Description
A hearty side dish featuring creamy orzo, Tuscan kale, and spinach, topped with Parmesan and toasted pine nuts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups chopped Tuscan kale (1 bunch, 3 to 4 ounces)
- 2 large shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth (use lower sodium, if possible)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup orzo, uncooked
- 5 ounces baby spinach (roughly chopped)
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if desired)
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Measure out ¾ cup heavy cream to allow it to warm up a bit.
- Rinse the kale thoroughly to remove sand and grit. Tear or cut the leaves from the tough stems, discard the stems and roughly chop the kale (you should have about 2 cups). Thinly slice the shallots and mince the garlic.
- Heat olive oil and butter in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add kale and shallots and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add garlic, salt and pepper, and cook for one minute, stirring, until fragrant.
- Increase heat to medium high; add chicken broth and cream. Bring to a simmer. Stir in orzo, and reduce heat to medium low. Cook until orzo is tender, about 9 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Try not to overcook the orzo; it should be fairly firm, not mushy.
- Stir in spinach to wilt. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes.
- Serve as a hearty side dish, garnished with toasted pine nuts, if desired.
Notes
- This dish is perfect as a side for grilled meats or roasted vegetables.
- Experiment with different greens like Swiss chard if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 50mg