Tomato, White Bean and Spinach Orzo
Tender orzo, creamy white beans and spinach in a garlicky tomato sauce, finished with fresh basil. A pantry-friendly meatless dinner.
Orzo looks like rice, but it cooks like the pasta it is. Here it catches a chunky tomato sauce, while cannellini beans bring a soft, creamy contrast without adding cream. Spinach and torn basil go in at the end to keep their color and flavor.
Cooking the pasta in its own saucepan makes the sauce easier to control. Tomato brands vary in thickness, and different orzo shapes absorb different amounts of liquid. A little reserved pasta water brings the two together without relying on one exact absorption time.
Use drained, ready-cooked beans and plain canned tomatoes. The short ingredient list leaves room for the garlic and basil to come through. This is a spoonable, saucy pasta dinner rather than a dry pasta salad; serve it while it is still loose and glossy.
Why you’ll love this recipe
The sauce simmers while the orzo cooks separately. Beans warm gently without breaking down, and starchy pasta water helps the tomato sauce cling to the pasta.
Before you start · Equipment
Large saucepan, colander, measuring jug and a deep 28 cm / 11 inch skillet.
Everything you’ll need.
Get your ingredients ready, then follow the quantities in the recipe below.
See ingredient amounts
This guide describes the original 4 servings. Use the recipe card for amounts adjusted to your chosen yield.
Before you start
Large saucepan, colander, measuring jug and a deep 28 cm / 11 inch skillet.
Portions and timing
Preparation and cooking times are estimates. Use the texture and doneness cues in the steps. Changing the serving quantity scales ingredients, not pan size, oven temperature or cooking time.
About the ingredients
- Orzo
Use dried wheat orzo, not rice. The recipe starts with 250 g uncooked pasta.
- White beans
The 240 g measure is the drained weight of already-cooked beans, not dried beans.
- Tomatoes
Use the entire contents of the can, including its juice.
- Basil
Tear the leaves at the last moment and add off the heat.
How to make Tomato, White Bean and Spinach Orzo
Soften the onion. Simmer the sauce and cook the orzo. Fold in beans and spinach. Bring the pasta together.
1. Soften the onion
2. Simmer the sauce and cook the orzo
3. Fold in beans and spinach
4. Bring the pasta togetherTomato, White Bean and Spinach Orzo
Tender orzo, creamy white beans and spinach in a garlicky tomato sauce, finished with fresh basil. A pantry-friendly meatless dinner.
chefzelish.com
Tomato, White Bean and Spinach Orzo
Tender orzo, creamy white beans and spinach in a garlicky tomato sauce, finished with fresh basil. A pantry-friendly meatless dinner.
Ingredients
0 / 10 readyIngredient amounts for 4 servings
Pasta and tomato sauce
Let’s make it.
Soften the onion
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds without letting it brown.
Simmer the sauce and cook the orzo
Add the tomatoes, measured salt and pepper to the skillet. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally. In parallel, salt the boiling water to taste and cook the orzo according to the packet until just tender. Before draining, scoop out 250 ml of the cooking water.
Fold in beans and spinach
Stir the drained beans into the tomato sauce and heat for 3 minutes. Add the spinach a handful at a time and stir for another 1–2 minutes until wilted. If the sauce sticks, loosen it with a small splash of reserved pasta water.
Bring the pasta together
Fold the drained orzo into the sauce over low heat. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time, starting with 60 ml, until the pasta is loose and saucy; you may not need it all. Stir for 1 minute, remove from the heat and fold in the basil. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then divide between four bowls.
Notes from the kitchen.
Helpful tips
Check the pasta packet: very small orzo can cook faster than larger shapes. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer, and do not rinse the cooked pasta.
Make it your own
Use drained butter beans instead of cannellini beans. Small shell pasta can replace orzo; follow its own cooking time. This recipe contains wheat. Check packaged ingredients for other allergens.
Storage & freezing
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in a covered container within 2 hours. Eat within 48 hours, or freeze. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout, loosening with a little water.
At the table
Serve as four moderate main portions, with a green salad if desired. For larger appetites, add bread or divide into three portions.
A little something delicious.
Keep this recipe close for the next time the craving strikes.
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