One Pot Creamy Rose Orzo

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5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Calories: 626kcal

Servings: People

Metric - Imperial

Ingredients

15 ml Olive Oil
1 Brown (Yellow) Onion Diced
4 Garlic Cloves Grated
500 g Beef Mince 10% Fat
40 g Concentrated Tomato Paste
6 g Dried Italian Herbs
1 g Dried Chilli Flakes
400 g Tomato Passata
200 ml Beef or Chicken Stock
310 ml Thickened Cream
300 g Orzo (Risoni)
120 g Baby Spinach Washed
Parmigiano Reggiano Grated
Flat Leaf Parsley Chopped
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Method

Place a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, and a pinch of salt, and sauté for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
Add the beef mince and cook for 6–7 minutes, or until no longer pink — let it sit undisturbed for 1–2 minutes first to build a crust before breaking it up.
Add the tomato paste, Italian herbs, and chilli flakes, and cook for 1 minute, mixing well. Pour in the tomato passata (with a splash of water to rinse the jar), stock, thickened cream, and orzo, and season to taste. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8–9 minutes, or 1 minute less than the orzo's packet instructions, stirring occasionally.
Once the orzo is al dente, reduce the heat to low. Add the spinach and as much Parmigiano Reggiano as you like. Mix until the spinach has wilted and the cheese has melted. Check the seasoning and remove from the heat.
Serve in bowls, garnished with more Parmigiano Reggiano and chopped parsley.

Chef's Tips

Let the mince sit undisturbed for 1–2 minutes before breaking it up, as written — this builds a proper crust and more flavour than breaking it apart immediately.

Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil once the cream and orzo go in — this cooks the orzo through without risking the cream splitting.

Stir occasionally while the orzo simmers — it releases starch as it cooks and can catch on the base of the pan if left too long between stirs.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months, in an airtight container.

To reheat, warm gently in a pan over low-medium heat or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring in a small splash of water or cream as needed to loosen the sauce, since the orzo will keep absorbing liquid as it sits. Thaw frozen portions in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Serving 320gCalories 626kcalCarbohydrates 58gProtein 40gFat 23gSaturated Fat 10gPolyunsaturated Fat 3gMonounsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 119mgSodium 447mgPotassium 850mgFiber 3gSugar 12gVitamin C 13mgCalcium 110mgIron 3.7mg