hi Kristen,
Happy Thursday!! I appreciate you making this dish and sharing with your family, so glad to hear it was a hit! xx
This was amazing! Jovial had a GF orzo that worked well. Delicious and smelled heavenly. I had some leftover Thanksgiving turkey in the freezer to use up so I tossed that in, but it would have been enjoyable without any further additions!
Hey Sherri,
Amazing!! Love to hear that both you enjoyed this dish, thanks so much for making it! Great idea to use some leftover turkey here! xx
Very tasty! Went with less spice and had to add an extra cup or so of water and an extra 10-12min to get the orzo fully cooked. Still found the orzo chewy but I feel like orzo and risotto and such always takes so much longer than the recipe calls for 🙂
Hey Jen,
Fantastic!!🌻 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Do you drain the artichoke hearts?
Hey Jules,
For this recipe, I did not drain the artichokes. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Can I use farro instead of orzo?
Hi Susanne,
I’ve never tested this recipe with farro so I’m not sure if the cook time and liquid ratios would be the same or if they would need to be adjusted. Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
I often prepare your recipes FOR THE FIRST TIME – UNTESTED BY ME – for company and parties! That’s how much I trust your recipes! Bravo!
Fixed this one for a dinner party, and everyone raved! I was so glad there were some leftovers, because we wanted more! Easy to assemble ingredients – oh, I switched out the orzo for gluten free arborio rice – perfect! Thanks!
Lol wow!! That’s pretty impressive:) Thanks for making this recipe and so many others, Deidre! So glad to hear it was enjoyed! xx
We loved this dish and will make it again!
I was a bit worried when I read some of the comments about cooking time, however the orzo was perfectly done. The outside edges had a little crunch, but I find this happens with lasagna sometimes too. The only thing I would do differently next time is add the spinach with the cheese. Also I used red pepper flakes since I had that on hand. It seems that the chili paste would blend in more evenly, so I will use that next time.
Hi Beth,
Wonderful!! I am so glad to hear that this dish turned out well for you and thanks for sharing your comment! xx
I just made this for a nice rainy Sunday, added chopped asparagus; and wow, the crunch with everything else going on was perfect!
Hi Kerry,
Happy Monday!!🌴 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
I decided to make this but discovered I didn’t have orzo or artichoke hearts, so used broken up angel hair spaghetti and hearts of palm. It turned out great. Will make again soon the right way😊
Hi Lisa,
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you, so glad to hear this dish was enjoyed! xx
Perfect weeknight dinner! So easy and simple. Everything cooks in one pan in the oven-even the orzo. I couldn’t find fresh basil at my local grocery store, so I used 1 tbl of dried basil. I also added some shredded chicken for protein since I served it for dinner. Also great as leftovers. Thank you for the recipe, Tieghan!
Hey Kristin,
Happy Wednesday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was tasty! xx
I made this for dinner last night and it really was amazing! I added a little bit of cubed chicken to the dish to add protein, which my husband always appreciates. I will be making this again and again!
Hey Amanda,
Thanks so much for making this recipe! So glad to hear that it turned out well for you and great idea to add the chicken! xT
Delicious. Orzo wasn’t cooked after 15 minutes so I added about 3/4 cup water and put back for another 5-10 minutes until cooked before adding the cheese.
Hey Patricia,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe out! Sorry to hear the orzo took longer than expected but glad to hear it was tasty! xx
So tasty and easy! Definitely adding to dinner rotation. After reading other reviews added extra 1/4 cup of water and cooked 10 min longer and was perfect!
Hey Sarah,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for giving this dish a try and your comment, I love to hear it was a hit! 😊
Made this tonight but added a lb of cooked ground turkey (seasoned with Italian seasonings) to the casserole. I did have to pour off some water/oil near the end. End result was delicious – both hubby and I had three (smallish) servings! Reading through the other comments, I think next time I make this, I’ll also add cubes of cream cheese to melt throughout the dish to make it creamy.
Hey Melanie,
Happy Tuesday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, great idea to add some ground turkey! So glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
Wonderful flavor! Definitely a favorite dish!! We enioyed this dish with an authentic Greek salad while talking about future plans to visit Greece!
Thanks Regina!! Love to hear that this dish was enjoyed and thanks a lot for making it! xT
I don’t know why others had issues with this. It was an absolute hit for our whole family, including our very picky 1.5 year old! So easy and quick to make. I followed the comment about baking for 5 minutes before adding spinach, added spinach and baked for another 15, added the cheese and baked for another 10. The noodles were perfect. Definitely adding to our weekly rotation!
Hey Jen,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for giving this dish a try and your comment, I love to hear it was a hit! 😊