Cheesy Baked Orzo With Marinara
Published Dec. 2, 2022
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1cup orzo
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- 2teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
- ¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 5ounces fresh baby spinach (about 7 cups)
- 1(24- to 25-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- ½cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus torn or sliced basil for serving
- 1cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)
- ⅓cup grated Parmesan cheese
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
362 calories; 17 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 17 grams protein; 1122 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 375 degrees and bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain the orzo and set aside.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a very large (12-inch) ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant (don't let the garlic burn), about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt and cook, tossing often, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the marinara, basil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.
- Step 3
Stir the cooked orzo into the sauce. Stir in the mozzarella, sprinkle the Parmesan on top, and bake, uncovered, until the Parmesan is melted and the pasta is heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with additional basil, and serve warm.
Private Notes
Comments
With very little extra effort, and superior results, take a few minutes to make Simple Marinara Sauce by MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN Time: 30 minutes Yield: Enough for 4 pasta servings https://body-change.today/recipes/1016478-simple-marinara-sauce?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share INGREDIENTS 1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, seeded and chopped if not already chopped, with juice 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/8 teaspoon sugar a few sprigs of fresh basil, if available Salt to taste
Loved this! I added sauteed mushrooms which went really well with the spinach and made it a bit more hearty.
As for myself, I'm a happy omnivore. But some cooks will want to be careful about the claim that this is a vegetarian recipe. Authentic Parmesan cheese contains rennet, which consists of enzymes from the stomachs of ruminant mammals such as cows. It's not meat, but it cannot be obtained from an animal without killing it. Thus, any dish that uses true Parmesan is not vegetarian. Mozzarella traditionally uses rennet, too, but I think vegetarian varieties are readily available.
Too much stringy spinach. Next time I'll add small meatballs and forget the spinach.
Anyone know what to adjust to change the cook-pasta-separately step and have it all cook in one pot, similar to Cheesy Baked Pasta With Sausage and Ricotta (Melissa Clark)? https://body-change.today/recipes/1020811-cheesy-baked-pasta-with-sausage-and-ricotta?smid=share-url
This was so simple I was worried it'd be a bit lame, but it was not! An excellent low-effort meal. I'm sure it would be even better with homemade tomato sauce, but even cheap store-bought was still good in a pinch.