Orzo Pesto with Sausage

The pine nuts toasted nuttiness compliments the creaminess of the grated parmesan and crumbled feta, the brightness of the spinach and basil, and the acidity of the sundried tomatoes, while a good quality olive oil ties it all together.

If you’ve been following Cooking with Carbs for a while you’ll notice that I make a lot of pesto, but that wasn’t always the case. The first time I really enjoyed pesto was in a little cafe in Rome during an exceptionally hot day. My husband and I had gotten into the habit of taking long sightseeing walks around the city before eating lunch, going back to our hotel, then waiting out the hottest midday sun before venturing out in the late afternoon. I decided to order pesto that day because the green sauce sounded so refreshing. It was a revelation. Creamy yet bright, and simply bursting with flavour. Now I can’t get enough pesto. 

Traditional Pesto is a raw sauce made out of a combination of cheese, herbs, nuts, and garlic. It’s incredibly versatile, and allows for endless variations and combinations. A traditional pesto is made with Parmesan, Basil, Pine Nuts, garlic, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but you can always switch it up once you get the hang of the underlying technique. The traditional way to make a pesto is with a mortar and pestle, but I like to use a food processor which enables me to have this Pasta with Pistachio and Kale Pesto on the table in twenty minutes.

This Orzo Pesto with Sausage is a twist on the classic. I used spinach for some added nutrients and a slightly different flavour profile from the traditional basil only sauce. I used the traditional pine nuts because their toasted nuttiness compliments the tang of the grated parmesan and crumbled feta, the brightness of the spinach and basil, and the acidity of the sundried tomatoes, while a good quality olive oil ties it all together. From stove to table in twenty minutes, this Orzo Pesto with Sausage is as quick as it is delicious. I promise that if you make it, it will soon become one of your favourite dishes as well.

TOTAL TIME

• Preparation Time – 5 minutes
• Cooking Time – 15 minutes
• Total Time – 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS FOR ORZO PESTO WITH SAUSAGE

All the ingredients for this Orzo Pesto are easy to source from any local grocer.

Pesto

• 2/3 cup Pine Nuts
• 2 cups Baby Spinach
• 1 cup Fresh Basil
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
• 3 tbsp Feta
• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Sundried Tomatoes in Oil

Sausage

• 4 Spicy Italian Sausages
• 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic

Pesto Orzo with Sausage

• 3 cups Orzo
• 1/4 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup Olives, pitted and sliced
• 1/2 cup Pasta Water, reserved

WHAT IS FETA CHEESE?

Feta is a crumbly cheese made from goat or sheep milk, and stored in brine. It is very tangy and salty and tastes delicious alongside the garlic and sundried tomatoes in this dish.

CAN I MAKE THIS VEGETARIAN?

If you’d like to make this delicious pesto vegetarian you absolutely can. I would suggest taking all the same steps, simply leaving out the sausage. The final dish will have different flavour, but I promise you that it will still be delicious.

WHAT IS PARMESAN CHEESE?

Parmesan, or Parmigiano Reggiano is an Italian hard cheese. Both names are protected designations of origin in Italian and Europe for the particular style of cheese produced in Reggio Emilia, Parma, Bologna, and Modena. In order to ensure you are buying authentic Parmesan outside of the EU, you should look for cheese made in Italy with a guarantee of authenticity and the label Parmigiano Reggiano on the package.

WHAT DO YOU USE BABY SPINACH?

Baby spinach is very tender, and requires no trimming or prep in order to mince it into a beautiful pesto.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

CAN I USE REGULAR SAUSAGE?

Of course you can use non spicy sausage. I like a bit of heat to contrast the creaminess of the pesto, but you can absolutely use regular sausage.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE ANOTHER NUT FOR PINE NUTS?

Absolutely. You can use a fatty nut like cashews or pistachios if you’d like. The important thing is you want to use a nut that has fat, which will allow it to toast beautifully and pulse smoothly.

CAN I USE ANOTHER KIND OF CHEESE?

You need to use a hard sharp cheese in this recipe. If you’d like to substitute Parmesan for something else, you could certainly use Pecorino or Grana Padano, both of which are delicious sharp cheeses.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE ANOTHER LEAFY GREEN FOR SPINACH?

Other leafy greens that would work beautifully in this pesto would be Kale and Arugula, both of which will change the flavour of this pesto while remaining delicious.

CAN I USE REGULAR SUNDRIED TOMATOES?

Sundried tomatoes in oil add acidity, flavour, and richness to this recipe. In a pinch, you could use dry sundried tomatoes but they are chewier and might stand out more texturally than those in oil.

EQUIPMENT FOR ORZO PESTO WITH SAUSAGE

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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make this Orzo Pesto with Sausage:

• Pan

• Kitchen Knife – Zwilling J.A. Henkel Kitchen Knife a good kitchen knife is a necessary tool for any home cook. Quality and price point varies widely. This is what I use at home. It’s a perfectly decent knife, while still being very affordable.

• Cutting Board

• Kitchen Aid Food Processor – I use my Kitchen Aid Food Processor whenever I need to to finely chop and puree vegetables or a sauce. It works beautifully to chop the pine nuts into fine mince, and then pulse and mix all the pesto ingredients together.
  

• Small Pot

COOKING DIRECTIONS

This Orzo Pesto with Sausage can be prepared in twenty minutes. It is as simple to prepare as it is delicious as long as you follow a few tips:

1. Always use baby spinach.
2. Caramelize your sausage.
3. Use only good quality olive oil and Parmesan.

MAKE AHEAD STORAGE

If you’d like, you can prepare your pesto in advance and store it in the fridge for up to four days.

This delicious orzo can be stored in the fridge for up to four days, and can be frozen in an airtight container.

FINISHED DISH

Enjoy your delicious Pesto Orzo with Sausage!

OTHER ORZO DISHES

Quick and Easy Orzo Pilaf

OTHER SAUSAGE DISHES

Quick and Delicious Shrimp and Sausage Pasta

Lasagna with Sausage and Beef

OTHER PESTO DISHES

Pasta with Pistachio and Kale Pesto

Smoked Salmon Pesto Pasta

Pesto Sausage Ravioli Recipe

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

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