I Make This One-Pot Dinner Every Single Week (It’s Ready in Under 30 Minutes)

This hearty one-pot orzo with sausage is my family’s new favorite.

By
Sara Haas, RDN, LDN
Sara Haas
Sara Haas, RDN, LDN
Sara Haas, RDN, LDN, is a food and nutrition expert with formal culinary training. She works as a writer, recipe developer, food photographer, media authority, public speaker, and consultant dietitian/chef. Former culinary and nutrition instructor and National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson. 
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Published March 04, 2025
Sara Haas
Angled view of a wooden spoon in a skillet of orzo, italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Do you have a dish or two that you make almost every week? For me, it’s always been tacos and pizza, but I’ve recently added orzo into the mix. I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to appreciate this little rice-shaped pasta, but now that the love is there, I’m not turning back.

Each week I’ve been finding a new way to cook up my favorite new pasta using my one-pot method that is truly “no-fail.” My latest creation is a one-pot sausage and orzo that’s so good everyone in my house calls it “restaurant-quality.”

If you’re not familiar with orzo, it’s a small, rice-shaped pasta that’s commonly used for pasta salads or soups. It falls in the category of pastina, or “little pasta,” and like other little pastas, it cooks quickly, making it handy for weeknight dinners. That quick cooking time also makes it perfect for one-pot meals, requiring only a marginal amount of liquid for cooking which keeps the other ingredients from ending up soft and mushy. I’ve found that the ideal ratio is one part orzo to two parts liquid, which you’ll see below.

As I’ve been tinkering with my newfound favorite ingredient, I’ve come up with a basic one-pot method for cooking the orzo with aromatics, broth, and a combination of proteins and vegetables. This one-pot sausage and orzo was a recent win, combining my family’s love of spicy heat and adoration for creamy sauces. It only takes half an hour to prepare and only requires one pot. Serve it with a big salad and some crusty bread and I promise, you’ll love orzo as much as I do!

Overhead view of a skillet of orzo, italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach with a wooden serving spoon

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Tips for Making My One-Pot Sausage and Orzo

  • Go hot or sweet: My family loves spicy food, so I always make this with hot Italian sausage. If you prefer something with less heat, feel free to swap in sweet Italian sausage instead.
  • Broth is best: I like to use chicken broth for this recipe, but vegetable broth is also a nice option. Both provide flavor that water just can’t. That being said, if you’re in a pinch, use water and consider adding a touch of onion powder, thyme, and oregano for a little more flavor.
  • Crisp it up: Sometimes I like to go past the 5 to 6-minute cook time for the sausage to get it extra crispy. Cooking it longer also gives you more time to break it into tiny crumbles, which means big flavor in every bite.
  • Don’t let it linger: Once the dish is done, take it off the heat and serve it right away. The longer it sits, the more liquid the pasta will absorb and your dish will go from creamy to dry.
Overhead view of a skillet of orzo, italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach next to a serving on a plate topped with Parmesan cheese

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

One-Pot Sausage and Orzo

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 8 ounces hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 1/4 cups orzo

  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

  • 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

  • 1 (5-ounce) container baby spinach

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • Salt, as needed, to taste

  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method

  1. Brown the sausage:

    Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring to break it into crumbles, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  2. Toast the orzo:

    Add the orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

  3. Add the broth and tomatoes:

    Stir in the chicken broth and sun-dried tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and evenly cooked, about 8 minutes.

  4. Wilt the spinach:

    Uncover the pan and stir in the spinach and cream. Cover and continue to cook until the spinach is just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste, adding salt if needed.

  5. Serve:

    Remove the pan from the heat and portion the pasta into bowls. Garnish with the Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
222 Calories
12g Fat
19g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 222
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 5g 23%
Cholesterol 23mg 8%
Sodium 411mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 17mg 83%
Calcium 88mg 7%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 479mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.