Creamy Orzo with Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach

Creamy orzo with roasted butternut squash and spinach quickly became the answer to my weeknight dinner burnout—right around the time my kids decided they were “over” regular pasta. I threw this together on a whim, hoping the bright orange squash would distract them. My youngest took one bite and asked if we could have “the orange pasta” every night… and honestly? Same.

The butternut squash turns sweet and caramelized in the oven, while the orzo gets perfectly creamy—all without any complicated steps. It takes just thirty minutes, uses one pot, and somehow disappears every single time. No leftovers. No complaints. Just a cozy, fall dinner everyone actually agrees on.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

My husband calls this “restaurant-quality pasta at home” because the orzo gets crazy creamy—almost like risotto but without standing there stirring forever. The roasted butternut squash tastes like candy, and my kids actually fight over who gets more spinach (miracle!). Plus it’s done in thirty minutes, which means I can make it on soccer practice nights without losing my mind.

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📝 Ingredient List

For the Roasted Squash:

• 12 oz butternut squash, cubed (I buy the pre-cut stuff when I’m lazy)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh thyme (dried works too, use 1 tsp)
• Salt & pepper

For the Creamy Orzo:

• 1½ cups orzo pasta
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced (or use the jar stuff, no judgment)
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• 2½ cups chicken or veggie broth
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• 5 oz fresh spinach (the bag kind is fine)
• ½ cup heavy cream

Extras if you’re feeling fancy:

• More thyme
• Parmesan cheese

Look, if you don’t have butternut squash, sweet potato works. No thyme? Sage is good too. Want it lighter? Half-and-half instead of cream.

🔍 Why These Ingredients Work

The butternut squash basically turns into nature’s candy when you roast it—all those natural sugars caramelize and get sweet and nutty. Fresh thyme and butternut squash are BFFs; they just belong together like peanut butter and jelly. The orzo releases starch as it cooks, making everything creamy without needing a ton of heavy cream. That tiny bit of smoked paprika? Game changer—it adds this subtle smokiness that makes people ask “what’s that amazing flavor?” And the spinach wilts down to nothing but adds gorgeous color and makes me feel better about feeding my family vegetables disguised as comfort food!

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Big sheet pan for the squash
• Deep skillet (mine’s 12-inch and perfect for this)
• Sharp knife (dull ones make me cry when cutting squash)
• Cutting board
• Measuring stuff
• Wooden spoon

👩🍳 How To Make Creamy Orzo with Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach

Step 1: Roast the Squash Crank your oven to 400°F. Toss the squash cubes with oil, thyme, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet. Don’t pile them up or they’ll get soggy instead of crispy. Takes 20-30 minutes till they’re golden and smell amazing.

Step 2: Get Your Garlic Going Heat that other tablespoon of oil in a big skillet. Toss in garlic and paprika, stir it around for maybe a minute. Your kitchen’s gonna smell incredible right about now.

Step 3: Toast the Orzo Dump in the orzo and stir it around for 2 minutes till it’s golden. This step makes all the difference—trust me on this one. My mom taught me this trick years ago.

Step 4: Add the Good Stuff Pour in broth, salt, and Italian seasoning. Let it bubble up, then turn it down and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring here and there. The orzo soaks up most of the liquid and gets creamy all by itself.

Step 5: Greens and Cream Time Stir in spinach—it disappears like magic. Take the pan off heat (important!), then add cream and fold in your beautiful roasted squash. Everything comes together perfectly.

Step 6: Make It Yours Taste it, add more salt if needed. Serve hot with thyme or cheese if you want. My kids always want extra cheese.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

Ina Garten says: “Taste everything as you cook. Season every step. That’s how you build real flavor.”

Jamie Oliver’s thing: “Toast your pasta first—it’s like the difference between okay and amazing.”

❗ You Must Know

Don’t mess this up: Never cover the pan when cooking orzo—learned that one the hard way. Take the pan off heat before adding cream or it’ll curdle and look gross. Stop cooking when orzo still has bite—it keeps cooking after you turn off heat.

