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Marry Me Baked Orzo is an easy dump-and-bake recipe made with tender orzo baked in a rich and creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. Made with simple ingredients (no Boursin here), this baked orzo comes together in just minutes of prep and bakes into a one-pan meal that's cozy, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned.
Love creamy sauces made with sun-dried tomatoes? Don't miss my recipes for Marry Me Chicken and Instant Pot Marry Me Chicken.
Kristen's Keys for Marry Me Orzo (Start Here)
For the best results, pay attention to the following steps. They will ensure the orzo turns out perfectly tender and the flavor really shines.
- Use a 9x13-inch baking dish. A deeper dish can prevent the orzo from cooking evenly or as quickly.
- Don't substitute the heavy cream. Half-and-half or milk can curdle at high heat. Heavy cream holds up during baking and creates a silky, rich sauce with just the right amount of indulgence.
- Choose oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. They offer better flavor and texture than dry-packed varieties, which can turn tough in the oven.
How to Make Baked Orzo
It truly doesn't get much easier than this baked orzo recipe. Add everything to one baking dish, give it a good stir, and let the oven do the work. Stir in spinach at the end for a boost of greens, or leave it out to keep things extra simple (and picky-eater friendly).
Step One: Combine
Add the orzo, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, seasonings, and parmesan to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour in the broth and heavy cream, then stir well to evenly combine. Make sure the orzo is mostly submerged in liquid so it cooks evenly.
Step Two: Bake
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and stir in the spinach. If the pasta is looking dry at this point, add in an additional ½ cup of broth or cream to the mix.
Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Step Three: Serve
Remove the orzo from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. This allows it to finish absorbing any remaining liquid and helps the sauce thicken slightly. Then if desired, top with fresh basil and extra parmesan before serving.
Notes on Yield & Serving Suggestions
This recipe makes about 6 servings as a main dish or it can stretch to 8 servings if paired with protein, salad, and/or side of bread. Here are some easy pairings that make sense for busy weeknights.
- Add a Salad: A light, crisp green salad made with mixed greens or leftover fresh spinach dressed with balsamic vinaigrette, zesty Italian, or Caesar dressing works well here.
- Add a Side of Veggies: Steamed broccoli, roasted asparagus, sautéed green beans with butter are all delicious pairings.
- Add a Side of Bread: Serve with garlic toast or a warm baguette paired with bread dipping oil.
- As a Side Dish: Serve the baked orzo alongside marinated grilled chicken thighs, baked salmon, or balsamic marinated pork tenderloin.
Recipe Modifications
- Add Chicken: Stir 1½-2 cups cooked shredded rotisserie chicken into the dish along with the spinach. The last few minutes will be just long enough to warm the chicken through without drying it out.
- Add Sausage: Slice 12 ounces fully cooked chicken sausage (Italian or garlic flavored sausage works best here) and stir into the baking dish with the orzo before baking.
- Make it Extra Cheesy: Stir in ½ cup shredded mozzarella with the spinach for an extra cheesy finish.
- Adjust the Spice: Increase or decrease the red pepper flakes as desired.
- Half the Recipe: Cut the ingredients in half and bake as directed in an 8x8 baking dish.
- Gluten-Free: I have not had success with gluten-free varieties of orzo when testing this recipe.
More Easy Baked Pastas
Marry Me Orzo
Video
Ingredients
- olive oil, for greasing pan
- 2 cups dry orzo
- 1 (7oz) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
- 4 cloves minced garlic, ~1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, + more to taste
- ½ cup grated parmesan, + more for serving
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken stock, + more as needed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, optional
- basil, for serving
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400℉. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Add orzo, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and ½ cup grated parmesan to the greased pan. Pour in broth and cream and gently whisk to evenly combine.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the dish from the oven. Carefully remove the foil, add spinach, and stir to gently incorporate. If you feel the pasta is too dry at this point, add an additional ½ cup of cream or stock.
- Return to the oven, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. A tiny bit of residual liquid is okay, it will absorb as the pasta sits.
- Let the orzo sit for 5 minutes, then serve with additional fresh parmesan cheese and ribbons of fresh basil if desired.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was excellent. It came together easily and everyone enjoyed it! I was wondering if it would work to make it a few hours ahead of time? Or is it likely to soak up too much moisture? Thanks for another terrific recipe!
Hi Jennifer! I am thrilled you enjoyed this so much 🙂 You can opt to assemble up to baking, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 8 hours in advance. You will want to remove your casserole dish and let it come to room temperature before baking (so the dish doesn't crack and it cooks evenly). If you want to bake in advance, I have done that myself. I do have a to add a splash of broth to reheat but it worked well.