Description
A comforting dish combining creamy cheese, soft pasta, and colorful veggies, perfect for family dinners or cozy nights in.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups mushrooms, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
- 1½ cups ricotta cheese
- 1 lb orzo (about 2½ cups)
- 2½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- Fresh basil to serve
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a 9×13-inch dish, mix the diced onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, minced garlic, dried herbs, and salt with the olive oil. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped spinach until it wilts. Add the diced tomatoes, ricotta cheese, orzo, and broth; stir everything to combine well.
- Bake uncovered for another 15 minutes. After that, stir it again and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Top the mixture with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes until it is melted and bubbly. Broil for 1-2 minutes for extra browning.
Notes
Feel free to add different vegetables or adjust spices to your taste. You can use different cheeses instead of ricotta and mozzarella.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: orzo, baked pasta, vegetarian, cheese, easy recipe