Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned (5–6 minutes), breaking into crumbles.
- Add orzo to the skillet and stir 1 minute to toast slightly. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 12–14 minutes, or until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and spinach. Cover and let spinach wilt (2 minutes).
- In a small pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant. Drizzle garlic butter over the orzo mixture. Stir gently and garnish with parsley before serving.
Notes
- For a lighter version, replace heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk (add a splash of cream at the end for richness).
- Swap spinach for kale or Swiss chard, if preferred.
- Top with extra Parmesan and red pepper flakes for heat.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: High Protein
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 520 Kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
