Creamy Corn and Spinach Orzo

5 from 1 vote

This Creamy Corn and Spinach Orzo is an easy homemade side dish that comes together in under 20 minutes! Perfect alongside a grilled steak, pork tenderloin or chicken. Hearty enough to be served as a main vegetarian dish too!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Comfort Food, corn, orzo, orzo pasta, spinach leaves, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 1141kcal

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Ingredients

1 cup orzo pasta
3 Tbsp. butter
2 1/2 cups corn, shucked right off the cobb (about 4-5 ears)
6 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups baby spinach leaves, stems trimmed
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook orzo pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté your corn in the butter for 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook for one minute. Add the baby spinach leaves and cook for about 2 minutes just until they're wilted.
Stir in your orzo, heavy cream, grated Parmesan and lemon juice and simmer on low until heated through. You can season with some salt and pepper and if you think your orzo mixture is too thick you can thin it out with some chicken broth or water.

Notes

You can use fresh corn shucked right off the cob for this recipe. If you can't find fresh you can use frozen.

Don't skip the lemon juice here. It gives this dish a nice fresh lemony flavor without being overpowering.

Nutrition