This one pot dish came from me just wanting to make something that sounded good with ingredients I had on hand. The pantry shelf had orzo but no arborio rice so I thought I’d make a risotto with pasta instead.
That, some Italian sausage and a little white wine and this amazing, quick dinner came together on my stove, photographed hastily with my iPhone.
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Benefit of orzotto over risotto
Orzotto is actually easier to make than risotto. While I toast the orzo first for flavor, it absorbs liquid more evenly than arborio rice, which means less stirring and less babysitting the dish as it cooks. You still get that creamy, risotto-like texture — it just comes together faster and with a lot less fuss.
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Ingredient notes
There are a few standouts that establish the flavor in this orzotto.
First up, the sausage. I keep it simple with a bulk Italian sausage that crumbles as it cooks, especially when helped with a wooden flat spoon. If whole links are your only option, remove the sausage meat from the casing.
Next, shallots over onions. Shallots are milder and sweeter than white onion and I love their delicate flavor especially when paired with the white wine and sausage.
Speaking of the white wine: for me, it adds a tang like no other. If you don’t love it, add extra broth or skip it all together.
Fresh minced thyme and a big squeeze of lemon juice add more layers of flavor.
Step-by-step: sausage orzotto
Texture notes
Slow simmering orzo in broth creates a creamy texture. You’ll know the dish is finished when most of the broth is absorbed, the pasta is puffed up and tender. The parmesan cheese also pulls its weight on the texture front by adding body and heft.
Recipe notes.
- Add the white wine and lemon juice to the shallots before the garlic, stock and pasta.
- Reserve the last cup of broth unless it’s absolutely needed. You can also reserve it if making the dish ahead and use it to restore the texture of the dish.
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One Pot Sausage Orzotto
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Ingredients
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage, i use mild but can use spicy
- 1 T unsalted butter
- 1 shallot , minced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced; or ½ tsp dried
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 ½ cup orzo pasta
- 3 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 cup fresh grated parmesan
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet or braiser over medium high heat. Add the olive oil. Once shimmering, place the sausage in the pan. I like to press down on it with the back of my wooden spatula to flatten it as much as possible across the bottom of the pan to help it cook more evenly.1 T olive oil, 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- Once the sausage is cooked (about 8 minutes or so), use a slotted spoon to remove it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Melt the butter in the hot pan. To it, add the chopped shallot and season with dried thyme, salt and pepper. Cook until translucent about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds or so.1 T unsalted butter, 1 shallot , ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- Pour in the white wine and lemon juice. Cook for 2 minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off.½ cup white wine, ½ lemon
- Add the orzo to the pan and toast over medium-high heat until the pasta becomes slightly golden.1 ½ cup orzo pasta
- Pour in ½ cup of chicken stock. Lower the heat and stir a bit as the pasta absorbs the stock. Right before it looks to be completely absorbed, add in another ½ cup of stock. Repeat this process until the last ½ cup remains.Hold onto this especially if you're making it ahead. The whole cooking process should take about 15 minutes.3 1/2 cups chicken stock
- Taste the orzo for texture. If needed and serving immediately, pour in the remaining broth. If making ahead, use that remaining broth to help reheat the orzotto before serving.
- Stir in freshly grated parmesan, the lemon zest and additional fresh thyme and parsley as desired. Taste for seasoning.1 cup fresh grated parmesan
Notes
- Eliminate the extra 2 minutes of simmer time if not using the wine.
