Description
Ground Beef Orzo with Tomato Cream Sauce is a cozy, one-pot dinner made with tender orzo, savory beef, and a rich, creamy tomato sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want comfort without the stress.
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3–4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
3/4 cup beef broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 cups fresh baby spinach, packed
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Add the ground beef to a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Break it up slightly and let it cook undisturbed for 5–6 minutes.
Add the chopped onion, then stir and break the beef into small pieces. Cook for another 5 minutes until the onion softens. Drain excess grease if needed.
Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and uncooked orzo. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the tomato sauce, beef broth, heavy cream, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well.
Bring to a gentle bubble, then reduce heat to medium or medium-low. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo is tender.
Remove from heat. Stir in the parmesan cheese and spinach. Cover and let sit for 3–5 minutes until thickened.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Notes
Stir frequently to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of broth or cream.
Freshly grated parmesan melts better than pre-shredded cheese.
Leftovers will thicken as they cool—add liquid when reheating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American / Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg