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Home Collections Quick Dinner Recipes

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo (Risoni) (One Pot)

By:Nagi
Published:25 May '15Updated:21 Mar '19
162 Comments
Recipe v

Here you go! I’ve made dinner easy for you – a Mushroom and Spinach Orzo all made in one pot, packed full of nutrition (A grade nutrition rating) with plenty of creamy sauce but without a single drop of cream!

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo (Risoni) - all made in one pan, so creamy (but no cream!) . A fabulous meat free meal!

What’s your position on fresh vs frozen spinach?

I love using fresh spinach in salads. But for dishes like this, when the spinach is cooked down and stirred into things, it just doesn’t make sense to me to use fresh spinach. You’d need at least 5 bunches (probably more!) of fresh spinach to make this. OR 1 box of frozen spinach.

So for cost and efficiency reasons, I use frozen spinach in this. 🙂

Besides, don’t you totally buy into the whole “snap frozen” thing? I know I do!!

So with a box of frozen spinach, mushrooms and a handful of pantry staples, you can get dinner on the table in just over 20 minutes. Seriously! It’s that easy.

Did I mention this Mushroom and Spinach Orzo is all made in one pan? Here it is, straight off the stove.

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo (Risoni) - all made in one pan, so creamy (but no cream!) . A fabulous meat free meal!

Oh wait, all those mushrooms are in the way so you can’t see how CREAMY it is! Here, I’ve shoved them out of the way for you so you can see how lovely and saucy it is!

Psst reminder: no cream! No cream!

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo (Risoni) - all made in one pan, so creamy (but no cream!) . A fabulous meat free meal!

As with all pastas, the sauce does get sucked into the orzo/risoni pretty quickly. So when it’s ready, holler for your family to get to the table asap so they can eat it while it’s nice and fresh and saucy. (That’s how the Italian mama’s operate. Follow their lead!)

You will be surprised at the nutrition in this. With an entire box of spinach and 600g/20 oz of mushrooms, this has an A- nutrition grade rating (see below for more information). I’ve also provided some tips below for how to pack even more vegetables into this!

Dinner’s up! – Nagi


More risoni / orzo recipes

  • One Pot Italian Chicken Orzo / Risoni Pasta – cosy, saucy one pot chicken and risoni dinner

  • Orzo / Risoni Bolognaise – one pot bolognese pasta dish!

  • Greek Lemon Orzo Salad – a bright fresh pasta salad loaded with Greek flavours

  • Creamy Salmon Risoni / Orzo (15 Minute Meal) – tastes like risotto, except MUCH faster to make!

  • Baked Greek Chicken Orzo (Risoni) – Greek chicken AND orzo made in one pot!

  • One Pot Creamy Chicken, Vegetable & Parmesan Orzo (Risoni) – creamy chicken and vegetable orzo, a quick 20 minute meal

  • Pea, Zucchini and Pesto Orzo / Risoni – a wonderful quick side dish

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo (Risoni) - all made in one pan, so creamy (but no cream!) . A fabulous meat free meal!

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Spinach & Mushroom Creamy Orzo (Risoni) - all made in one pan, so creamy (but no cream!) . A fabulous meat free meal!

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo (Risoni) (One Pot)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Pasta
4.96 from 43 votes
Servings4
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  • 1493
An easy dinner for midweek all made in one pot. Super creamy but made without a single drop of cream! Nutrition grade rating of A-. Make it even more nutritious by adding more vegetables!

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.2 lb / 600g mushrooms , sliced (I used button mushrooms)

Orzo / Risoni

  • 3 tbsp butter, unsalted
  • 3 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 small onion , finely diced
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml milk (I used low fat)
  • 3 cups / 750 ml chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups orzo / risoni, uncooked (Note 1)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Black pepper
  • 3/4 cup parmesan cheese , grated
  • 8 oz / 250g frozen spinach (1 box), thawed, excess water squeezed out

Garnish (optional)

  • Extra parmesan cheese
  • Finely chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large non stick pan over high heat (if you aren't using non stick, use more oil).
  • Add the mushrooms and cook until softened (around 3 minutes). Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the pan. Add garlic and onion, and sauté until the onion becomes translucent - around 3 minutes.
  • Add the flour, stir it in and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the milk and chicken broth and use a whisk to mix the butter flour mixture into the liquid.
  • Increase heat to medium high. Add the orzo/risoni, salt and pepper, stir once, then put a lid on (Note 2). Bring it to a simmer, then leave it to cook for around 8 to 10 minutes or until the orzo/risoni is cooked but still slightly firm, and it is still quite saucy. Note: If you have a strong stove, turn it down slightly so it just simmers).
  • While the orzo is cooking, break up the spinach into little pieces with your fingers.
  • Remove the pan from the stove. Stir through the parmesan, spinach and cooked mushrooms. Check if more salt or pepper is required.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with more parmesan and fresh finely chopped parsley, if desired.

