Creamy Parmesan Spinach Orzo
Creamy Parmesan Spinach Orzo
Servings:6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons flour
- 1 cup milk , (I used fat free half & half)
- ⅔ cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
- optional: fresh lemon zest, grated parmesan cheese, and cracked black pepper for topping
Instructions
- Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add garlic, salt and pepper and saute for 1 minute until garlic is fragrant
- Add flour to form and stir for one minute. Add about 1/4 cup of the milk to the pot and whisk to work out any lumps. When lumps are gone, add the remaining milk and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 8 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
- Add chopped spinach to sauce. Cook an additional 2 minutes or so until spinach is soft and dark. Remove sauce from heat and stir in parmesan cheese. When cheese has melted, add orzo and stir to combine. Serve with extra parmesan cheese and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Flavor tip: add in a few teaspoons of fresh-squeezed lemon juice to take this to the next level!
Nutrition
Calories: 246 kcal, Carbohydrates: 31 g, Protein: 10 g, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 11 mg, Sodium: 150 mg, Potassium: 172 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 3 g, Vitamin A: 451 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 152 mg, Iron: 1 mg