One-Pan Italian
Sausage Orzo
“This is a spoon pasta, not a fork pasta.” Creamy orzo with sweet Italian sausage, baby broccoli, a pat of butter, and a lot of parmesan — with a tiny hit of Cajun seasoning that makes you wonder why you didn't think of it sooner.
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 3–4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 cups baby broccoli (broccolini), very finely chopped
- 1 tbsp butter
- Cajun seasoning, a small pinch
- 1½ cups dry orzo
- 3–4 cups chicken broth or water
- 1 cups parmesan, freshly grated (plus more for serving)
- reserved pasta water, as needed
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Sophia's Notes
- Start with a dry pan — no oil. A lot of fat renders out of the sausage and that's what you cook everything else in. Don't skip this step.
- Chop that baby broccoli small. Like, really small. You want it to almost melt into the pasta rather than sit on top.
- Just a little Cajun seasoning — it's a background note, not the star. Don't overdo it.
- Be generous with the parmesan. There is no such thing as too much parmesan here. Sophia does a “little pot parmesan” right before serving and so should you.
- The black pepper goes on off the heat. This keeps it fragrant instead of bitter.
Instructions
- 1
Brown the sausage in a dry pan
Heat a large, wide pan over medium-high heat — no oil. Remove the sausage from its casing and add it straight to the dry pan. Break it up as it cooks. The fat will render out on its own and that’s what you’ll cook everything else in. Cook until deeply, properly browned.
- 2
Add the aromatics and broccoli
Add the sliced onion, sliced garlic, and very finely chopped baby broccoli right into the pan with the sausage fat. Stir and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- 3
Butter and Cajun
Add a pat of butter and just a small pinch of Cajun seasoning. Stir to coat everything. The Cajun is subtle — you’re building a background warmth, not a spice bomb.
- 4
Add the orzo and cook it through
Add the dry orzo directly to the pan and stir for a minute to lightly toast. Pour in your broth or water — enough to submerge the orzo. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring regularly, until the orzo is tender and creamy, about 8–10 minutes. Add more liquid if it gets too thick too fast.
- 5
Parmesan and pasta water
Pull the pan off the heat. Add a very generous amount of freshly grated parmesan and a splash of starchy pasta water or extra broth. Stir until you get a creamy, saucy, spoonable consistency. This is the moment.
- 6
Black pepper and serve
Crack black pepper over the top — off the heat, so it stays bright and fragrant. Serve immediately with more parmesan on top. Get a spoon. This is not a fork situation.
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