Name: Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced; 1 small yellow onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided; 1 Tablespoon butter; 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta; 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth*; 1/3 cup heavy cream; 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese; 3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

Friends, let me introduce you to my new favorite weeknight dinner side dish. This Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo is packed with flavor! It’s made with sautéed onions and mushrooms, baby spinach, and orzo that’s cooked in a creamy, savory sauce. And the best part…it’s all made in one pot and is ready in just 30 minutes. I love to serve this with my Sautéed Chicken Breasts but I'll be honest, I could eat this all by itself any day of the week!

Overhead view of Creamy mushroom and spinach orzo in a skillet with parmesan cheese on top.

So, one pot dishes are kind of my new thing! It just makes life so much easier. If you also love saving time and washing less dishes then try out my One Pan Creamy Chicken and Orzo recipe or this Chicken Sausage and Cabbage next!

Ingredients

This one-pot orzo recipe includes simple, wholesome ingredients, and lots of flavor! Here’s a quick rundown of everything you need to make it:

Orzo: Orzo pasta is the perfect size and shape to cook in a one-pan dish and it cooks fairly quickly. You can find it in the regular pasta aisle at your grocery store.
Onion and garlic: The combination of onion and garlic creates a wonderful foundation of flavor for the orzo pasta.
Mushrooms: The sautéed mushrooms add lots of umami flavor to the dish. And it gives it a meaty, hearty texture making it perfect to enjoy this recipe as a small main dish or a side dish.
Chicken Broth: I'm using chicken broth to cook the orzo plus it adds another layer of flavor to the dish.
Seasoning: A simple seasoning mix of salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning is all you need!
Heavy Cream and Parmesan: And to make it creamy I used a little bit of heavy cream along with some parmesan cheese.

Overhead photo of ingredients for Mushroom Spinach Orzo.

How To Make Mushroom and Spinach Orzo

This recipe only requires a few steps and comes together quickly!

Step One: In a large deep skillet sauté the sliced mushrooms with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil on medium heat until golden brown and tender. Remove the mushrooms from the skillet and transfer to a plate. Next sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.

Orzo, seasoning, and chicken broth being added to the skillet.

Parmesan cheese being added to orzo in skillet.

Step Two: Now add in the spices and uncooked orzo to the skillet. Stir to combine with the onion and garlic. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring the skillet up to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the orzo uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the skillet. After 8 minutes, stir in the parmesan cheese.

Baby spinach and cooked mushrooms being added to the orzo pasta inside the skillet.

Overhead view of finished mushroom and spinach orzo skillet.

Step Three: Now add in the baby spinach and sautéed mushrooms. Allow the orzo to simmer for another 2 minutes until the pasta is tender then turn the heat off. Enjoy this easy one-pot recipe by itself or with your favorite protein for a simple, delicious dinner!

Important Recipe Tip!

Very important...keep an eye on the orzo as it cooks and make sure to stir it frequently while it’s simmering to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.