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This simple One Pot Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo is about to be a new weeknight staple. Quick, easy, and so delicious! Pan-seared Italian chicken sausage, cooked with herbs, flavorful sun-dried tomatoes, fresh zucchini, spinach, plus orzo pasta. It’s a fast dinner made in one pot with incredible flavor! The family will all enjoy this fresh take on a creamy pasta dish.
It’s a fun time of year for cooking. I see September as a transitional month into fall. The weather is still warm (it’s been 80 here in New York), but the days are shortening and there is a crispness in the air. The humidity that most of you get starts to dissipate, and everyone begins to get ready to embrace fall.
Or at least this is how I feel, tell me if I’m wrong though!
It’s also a fun time for cooking because we still have all the produce of summer, in fact so much of it is in peak season! I’m having fun creating warmer, cozy recipes, but using lots of produce. And of course, all the fresh basil that we’ve been growing.
I’ve strolled the markets here in New York and it’s apparent that there is a lot of zucchini happening. I also love seeing all the fresh florals. There are so many autumn colors throughout the city right now.
I love it.
Here are the details
As you might guess, this recipe is pretty straightforward and simple.
Start with a nice big high-sided skillet and add in spicy Italian sausage. I always prefer to use chicken sausage, which I buy from the Whole Foods meat counter. They’ll make it fresh for you. If chicken sausage is not available for you, you can easily make your own. Simply add 2-3 tablespoons of Italian seasoning to ground chicken.
Or just use pork sausage, it’s just as yummy, only a little greasier.
Add all the usuals – shallots, garlic, some oregano, and thyme. For the herbs, I used fresh herbs. But I also gave measurements for dry herbs since I know many of you appreciate that.
Pour some broth into the skillet, then dijon, the orzo, and shredded zucchini. I like to use zucchini for added vegetables and creaminess. It melts down into the sauce wonderfully. It’s my secret to creamy pasta!
Finish with milk, I use goat milk, but canned coconut milk is really nice and creamy.
Then add Parmesan and fresh basil to really make this dish delish.
Super simple yet so much flavor.
This will be great for serving to family on busy nights. I love how easily it comes together. Oh, and the leftovers reheat well and are delicious the following day for lunch or dinner.
I haven’t had a chance to serve this to Creighton just yet, but I know he’ll love it. Anything with some spicy Italian sausage makes his day!
Looks like I’ll be making this yet again!
Looking for other simple dinners? Here are my favorites:
One Pot French Onion Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
Creamy Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Pasta
One Pan Corn and Zucchini Pesto Orzo Casserole
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo, 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 Pot Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 630 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 2 small zucchini, shredded
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk or heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- fresh basil
Instructions
- 1. In a large skillet set over medium heat, brown the chicken sausage over medium heat, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, oregano, and thyme, and cook until fragrant, 3 minutes. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook another 2 minutes. 2. Pour in the broth. Add the dijon, then bring to a boil. Add the orzo and zucchini and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, 6 minutes. Mix in the spinach, pour in the milk, and sprinkle over the parmesan. 3. Stir until creamy, then remove from the heat. Serve topped with fresh basil. Enjoy!
This is my favorite meal yet!! So good the flavors go together so well. It was pretty easy to make and I love that it’s one pot. My boyfriend loves it too and he’s picky
Hey Maddy,
Happy Wednesday!❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and I’m so glad it turned out well for you! xT
Hi! Can you use frozen spinach? If so, would I just leave it out to thaw out or cook it first?
Hey Raven,
Totally, I would let it thaw and drain first! Let me know how this recipe turns out for you, I hope you love it! xx
My husband and daughter have requested this one once a week! One week I purchased tiny shell pasta by accident (instead of orzo) and the recipe still worked fine and was delicious! Love this one! Quick, easy and delicious!
Hey Susan,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great weekend:)
Looking forward to making this recipe. Do you know about how many cups of dry orzo would be equal to 1 lb? Thanks!
Hey Lindsay,
About 4 cups of orzo. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
So good and so easy! I added some lemon in mine as well at the end 🙂
Hey Megan,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was tasty and thanks a lot for trying it out! xT
Hi!! Do you think this recipe could be halved?? Thank you!!
Hey Lauren,
Totally! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it turns out well for you! xx
Absolutely delicious! I’ve never made Orzo before and this recipe is a keeper
Hey there,
Happy Sunday!😃 Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, I am so glad it turned out well for you! xx
Tried this out tonight and it was so good!! My toddler and hubby enjoyed it as well! Thanks Tieghan for yet another delicious recipe that’ll make its way into rotation!
Hey Melissa,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
This is one of the best recipes I have ever made. Not only was it absolutely delicious, but so quick. I was able to make it in about 20 minutes between meetings. I brought some for my friend and her husband and she ate the entire thing on the spot (poor husband lol.) 2 tbs of cream was plenty for me.
Hey Jordan,
Happy Wednesday!! ❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
YUM! This recipe came together in a snap and was delicious the first time and for leftovers. It was very filling and flavorful. I would definitely make this again! We couldn’t find any zucchini at the store, so we subbed a yellow squash and it tasted great!
Hey Carly,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xT
I’ve made this a handful of times and it’s SO good. It even impressed my Italian grandma. I’ve made it with real sausage and the Impossible spicy sausage, and it’s delicious with both in case anyone’s wanting to try a veggie version. It also freezes well!
Hey Meghan,
Happy Monday!!☃️ Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
Great recipe! Added mild pork sausage instead of chicken sausage and it was very good. Great alternative if you can’t find chicken sausage in your grocery store.
Hey Whitney,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a hit!⛄️ xT
A pound of orzo?? Is that right? That’s so much!
Hi Kayla,
Yes, that is correct:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Made this for dinner tonight. It was amazing! Kids didn’t even know about the hidden zucchini. Win-win!
Hey Samantha,
Happy Thursday! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks so much for making it! xT
My bf and I loved it! We made it veggie by using veggie broth, tofurky Italian sausage, and the coconut cream you suggested. I also added mushrooms. It was perfect! We could definitely use a bigger cooking pot, lol. I’m not used to cooking for more than two people, so we have plenty of leftovers.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Hey Victoria,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear this was enjoyed! xT
Tieghan – My family loves all your recipes, but this one made us especially happy. Our 11 month old daughter has shown little interest in solids and it’s been a struggle to get her to start eating. We gave her some of this tonight and she would not stop eating it! Thank you for the wonderful recipe 🙂
Hey Samantha,
Happy Holidays!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a try! 🎄❄️