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One-Pan Italian Sausage and Orzo Pasta

One-Pan Italian Sausage and Orzo Pasta

Hello there! It’s been awhile, but I’m back now with a brand-new post. I hope that everyone is safe and healthy in these uncertain times.

Today’s One-Pan Italian Sausage and Orzo Pasta recipe is simple, flavourful, and filling. This hearty meal is stuffed with delicious bites of Italian sausage (hot or mild depending on what you prefer), orzo pasta, and tender, colourful vegetables all in a tasty marinara sauce.

It is a fantastic pasta meal that’s ready in 45 minutes or less where prep is straightforward and ingredients are (hopefully) easy to find at your local supermarket.

Since it’s made in one pan, clean-up is a breeze. This is important to me, cleaning dishes is one of my least favourite tasks.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

How do you make this delicious pasta and sausage recipe?

(Full ingredient amounts and complete instructions available in the recipe card down below)

In a large non-stick skillet or pan, fry the sausages until fully cooked through (first photo). Remove from the pan, let it cool slightly, and then slice into pieces. Set aside (not shown).

Sauté the chopped onions and peppers with salt and pepper until onions begin to brown (second photo). Stir in the seasoning and garlic for another minute before mixing in the balsamic vinegar (third photo).

Add the sliced sausages, chicken broth, and marinara sauce to the pan. Give it a good stir to evenly distribute the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 12-15 minutes until the orzo is al dente (first photo).

Stir in the spinach until wilted. Taste for additional seasoning if needed (second photo). Top with cheese of your choice (not shown). Then it’s ready to eat!

A closeup side view of wooden spoon holding Italian sausage slices, vegetables, and orzo pasta.

Looking for more easy one pan/pot/sheet pan recipes? Check out these four!

A top-angled view of a white frying pan full of orzo pasta with Italian sausage, onions, and peppers in a marinara sauce.

In summary, this one-pan pasta recipe is:

  • Delicious and flavourful: Pieces of delicious seasoned sausage, tender sweet vegetables, and orzo cooked in marinara sauce is just so scrumptious. Top it with melty cheese for even more deliciousness.
  • Hearty and filling: This recipe will keep you full for a long time.
  • Quick and simple to make: It comes together in 45 minutes or less and is made with minimal ingredients.
  • Adaptable: Switch out the type of pasta or use a sausage of your choice to better suit your tastes or what you have available (keep in mind the size of the pasta once it is cooked).
  • Easy to clean-up: This recipe is all made in one-pan, which minimizes the amount of dishes that need to be cleaned up.
  • A wonderful weeknight or lazy-day meal to make!
A closeup view of a wooden spoon holding a scoop of Italian sausage, vegetables, orzo pasta on top of more pasta in a frying pan.

Did you make this easy Italian sausage and orzo recipe? Leave me a rating and comment down below or tag me on any of my social media. I’m @yay_for_food on Instagram. Please share your recipe pictures!

A closeup view of a wooden spoon holding a scoop of Italian sausage and orzo pasta on top of more pasta in a frying pan.

One-Pan Italian Sausage and Orzo Pasta

Yield: 4 as a main dish
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

A simple and hearty one-pan meal stuffed with delicious bites of Italian sausage, orzo pasta, and tender vegetables all in a tasty marinara sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large Italian sausages (hot or mild)
  • 1 medium onion (white or yellow), chopped
  • 1 large bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1½ cups chicken broth (low/no sodium)
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 1 cup uncooked dry orzo pasta
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Topping: Melty shredded cheese of your choice like parmesan, cheddar, and/or mozzarella.

Instructions

  1. In a large non-stick sauté pan or skillet (I use a 12-inch skillet) at medium-high heat, pour in 1 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the sausages (brown each side) until they are fully cooked through (*see first note). Turn off heat.
  2. Remove the sausages from the pan onto a cutting board and let cool slightly before slicing them into pieces. Set aside.
  3. Set the heat to medium-high. In the same pan, add in another tablespoon of olive oil along with the onions, peppers, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions start to soften and brown. 
  4. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and stir for another minute. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and stir to combine.
  5. Add in the sliced sausages, chicken broth, marinara sauce, and orzo. Carefully stir the ingredients together until well-incorporated.
  6. Bring the ingredients to a boil before reducing to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is al-dente (**see second note).
  7. Mix in the spinach until wilted. Taste for additional salt and pepper or other seasonings if necessary. Top with shredded cheese of your choice. Enjoy!

Notes

  • *Use a splatter screen or lid to help prevent oil from splattering. If you find that the sausages are browning, but not cooked through, add ¼ cup of water or broth to the skillet and cover with a lid, letting the liquid evaporate fully, to completely cook the sausages.
  • **If the liquid is evaporating too quickly and the orzo is not yet cooked, check to see if the heat is too high and add more broth, sauce, or water in ¼ cup increments, to allow the pasta to cook to al dente.
  • Nutritional information is based on one serving for a total of four servings.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 551Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 1165mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 22g

Nutritional values are estimated based on the ingredients used by the author; your ingredients may differ. These values are calculated using Nutritionix.

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Eileen Hoof

Saturday 24th of February 2024

I used hot Italian sausage and I had some carrots that I shredded and added to it also. Turned out really good.

Liz

Sunday 7th of January 2024

Used ground hot sausage and added some red pepper flakes for spice. It was delicious! We will definitely make again.

Marie | Yay! for Food

Monday 8th of January 2024

Thank you!

Aly F

Tuesday 18th of April 2023

My teenage boys and husband loved this, great flavor! I substituted the sausage with a chicken sausage with gruyere cheese. And because I didn’t have spinach but wanted some green, added a good amount of basil in the final step. I didn’t add any cheese, but might next time. It certainly was delicious enough without!

Marie | Yay! for Food

Wednesday 19th of April 2023

So happy it was a hit with the family! The subs sounds delicious. Thanks Aly!

Betsy G.

Thursday 11th of March 2021

This was really good! I left out the spinach (I don't like cooked spinach), but otherwise followed the recipe. Family enjoyed it too.

Marie | Yay! for Food

Friday 12th of March 2021

Thanks Betsy! Glad you and the family liked this recipe!

Todd

Sunday 31st of January 2021

Wow, really good. Thank you.

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