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a loose skillet of small orzo pasta, cooked ground beef and diced tomatoes with wilted spinach and Parmesan stirred into the sauce
Melissa Hart

Ground Beef Orzo

Orzo cooks fast, but it also catches on the bottom of the pan if you stop stirring for too long. Use a wide skillet with a lid and scrape the base every couple of minutes. The finished texture should be loose enough to spoon, not packed like a baked pasta square. Stir in the spinach at the end so it wilts without disappearing into the sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry orzo
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 oz, with juices
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 oz baby spinach
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
  • 2 tbsp water if needed to finish the orzo

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil in a wide deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef and onion for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking up the meat and cooking to 160°F.
  2. Stir in garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute. Add the dry orzo and stir to coat the grains.
  3. Pour in broth and tomatoes with their juices, then add oregano and salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 9 to 11 minutes, scraping the bottom every 2 minutes.
  4. Check that the orzo is tender; simmer uncovered briefly if the sauce is very loose, or add 2 tablespoons water if it has tightened before the pasta is done.
  5. Fold in spinach until wilted, remove from the heat and stir in Parmesan. Serve immediately in bowls.