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The Easiest One Pan Spinach and Artichoke Orzo Bake. Trust me, this is going to become your new go-to for busy nights. Marinated artichokes with fresh spinach, garlic, and olive oil, all tossed together with dry orzo pasta, basil pesto, and then finished with melty fontina cheese. This tasty dish is all made in one pan without even having to boil any water. Simply mix, bake, eat, and enjoy!
Happy Monday! I’m writing this from sunny, warm Miami. Here for a very quick trip but soaking up as much of the warm weather as I can. But by the time you read this, I’ll be home.
I made this yummy bake last week and have been so excited to share it ever since. It’s so good and I think you’ll all love how easy it is to make!
If you remember from last year, I made a Caprese Orzo Bake that I quickly started to make on repeat throughout the spring and summer.
It’s such a smart cooking method that saves us all so much time. And because of that, we especially love this recipe.
I took inspiration from that recipe and applied the cooking method to this orzo bake. I just love the variety of flavors! Plus, it means that there is truly no effort to this one pan pasta dish.
Here are the details
This recipe is so simple it’s going to shock you!
Start with your baking dish. Use a casserole-style pan that can fit lots of pasta and cheese.
To the bottom of the pan, add in the olive oil, garlic, herbs, and spices. I used a few Italian chilies for some heat, and a small amount of paprika too.
Add dry orzo pasta right to the pan, no need to boil it!
Now, mix in the artichokes. It’s best to use jarred marinated artichoke hearts. They’ll come with a mix of oil and spices. I use the DeLallo brand.
Dump the oil and artichokes directly into the pan with the orzo for an even more delicious flavor.
Next mix in basil pesto and a pinch of chili flakes. Or try using the Calabrian chili paste I’ve been loving.
From here simply add water and bake it all up in the oven. As everything bakes together, the orzo will soak up the water and become perfectly cooked. It’s such a simple way to cook orzo pasta!
Pull the dish out, add a mix of mozzarella and provolone cheese, then bake again until the cheese is all melty and bubbling up.
It’s going to smell so delicious!! The pesto really is such a nice addition to the spinach and artichokes.
Top with plenty of fresh basil and that’s literally it. SO SIMPLE, SO DELICIOUS! And I love that there’s basically no prep or extra dishes.
Simple but delicious really is the key! Especially as we head into the nice springtime weather! Of course, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Looking for other easy pasta bakes? Here are my favorites:
One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Whipped Ricotta
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake
Lastly, if you make this Easy One Pan Spinach and Artichoke Orzo Bake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pan Spinach and Artichoke Orzo Bake
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 543 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- 1-2 tablespoons crushed Calabrian chili paste, or chili flakes, to taste
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 1 jar (12 ounces) marinated artichokes, quartered (or use 2 smaller jars)
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 3 cups baby spinach, chopped
- 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the olive oil, garlic, shallots, basil, paprika, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Add the dry orzo, artichokes, and pesto. Pour over 2 1/4 cups of water and stir to combine. Place the spinach on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until most of the water has cooked into the pasta, but not all of it.3. Stir the pasta around, then sprinkle the cheeses overtop. Bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling. If there's a lot of oil from the pesto on top, drain off the excess. Top with fresh basil!
This post was originally published on February 27, 2023
Sounds delicious. Perfect for Lent.
Thanks so much Elaine! Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
Need carbohydrates as I am diabetic and need to control my intake
Hi there,
So sorry, I do not have that info available. I’m sure you can find that info if you input the ingredients into an online nutritional calculator. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
You mentioned mozzarella and PROVOLONE in the middle of the blog post but fontina in the recipe. Will you confirm you would use Fontina over Provolone (or does it really matter)?
Hey Christy,
It really doesn’t matter, if you can get the fontina, I would go with that! Let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hi! If I want to use chicken instead of artichoke, any tips on how I could do that?
Hey Lauren,
Since you will want to use the oil in the artichoke jar, I’m not sure I would totally omit the artichokes, but if you wanted to add chicken, I think that would be a great idea! I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
For Gluten Free Folks… not rolls!!
Lol no worries, I knew what you meant:)
Ti egan…
For gluten free rolls,
what is the best Substitute for the Orzo?
I have searched and have never found a GF orzo??
Use Rice? Or a GF pasta, elbow or penne?
Hi Eileen,
You could order GF orzo online:) If not, a gf mini pasta like elbows or mini shells would also work well for you! Arborio rice is a great option too! I hope this helps! xx
What would you serve with this to complete the meal ??
I would serve a salad and bread.
Thank You!!!
I’m going to serve this to my Maj group with a salad and baguette. Looks super easy and delish.
I hope you love the recipe Maxine!
I am serving with a roast chicken!
Great idea Nancy!
Hi Mary Lou,
I think a salad would be great to serve this with! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
I can’t wait to try this. Your description and recipe detail mention Fontina, but the directions list Provolone in combination with the Mozzarella. Do you have a preference. Both sound like they would be great.
Hey Embee,
You’re going to use mozzarella and fontina in this recipe, but you could easily use provolone if you would like:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Your directions mention adding basil pesto but this is not shown in the ingredients. How much do you use?
The ingredient list says to use 1/2 cup basil pesto.
Hey Sue,
The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of basil pesto which is added in step 2. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
Might be a stupid question but if I make 2 of these (for a crowd) an idea how much I should adjust the baking time?
Hey Cynthia,
Not stupid at all, you should be able to keep the bake time the same as long as you are doing 2 separate dishes and not doubling in one pan:) I hope this helps! Let me know how this recipe turns out for you! xT
One word: YUM.
Thanks so much Judy! Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
Can you add chicken ?
I was wondering the same thing. My guess is yes.
Hey Janet,
Totally, chicken would be fantastic!! xT
Hey Randy,
Sure, chicken would be a great addition here! Let me know if you give this dish a try, I hope it’s a hit! xx
Sounds good but I am not an artichoke fan, is there a substitution that would work?
Hey Nancy,
You might like this recipe better:
https://fett-weg.today/one-pan-caprese-pesto-orzo-bake/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> It’s pretty similar, no artichokes, and just as delicious! Let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
Do you like Hearts of Palm? I would use those in place of artichokes….
Do you drain the oil from the jarred artichokes?
Ashley, read the post. It’s very specific.
It doesn’t say Lisa.
In the article itself, not the recipe, she says “dump the oil and the artichokes directly into the pan.”
Her description in the blog is a bit vague, but I believe she says to use both the artichokes and oil.
Now, mix in the artichokes. It’s best to use jarred marinated artichoke hearts. They’ll come with a mix of oil and spices. I use the DeLallo brand.
Dump the oil and artichokes directly into the pan with the orzo for an even more delicious flavor.
Hey Ashley,
Nope, you are going to use the whole jar, so no need to drain:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Any suggestion for a rice substitute to make this gluten free? I haven’t found a GF orzo that we like.
Have you tried DeLallo gluten free orzo? Order through amazon
Try arborio rice. It would be the most similar in size and composition.
Hey Bryanna,
Arborio rice would probably work well for you! You could also do another mini gf pasta, like mini shells or elbows. I hope this helps! Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xx