Description
Delicious Ground Beef Orzo is a quick and easy one-pot dinner recipe made with ground beef, creamy tomato sauce, orzo pasta, spinach, and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for weeknight meals, this flavorful dish comes together in under 30 minutes and is family-friendly, comforting, and full of hearty ingredients.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 cup orzo pasta
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Optional: red pepper flakes for heat
Instructions
1. In a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until fully cooked. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
2. Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for 1 minute to develop depth of flavor.
4. Pour in the beef broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the orzo, reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Once the orzo is tender, stir in the heavy cream and spinach. Cook uncovered for 2–3 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
6. Turn off the heat and mix in the grated Parmesan cheese. Adjust seasoning to taste. Let sit for a minute before serving for optimal creaminess.
Notes
Use freshly grated Parmesan for a smoother melt and richer flavor.
Stir the orzo often during cooking to prevent sticking or clumping.
For a lighter version, swap heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: One-Pot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg