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overhead view of tuscan orzo in a pan.
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4.91 from 33 votes

Tuscan Orzo

Tuscan orzo is a one-pot meal made in just 30 minutes with simple ingredients. It's creamy, cozy comfort food at its best.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Total Cost: $7.46 recipe / $1.86 serving
Servings: 4 (1.5 cups per serving)
Calories: 390kcal
Author: Jess Rice

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.22
  • 2 Tbsp butter $0.27
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped $0.35
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced $0.16
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning $0.10
  • 1 14.5oz. can roasted petite diced tomatoes* $0.98
  • 1 tsp lemon juice $0.02
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard $0.02
  • 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta $1.65
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth $0.12
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature** $0.84
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan $1.48
  • 1 cup fresh baby spinach, packed $1.10
  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley $0.10
  • Salt & pepper to taste $0.05

Instructions

  • Add the oil, butter, and onion to a pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, canned tomatoes, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and orzo. Stir often, cooking for 3 minutes.
  • Add the vegetable broth and room temperature cream. Once it starts to bubble, turn the heat down to medium-low and continue cooking for 10 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. It should steadily simmer but not boil. You don’t want all of the liquid to evaporate.
  • Take the pot off the heat and stir in the parmesan, spinach, and parsley. Stir again and cover the pot for a few minutes until it has thickened up to your liking. If the orzo seems watery at the end of cooking, you can simmer it for a bit longer. It will continue to absorb the liquid and thicken.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

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Notes

*You can choose to strain your canned tomatoes and make up for the ½ cup of liquid (give or take) by adding a little more vegetable broth. I love the tomatoey flavor (and extra vitamin C!), so I left the tomato juice in.
**Half-and-half would work in place of the cream, but I do not recommend using milk, as the orzo won't be as rich or creamy. You can make this recipe vegan by substituting plant-based cream and vegan cheese...it's so easy to find easy substitutions these days. Bring the cream to room temperature before using to ensure it doesn't curdle from the temperature shock when you add it to the hot orzo.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 24g | Sodium: 630mg | Fiber: 2g