Personal Secret: I always save about half a cup of the pasta cooking liquid before I add the cream. When leftovers get dry the next day (if there are any), that starchy water brings it all back to life!

💡 Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

What I’ve Learned:

• Cut squash pieces the same size or some get mushy while others are still hard
• If your orzo’s drinking up liquid too fast, add more broth and turn down heat
• That big bag of spinach looks crazy but it shrinks down to basically nothing

Don’t Do What I Did:

• First time I made this, I rushed the squash—those crispy edges are worth waiting for
• Never stir like crazy once you add cream—be gentle or it gets weird
• Cold cream in hot pan equals disaster—let it sit out first

Lazy Cook Shortcuts:

• Store-bought pre-cut squash saves 15 minutes of my life
• Garlic press instead of chopping—game changer
• Baby spinach needs zero prep work

🎨 Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Different Herbs: Sage instead of thyme is bomb, especially in fall. Rosemary works too but go easy—it’s strong.

Add Some Protein: My husband throws in leftover grilled chicken sometimes. Italian sausage is good too, or bacon if you’re feeling indulgent.

Cheese Changes: I’ve done goat cheese, ricotta, even sharp cheddar when that’s all I had. All good.

Seasonal Swaps: Spring means asparagus and peas instead of squash. Summer I use zucchini and fresh basil from my garden.

⏲️ Make-Ahead Options

Sunday Prep: I roast a bunch of squash on Sundays and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then weeknight dinner takes like 15 minutes. Life saver.

Storage Real Talk: Leftovers keep 3 days max in the fridge, but honestly it never lasts that long in my house.

Don’t Even Think About Freezing: Tried it once. The texture gets gross with the cream and pasta. Just don’t.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

The secret to good orzo is treating it kinda like risotto—you want those starches to do their thing slowly. Don’t dump all the liquid in at once or it gets weird. When I make this for my sister’s family (she’s got 4 kids), I double everything and use my biggest pan. Takes maybe 5 extra minutes but feeds the army.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

We eat this as dinner with some crusty bread and a simple salad. Sometimes I make it as a side when I’m feeling fancy and serving roasted chicken. My mother-in-law loves it with salmon. For parties, I put it in individual bowls with toasted pine nuts on top—looks expensive but it’s really not!

I hope this becomes your new fall obsession like it did mine. My kids now request “Mom’s orange pasta” at least twice a week, and I’m not even mad about it because it’s that good. Happy cooking, friends! 🍽️

🧊 How to Store Your Creamy Orzo with Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach

In the Fridge: Keeps 3 days covered. The orzo soaks up more liquid as it sits, which is normal.

Reheating: Stovetop with a splash of broth works best. Microwave is fine too—30 seconds at a time with a little liquid stirred in.

Don’t Freeze It: Trust me, I tried. The cream gets funky and the pasta turns to mush.

⚠️ Allergy Information

Contains: Gluten (orzo) and dairy (cream)

Make It Work For You:

• No Gluten: Use gluten-free orzo or any small pasta shape
• No Dairy: Coconut milk or cashew cream instead of heavy cream
• Vegan: Veggie broth + plant cream, skip the cheese

❓Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I make this vegan?

Yep! Veggie broth instead of chicken, and coconut milk or cashew cream instead of dairy. Skip cheese or use nutritional yeast.

How long do leftovers last?

3 days in the fridge max. Reheat with a little broth to make it creamy again.

Can I freeze this?

Don’t. I learned the hard way—it gets gross. Just make what you’ll eat in a few days.

No butternut squash at the store?

Sweet potatoes, delicata squash, even carrots work great.

Dried thyme instead of fresh?

Sure, use 1 teaspoon instead of 2 tablespoons.

My orzo turned out dry and thick. Help! Heat was probably too high or you needed more broth. Add liquid slowly and keep the heat lower next time.

💬 Made this recipe? Drop a comment and let me know how it went! Try any fun variations? I seriously love hearing from you guys—it makes my whole day when you share your cooking wins (and fails, we’ve all been there!)