This easy zuppa toscana orzo recipe is inspired by my favorite soup from Olive Garden. It’s got the same delicious ingredients but served as a one pot pasta dish.
What is Zuppa Toscana Inspired Orzo
Brimming with the hearty goodness of spicy sausage, creamy parmesan orzo, and leafy kale, this Zuppa Toscana Inspired Orzo is like a comforting Tuscan hug in a bowl.
Inspired by the iconic soup from Olive Garden, this one pot pasta recipe packs the same flavors and textures as the original soup - but more hearty!
And although the original recipe calls for potatoes, I left them out because I am using orzo as the carb/starch.
It's the perfect cozy dinner for Fall nights.
I like to serve each bowl with a dusting or parmigiano and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Oh, and if you're into spice, add some red pepper flakes, too!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Olive Oil - Any neutral oil will work just fine.
- Spicy Italian Sausage - If you don't like spicy sausage, you could absolutely use a mild sausage.
- Onion - Shallots also work in place of onion.
- Carrots - I know the original recipe doesn't call for carrots... but I felt like it could use some color and more veggies is always a win in my household.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is the best for this recipe but you could also use the shelf stable jarred variety if you have to.
- Orzo - Uncooked orzo is what I recommend as its my favorite pasta for a one-pot pasta recipe. If you change the pasta shape, you will need to adjust the liquid and proportions.
- Chicken Broth - You could use chicken or veggie broth or stock in this recipe. Water also works but I'd add a bouillon cube for more flavor.
- Chopped Kale - Spinach or escarole also works in place of kale.
- Milk - You could also use heavy cream but I'm using milk like the original recipe uses.
- Parmigiano - Any hard, aged italian cheese will work just fine. Try pecorinio, grana padano or romano.
How to make it
Add olive oil, onion and carrot to a heavy bottomed pan (I’m using a braiser) over medium heat. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Once the vegetables are tender, add the sausage and use your spatula to break it up. Cook this mixture until the sausage is 75% cooked.
Now garlic and cook down for another few minutes or until it's starting to get tender and fragrant.
Add uncooked orzo and the stock and stir.
Once simmering, put the lid on and let cook for about 6 minutes.
Remove lid and add kale and milk and stir once more.
Put the lid back on and let the dish cook for 4 more minutes or until the pasta is Al dente and the kale is tender.
Add the cheese and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
What goes with Zuppa Toscana Inspired Orzo
If I were serving this tasty zuppa toscana orzo, I would pair it with my crescent roll garlic knots, some ricotta crostini, or even some baked pesto meatballs!
For dessert, I'd make my easy cake mix pumpkin muffins or these delicious strawberry shortcake oreo truffles.
If you'd like more tasty orzo recipes, try one of these!
Frequently asked questions
How is orzo different from pasta?
Orzo isn't much different than most pastas. Although it looks like a rice grain or even a risotto grain, orzo is just pasta shaped like that!
Do you need to rinse orzo before cooking?
No, you do not need to rinse orzo because cooking. Since it's a pasta, you can skip rinsing the starch off of it.
What culture is zuppa toscana from?
Zuppa Toscana, a hearty soup spinning a comfort food tale, hails from the picturesque region of Tuscany, Italy.
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Recipe
Zuppa Toscana Inspired Orzo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 large Sweet Onion finely chopped
- ½ cup Carrots grated
- ½ lb Spicy Italian Sausage ground
- 5 cloves Garlic finely chopped
- 1 cup Uncooked Orzo
- 2 cups Chicken or Veg Broth
- 2 cups finely chopped Kale
- 1 cup Milk
- ½ cup Parmigiano shredded
- Salt and Pepper
- ½ lemon juiced for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- Add olive oil, onion and carrots to a heavy bottomed pan (I’m using a braiser) over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt and cook for 3-5 minutes or until soft.
- Add the sausage and break it up into tiny bits using your spatula. Once it's 75% cooked, add in garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Then add uncooked orzo and the broth and stir. Once simmering, put the lid on and let cook for about 6 minutes.
- Remove lid and add kale and milk and stir once more. Put the lid back on and let the dish cook for 4 more minutes or until the pasta is Al dente and the kale is tender.
- Add the cheese and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- When plating, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, more parm, flaky salt and red pepper flakes on top if desired.
Cara
So delicious! I used chicken sausage and a tiny bit of nutmeg. It’s the middle of summer, but this is fall comfort food perfection!
Laura
SO. GOOD. The flavors were so on point, my family could not get enough. Just perfect!
Jess Whittington
This tastes INCREDIBLE and was super easy to make! The flavors are amazing! I swapped out the orzo for some Israeli couscous but followed the exact same instructions and the couscous turned out perfect. Will absolutely be making this again!!!
Abbie
Made this tonight and my whole family loved it! Even my picky toddler!