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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
So delicious, so easy. I increased amount of chili paste slightly and broiled for last few minutes to brown the cheese a bit. This will be on heavy rotation in my house.
Hi Lauren,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xT
Are the artichokes drained or undrained? Some marinated artichokes come in only oil and some with water – which one is preferable?
Hi Roberta,
For this recipe, you will want to use artichokes marinated in olive oil and add the oil to the dish. I hope you love this recipe! xx
I followed the recipe to a T and didn’t need any extra water, I did add 2 minutes to the final cook time because my cheese was browned unevenly so I rotated the pan. Orzo was cooked perfectly! I might have been a little heavy handed with the chili, but that was on me! Delicious!
Hi Kate,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear this dish turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xT
Incredibly tasty but I too suspected the orzo would not cook in the amount of time specified…..it actually needed at least one cup more liquid and 20 minutes longer before adding the cheese. Great flavour in the end!
Hi Julie,
Thanks for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Glad to hear it turned out for you:) xx
Another winner from HBH! Almost my entire weekly menu comes from this website. 😋
Unlike some others, I found that the amount of liquid was perfect. I did bake for about ten more minutes than recipe stated though and finished under the broiler for a crispy cheese top. My local store didn’t have fontina, so I subbed Gruyere with fantastic results. We will definitely have this again.
Hi Shayla,
Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! Thanks for making so many recipes:) xT
This is such a tasty, easy to put together recipe! I agree with others-had to add a little more water and 10 more mins to cook time for orzo to be cooked. Overall, great recipe!
Thanks so much Laura! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you:) xT
Any thoughts on adding shrimp to this? When in the process would work best?
Hi there,
For best results, I would cook the shrimp on the side:) I worry if you add it to this dish it might get overcooked. I hope you love this recipe! xT
I’m planning to make this tonight. I wish there were more photos of the steps or process instead of so many of the finished product. Trying to figure out what 3 cups of baby spinach looks like. It’s sold by weight.
Hi Vicki,
It should be the entire 5 oz bag of spinach:) I hope you love this recipe! xT
Is that strips of nori on top of the orzo bake?
Hi Teri,
It’s fresh basil:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! Xx
Would pearled farro, or Trader Joe’s farro, work in this? Would the water ratio be the same? Thanks.
Hi Deborah,
So sorry, I am honestly not sure as I have never tested this before! Please let me know if I can help in any other way! Xx
Is there a gluten free pasta that I can substitute? It looks fantastic!
Hi Kay,
Sure, Delallo makes a great gluten free orzo:) I hope you love this recipe! Xx
Love this recipe! Any tips on modifying to be able to prep ahead and refrigerate to bake at a later date? I was worried the water would absorb and then not want to over dilute it. Thanks!
Hi there,
So glad you have been enjoying this recipe! I would probably fully make the recipe and then just cover and reheat on low to warm through. I hope this helps! xT
Love your recipes. Wondering if I could put chicken thighs in this and turn into one pot meal? Don’t know how to adjust it for cooking chicken or if it would be okay to do that even. Thank you!!
Hi Kristen,
I would probably just add some pre-cooked shredded chicken to this for best results:) I hope you love this recipe! xT
This is SO good! And the leftovers are amazing! I made it with gruyere in place of the fontina (my store was out of it) and used a teaspoon of chili flakes for the chili paste. Might add a little more next time for just a little more heat. One question – I wasn’t sure from the recipe if I should drain the artichokes (so I did) and now reading the article it looks like you poured in the oil from the jar? (Or was that the olive oil?) It turned out fine but I thought I’d confirm. Thanks for a great dish!!
Followed the recipe to the letter. I suspected the pasta wouldn’t be cooked, and I was right. I’d make this again, but I’d definitely parboil the orzo (or pan fry it in a bit of olive oil). As it is, I dumped a bunch more water over it AFTER the cheese. It’s in the oven now – we’ll see how it turns out. But thanks for a great suggestion! I really do appreciate the idea.
Hi Amy! I really hope this turned out for you! Any update on how it went? xT
Turned out fine, thanks again. I would still parboil the pasta next time I make this (and there WILL be a next time) 🙂
Do you use Provolone or Fontina cheese? In the above story you say to add mozzarella and provolone after pulling out of the oven. But the ingredients in the recipe call for fontina.
Hi there! You can use whatever cheese you prefer! 🙂 xT
One of my go to recipes. I add mushrooms that I saute with the garlic and shallots. Also added some chick peas in and it gave it a nice added texture and fiber.
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! Have a great rest of your week! 🙂 xT