An easy one-pot meal with Italian flavors! Creamy without the cream, this dinner is super delicious and is ready within 30 minutes. This one-pot hearty meal is loaded with hot or mild sausage (depending on your preference), peppers, herbs, and of course the star of the show, the orzo! My husband loves this, and I guarantee your family will too!
This recipe was an experiment that turned out as a success the second time around. The first time was way too much liquid. So much so that I had to drain it! I can proudly say that the second time is a charm rather than a third time. Don’t be scared of the number of ingredients. This recipe is simple and takes no time at all to make. Allowing the orzo to cook with the chicken broth made this dish creamy because of the starches that release from the pasta. The addition of tomato sauce gives it a nice color. A delicious one-pot meal is one with minimal effort, and that’s what this recipe is. All you need to clean is one pan, maybe a cutting board and plates, and that’s the best part!
How to make One-Pot Italian Sausage, Peppers, and Orzo
Super easy and made with fresh ingredients. You can make this with vegan sausage and veggie broth for a vegetarian/vegan dinner. (Full ingredient amounts and complete instructions are available in the recipe card down below).
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Hot or Sweet Italian Sausage: Substitute this for vegan sausage for a vegan/vegetarian option (such as beyond sausage). I used hot sausage, but the dish wasn’t hot at all! The spice of the sausage mellowed out when boiled in the chicken broth and tomato sauce.
- Red & Green Bell Peppers: I made this recipe with green and red bell pepper on the first attempt. The picture is with red bell peppers just because I forgot to get a green one! I love the taste of green peppers; it contributes a more bitter component to the dish, whereas red bell peppers tend to be sweeter. It’s a perfect combination.
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Tomato Sauce: You can use tomato passata/puree if you wish. You only need a small amount though.
- Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth: I always use reduced sodium. It’s much easier to control the salt when seasoning.
- Fresh Thyme, Oregano, Parsley, & Basil: You can use dried if that’s all you have.
- Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder
- Orzo: I used Dellalo brand orzo for this. Their product, in my opinion, tastes like a higher quality product. You can use any orzo though!
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Omit or use vegan cheese for a dairy-free option.
In a large pot, heat the oil on medium heat until shimmering. Brown the sausage on one side, then flip to allow the sausage to brown on the other side, and cover with a lid. This will steam the sausage so it cooks through; the internal temperature reaches 160F. Set aside on a plate. Add the red and green bell pepper and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and the bell peppers give a tiny bit of resistance when trying to cut them with a spatula. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more while stirring. Add the herbs and spices to the pot and stir to coat the veggies. Pour in the orzo, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Add the sausage back in with any accumulated juices. Stir to mix everything together. Cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat to medium-low, and allow to simmer until the orzo is al dente and the liquid is thoroughly reduced, stirring occasionally so that the bottom doesn’t burn. Turn off the heat and add the parmesan cheese. Stir to incorporate and serve with extra parsley for garnish.
Tips & FAQs
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days. It’s best enjoyed the day you make it since the orzo will absorb more liquid and become softer. To reheat: microwave for 3-4 minutes, stirring so everything heats evenly, or use a saucepan and heat on low heat, stirring. I haven’t tried freezing this, however, I think it’ll freeze well since there’s no cream used.
- Can I add other veggies to this? Absolutely. You can add artichokes, green beans, corn, or spinach.
- If adding corn: Frozen corn works best because you can add the corn at the end of the recipe when everything is done cooking, then stir it in so it heats up in the dish.
- If adding spinach:
- Fresh: Add it during the last 5 minutes of cooking when you’re simmering the chicken broth-tomato mixture so the spinach wilts to perfection.
- Frozen: Add it at the end of the recipe. When you turn off the heat, add the spinach and stir so it heats up in the dish.
- If adding artichoke hearts: I would use the jarred artichoke hearts. Drain from the liquid, and chop. Add the artichokes when sauteing the peppers and onions.
- If adding green beans:
- Fresh: Trim the ends, then add them with the chicken broth, tomato sauce, and orzo so they soften in the liquid.
- Frozen: Add the green beans at the end of the recipe. When you turn off the heat, add the greens and stir so it heats up in the dish.
- Variations:
- Since the dish isn’t hot with the hot sausage, feel free to add some crushed red pepper flakes to take it up a notch.
