Sausage and Veggie Orzo
Last Updated on March 7, 2023 by Annie
Flavor packed Sausage and Veggie Orzo makes the perfect 30 minute meal. Loaded with spicy sausage, tender orzo pasta, and a variety of vegetables this filling, dairy-free dinner simply cannot be beat!
A few years ago, I subscribed to Hello Fresh. I lived in an apartment with an hour commute to and from school so any time I could save (i.e. going to the grocery store and making dinner) was welcomed with open arms. During one of my rounds of selecting meals this Veggie Loaded Orzo and Sausage popped up as an option. I checked out and eagerly awaited it’s arrival.
There were a number of things I loved about this meal. First of all it took roughly 30 minutes to make. Score! It snuck in some veggies which my typical dishes lacked. And it made enough for me to have leftovers which meant I didn’t have to cook the next night or I had lunch ready for the next day.
I discontinued Hello Fresh when I moved next to a grocery store and could meal plan and grocery shop more easily but I kept coming back to this recipe. After making the recipe a number of times, I started changing a few things. The recipe lacked a bit of flavor and also contained dairy. I removed the zucchini and parmesan cheese. Then I swapped sweet Italian sausage with spicy sausage. Finally I added tomato paste to build a stronger sauce to coat the orzo. Y’ALL! It’s so good; we make it almost every other week!
Why We Love this Sausage and Vegetable Pasta Dish
A good pasta dish is one you want to make over and over again. This sausage and veggie loaded orzo is sure to fall into that category. Some of the reasons we love this meal include:
- An all in one dish. It’s got your vegetables, protein, and carbs all in one easy to eat bowl.
- Ready in 30 minutes. Perfect for your busy nights.
- Great as left-overs. Not all pasta recipe reheat well but this veggie orzo makes a great left-over dinner.
HOW TO MAKE SAUSAGE AND VEGGIE ORZO
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Orzo Pasta– You can use other small pastas for this recipe, but I find the orzo is my favorite.
- Sausage– I like using spicy sausage but Italian sausage also works well in this recipe.
- Olive oil– For cooking the vegetables.
- Vegetables– A blend of onion, bell pepper, and grape tomatoes.
- Garlic and Tomato Paste– Adds a depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Seasoning– Salt and oregano bring out the flavor in this pasta dish.
Directions for Sausage and Veggie Loaded Orzo
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
- Boil water: Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Add salt: Once boiling add salt to the water.
- Cook pasta: After salting the water, add 1 cup of orzo pasta and cook until al dente (check the package directions for the time).
- Scoop out water: Reserve 1 cup of the water before draining the pasta.
- Set aside cooked pasta and reserved water.
Step 2: Cook the Sausage and Veggies
- Cook sausage: In a large skillet, over medium heat, brown and crumble the sausage while it cooks.
- Remove from pan: Once cooked and crumbled, remove from the pan, but leave any sausage grease in the pan.
- Cook onion + pepper: Add olive oil to the pan and cook the onion and bell pepper for about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Season: Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and oregano.
- Add grape tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes allowing the juices to flow from the grape tomatoes.
- Add remaining ingredients: Return the sausage to the pan, add the cooked orzo, and a quarter cup of reserved pasta water.
- Stir everything together, cover and reduce heat to low.
- Simmer for roughly 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add additional pasta water and salt if needed.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING SAUSAGE AND VEGGIE ORZO
How is this the first time I am sharing a pasta recipe with you?!? I feel a little ashamed but am SO happy to share a few tips about making perfect pasta every. time.
- Fill. your. pot! The last thing you want is for your pasta to soak in the water and you don’t have enough to fully cook the pasta.
- Bring the water to a rapid boil BEFORE you salt the water. Salting before you boil simply increases the boiling time. Salt the water then add the pasta in.
- Stir the pasta occasionally while it cooks to prevent sticking to the sides or bottom of the pan but also to prevent sticking to the other pasta.
- Reserve the pasta water when the cooking is done. Why? For starters that salty, starchy water is the best thing to happen to reheated pasta dishes since the microwave. It loosens the dish up and keeps the flavor fresh and prevents the pasta from drying out.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
When you are whipping up this tasty pasta dish, here are a few kitchen tools you might find helpful.
- Ground Meat Chopper– For breaking up the sausage while you brown it.
- 2-Cup Liquid Measuring Cup– For scooping the reserved pasta water.
Serving Suggestions
Wondering what delicious dairy-free side might pair perfectly with this sausage and veggie orzo? Here are just a few dishes we like to make with this easy orzo dinner.
Basically lots of bread…
DAIRY-FREE CHANGES
The original version of this recipe included parmesan cheese. We omitted the cheese because it honestly didn’t add much to the dish and if it’s not going to add something it shouldn’t be in there.
OTHER DELICIOUS DINNER RECIPES
Looking for another delicious dinner recipe to try? Here are a few we like to make often in the Life After Dairy Home!
Did you make this delicious Sausage and Veggie Orzo?? Leave a comment below or share it on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can share all of your life after dairy adventures!
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Sausage and Veggie Orzo
Spicy sausage, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and orzo make this quick and easy Sausage and Orzo Pasta dish!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Orzo Pasta uncooked
- ¼ cup Reserved Pasta Water plus an extra cup- just in case
- 1 pound Spicy Sausage casings removed
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion diced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper diced
- 2 cloves Garlic microplaned
- 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Oregano
- 1 pint Grape Tomatoes halved
Instructions
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Cook 1 cup orzo pasta to al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve about 1 ¼ cup pasta water from the pot before draining the pasta.
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Meanwhile, remove the casings from the sausage and cook in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown and crumble the sausage while it cooks.
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While the pasta and sausage are cooking dice the onion and bell pepper. Set aside. Microplane 2 pods of garlic and cut 1 pint of grape tomatoes in half.
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Once the sausage is fully cooked, remove from pan but reserve some of the grease in the pan. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil, the onion, and the green bell pepper to the pan. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
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Next add 2 garlic pods and stir for 30 seconds. Add 1 Tablespoon tomato paste, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon oregano, and 1 pint grape tomatoes. Stir and give about 5 minutes to cook and let the juices flow from the grape tomatoes.
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Next return the sausage to the pan, add the cooled orzo, and ¼ c reserved pasta water. Carefully stir to coat all of the pasta. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and add additional pasta water if it gets too dry. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
When you reheat the leftovers, add a splash of reserved pasta water to break it up and keep it from drying out.Â
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