Recipe Notes:

1. Orzo / risoni is a pasta that is in the shape of rice and can be found in the pasta section of supermarkets. It costs around the same as ordinary pasta.
2. If you don't have a lid for your fry pan (which I don't), use the lid of a pot larger than the pan or a large baking tray.
3. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings. Tip: The calories can be reduced by increasing the amount of vegetables in this. Either add more mushrooms, or other vegetables (even the frozen bags of chopped vegetables - heated through - will work). That will fill this out so it will serve more people. 1 1/2 cups of extra cooked mushrooms / spinach will stretch this out to serve 5 and will reduce the calories by about 100 calories per serving down to around 440 calories per serving.
Mushroom and Spinach Orzo Nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 601gCalories: 542cal (27%)Carbohydrates: 67.9g (23%)Protein: 27.3g (55%)Fat: 19.2g (30%)Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)Cholesterol: 37mg (12%)Sodium: 1172mg (51%)Potassium: 1024mg (29%)Fiber: 5.7g (24%)Sugar: 12g (13%)Vitamin A: 6400IU (128%)Vitamin C: 33mg (40%)Calcium: 330mg (33%)Iron: 8.8mg (49%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.
Spinach & Mushroom Creamy Orzo (Risoni) - all made in one pan, so creamy (but no cream!) . A fabulous meat free meal!

 

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162 Comments

  1. Bad Kitty says

    March 11, 2022 at 3:56 pm

    5 stars
    I admit it: I’m a glutton. I used heavy cream with just a bit of water.

    I wilted down one bunch of fresh spinach (that’s all I had) and let it drain. I didn’t have enough mushrooms or spinach, but by the time it was done, all I can say is . . . oh. my. goodness! One of the most tasty pastas I’ve eaten, let alone made, in a long time. Just decadent!

    Nagi, do you have any suggestions on how to do this recipe with the sauce and pasta separate? I was thinking of cutting the milk and chicken broth by 1/2 and keeping everything else the same. My reason for wanting to do this is so I could save some for lunch the next day, and I think it would hold up better if I could just add the sauce to the pasta.

    Thank you so much for a delectable recipe!

    Reply
  2. Kiera says

    February 4, 2022 at 4:54 pm

    5 stars
    So good! I didn’t have enough mushrooms so I subbed in some green capsicum for bulk, used fresh spinach and left out the parmesan.

    Reply
  3. Joseph Gregory says

    September 25, 2021 at 2:47 am

    5 stars
    Really enjoyed this one. Creamy, cheese, hearty, and with plenty of vegetables, might even try adding a bit of chicken next time !

    Reply
  4. Zoë says

    February 24, 2021 at 6:54 am

    Hello from London! Just made this for weekday dinners and had to comment how much my bf and I loved it. We topped it with sliced crispy fried ‘shroomdogs’ (vegetarian chorizo sausages) and a tiny squeeze of lemon juice and it was just delicious. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.

    Reply
  5. Jude Ritchie says

    January 27, 2021 at 6:49 pm

    Hi your recipie does not say how much or type of chicken

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 28, 2021 at 3:31 pm

      Hi Jude, that’s because there is no chicken in this Mushroom and Spinach Orzo! N x

      Reply
      • Bad Kitty says

        March 11, 2022 at 4:44 am

        Omg, some comments are so funny!

        Reply
  6. Sandra says

    January 16, 2021 at 11:02 am

    Made for dinner tonight, definitely will be making again! Pretty simple for such good flavor. Paired very nicely with the salmon I prepared!

    Reply
  7. Lynn Dahlson says

    January 13, 2021 at 6:02 am

    I made this and it is absolutely delicious! I also used a bag of fresh baby spinach. I used low-sodium chicken broth to reduce the amount of salt. It’s my new comfort food!

    Reply
  8. Amber Weiss says

    January 7, 2021 at 6:12 pm

    Milk is not cream. Milk and cream are both dairy but not the same thing exactly. Most creamy sauces are made with a lot of cream and as such are high in fat, creamy sauce with skim milk is different. So I think the NO cream is still valid. This was also quite a rude way to bring it up. There are plenty of alternative milks if you want non dairy, but as it has cheese (also from milk!) It shouldn’t be a big issue really.