- Try swapping 1/2 cup of the chicken broth with dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay) for an elegant touch.
- Add a touch of heavy cream to make it a creamy one-pot recipe.
- You can switch the type of pasta used, however, keep in mind the shape and size. If you were to switch out the orzo for, say, rigatoni, you may have to add some more broth and tomato sauce to make up for the noodle size and cooking time. Some kinds of pasta take longer to cook, while some take no time at all. Be sure to adjust accordingly!
- What can I serve with this? This can be enjoyed by itself, or you can serve it with a side of sauteed garlic spinach (which is usually my go-to!) Serve with an arugula salad and balsamic dressing.
Want the recipe? Click print below! Let me know how it came out for you by tagging me on Instagram (@missravenskitchen) and using #missravenskitchen! Follow my Facebook page for updates as well! Let me know if I need to tweak anything.
One-Pot Italian Sausage, Peppers, and Orzo
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage, hot or mild
- 1 red bell pepper, medium dice
- 1 green bell pepper, medium dice
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped oregano, or 1 1/2 tsp dried
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley, or 2 tsp dried
- 2 tsp fresh chopped basil or 3/4 tsp dried
- 3 small sprigs of fresh thyme, or 3/4 tsp dried
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (16 oz) box orzo
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large saucepot, heat the olive oil on medium heat until shimmering. Brown the sausage on one side, flip, then cover the pot with a lid to allow the sausage to brown and cook through to an internal temperature of 160F, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Cook the bell peppers and onions in the saucepot, covered, until the onions are golden and soft, and the peppers are tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute more.
- Add the oregano, parsley, basil, and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir to coat the veggies.
- Pour in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, and orzo; stir to mix. Add the sausage back in with any accumulated juices; stir to mix. Turn the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the orzo is al dente.
- Remove from the heat and add the parmesan cheese. Stir to mix it into the orzo. Serve with extra parsley and cheese for garnish.
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days. It’s best enjoyed the day you make it since the orzo will absorb more liquid and become softer. To reheat: microwave for 3-4 minutes, stirring so everything heats evenly, or use a saucepan and heat on low heat, stirring. I haven’t tried freezing this, however, I think it’ll freeze well since there’s no cream used.
- Can I add other veggies to this? Absolutely. You can add artichokes, green beans, corn, or spinach.
- If adding corn: Frozen corn works best because you can add the corn at the end of the recipe when everything is done cooking, then stir it in so it heats up in the dish.
- If adding spinach:
- Fresh: Add it during the last 5 minutes of cooking when you’re simmering the chicken broth-tomato mixture so the spinach wilts to perfection.
- Frozen: Add it at the end of the recipe. When you turn off the heat, add the spinach and stir so it heats up in the dish.
- If adding artichoke hearts: I would use the jarred artichoke hearts. Drain from the liquid, and chop. Add the artichokes when sauteing the peppers and onions.
- If adding green beans:
- Fresh: Trim the ends, then add them with the chicken broth, tomato sauce, and orzo so they soften in the liquid.
- Frozen: Add the green beans at the end of the recipe. When you turn off the heat, add the greens and stir so it heats up in the dish.
- Variations:
- Since the dish isn’t hot with the hot sausage, feel free to add some crushed red pepper flakes to take it up a notch.
- Try swapping 1/2 cup of the chicken broth with dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay) for an elegant touch.
- Add a touch of heavy cream to make it a creamy one-pot recipe.
- You can switch the type of pasta used, however, keep in mind the shape and size. If you were to switch out the orzo for, say, rigatoni, you may have to add some more broth and tomato sauce to make up for the noodle size and cooking time. Some kinds of pasta take longer to cook, while some take no time at all. Be sure to adjust accordingly!
- What can I serve with this? This can be enjoyed by itself, or you can serve it with a side of sauteed garlic spinach (which is usually my go-to!) Serve with an arugula salad and balsamic dressing.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
775.51Fat (grams)
48.27Sat. Fat (grams)
15.79Carbs (grams)
105.55Fiber (grams)
8.95Net carbs
96.61Sugar (grams)
12.54Protein (grams)
39.8Sodium (milligrams)
1049.85Cholesterol (grams)
93.43
Miss Raven's Kitchen 
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