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creamy orzo with roasted butternut squash and spinach topped with fresh thyme and grated cheese

Creamy Orzo with Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach


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  • Author: Inez Rose
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: About 6 cups 1x

Description

Creamy orzo with roasted butternut squash and spinach – a cozy 30-minute fall comfort dish that’s perfect for weeknight dinners!


Ingredients

Scale

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

Instructions

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.

Notes

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.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Roasting, Sautéing
  • Cuisine: Italian-American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: About 1½ cups
  • Calories: Approximately 385 per servin
  • Sugar: 8g
  • Sodium: 650mg
  • Fat: 12g
  • Saturated Fat: 6g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 58g
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Protein: 12G
  • Cholesterol: 25mg