    Reply
  9. Debbie Driscoll says

    September 28, 2020 at 6:41 am

    5 stars
    I can’t tell you how overwhelmingly positive the reactions were to this!!! I did use fresh, chopped, baby spinach because I had it. And it worked fine but could have used a little more. I made it with pan-seared sea scallops and couldn’t have worked out better! Thank you! Thank you!!! It will be on my regular rotation.

    Reply
  10. Stephanie Williams says

    April 27, 2020 at 12:56 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe , I used almond milk and it was delicious, also added fresh basil, kale and chestnut mushrooms.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 27, 2020 at 2:36 pm

      YUM! Sounds fantastic! N x

      Reply
  11. Layla says

    March 31, 2020 at 3:10 pm

    5 stars
    I just made this and it is absolutely delicious. Even my husband likes it and I didn’t expect him to like it at all. 🎩 off to you Nagi!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 31, 2020 at 5:10 pm

      That’s the BEST compliment Layla!! N x

      Reply
  12. Nagi says

    March 25, 2020 at 11:15 am

    Thanks so much Heather! N x

    Reply
  13. Stu says

    January 5, 2020 at 1:48 pm

    This tasted wonderful, and we enjoyed it, but the cooking time was way too short, and it was still a little soupy instead of creamy. There may be a couple of reasons for this:
    1. I doubled the recipe (I had exactly twice as many mushrooms as this called for).
    2. I added a little bit extra milk (just to empty the container). Less than 1/4 cup more. I didn’t think it would make it that soupy.
    3. I used fresh spinach, not frozen. That actually seemed to help.

    I had to simmer it for about 25 minutes instead of 8-10. But, I will probably be making this again

    Reply
    • Bad Kitty says

      March 11, 2022 at 4:43 am

      The cooking time is not “way too short” if you’ve altered the recipe, i.e., doubling it.

      Reply
  14. caytlin says

    November 13, 2019 at 10:29 am

    Does this freeze and reheat okay?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 13, 2019 at 6:10 pm

      Hi Caytlin, I find this tends to go a bit dry and gluggy if frozen unfortunately – N x

      Reply
  15. Dunia says

    September 12, 2019 at 4:38 am

    5 stars
    Nagi, you are the Queen of recipes!
    Whatever recipe I make of yours comes out so delicious and gets raves from family and friends. Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes!
    Dunia

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 12, 2019 at 8:03 pm

      Thank you so much Dunia, that’s lovely to hear!

      Reply
  16. Cidalia says

    September 11, 2019 at 9:25 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 11, 2019 at 8:03 pm

      Thanks so much Cidalia!

      Reply
  17. Kris Walker says

    August 20, 2019 at 9:24 am

    This was so good! Made it exactly as directed and everyone loved it. Saved to make again!

    Reply
  18. Fe says

    August 13, 2019 at 6:34 am

    This recipe says “NO cream”, what do you call milk? Isn’t that cream? I was so excited to see the No cream but when I read the recipe it calls for milk! So sad…..

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 13, 2019 at 12:51 pm

      Cream is derived from milk – it’s the fat that rises to the top of milk before it’s processed and bottled into what we buy (It’s skimmed off the surface). So no, cream isn’t the same thing as milk, it’s a different product. Cream also has a much higher fat content than milk 🙂

      Reply
    • Lily says

      September 2, 2019 at 5:05 pm

      You’re rude. I never understand why people feel the need to be disrespectful on someone’s blog.

      Reply
      • Bad Kitty says

        March 11, 2022 at 4:07 am

        I agree, Lily. I don’t understand it either.

        If @Fe can’t be grateful for a recipe, then move along. Absolutely no need to leave a rude comment.

        Reply
    • Karen Davison says

      October 17, 2019 at 9:35 am

      5 stars
      Use a milk substitute, look almond milk

      Reply
  19. Cathy says

    April 21, 2019 at 8:39 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! Each and full of flavour. Huge hit with my teenage kids. Definitely a keeper!

    Reply
  20. brenda meyer says

    March 8, 2019 at 11:21 am

    is very good and easy to make I cut the recipe in half as only feeding three people and one that dosent eat much and it was more than plenty yummy

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 8, 2019 at 6:07 pm

      That’s great Brenda, I’m so happy you love it!

      Reply
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