Herby Sausage Orzo
We love orzo! A little bit goes a long way, and this budget-friendly, one-pot recipe turns a pack of sausages into a hearty pasta dish for the whole family. Chestnut mushrooms have the perfect texture for this one, with a lovely nutty flavour that complements the delicate herby taste of fresh thyme, rosemary and parsley. Trust us, you’ll want to use fresh, rather than dried herbs – they’ll taste more vibrant, and add a lovely splash of green to your finished dish.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories418
- Carbs53g
- Protein28g
- Fat9.5g
- Saturates3.7g
- Sugars8.3g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
If you’re looking for a hearty meal that’s just as good for you as it is for your budget, this Herby Sausage Orzo has you covered. If you think it looks familiar, you might recognise it from our first-ever magazine – flick to page 45 if you’d rather cook from a book!
We’ve used juicy sausages to bring plenty of rich, savoury goodness, while chestnut mushrooms add a deliciously nutty bite. Everything comes together in just one pot, so you’ll spend less time washing-up and more time enjoying every forkful.
You can use dried herbs for this dish, but you can’t beat the magic of fresh thyme, rosemary and parsley when it’s stirred through. Our favourite thing about orzo is that it’s low in fuss; unlike risotto rice, you don’t have to keep stirring and stirring!
There aren’t many copies of Pinch of Nom: The Magazine left – tap here to order a copy.
What diets is this Herby Sausage Orzo suitable for?
You can make this orzo dish dairy-free by swapping in a suitable alternative for Parmesan cheese.
As always, take extra care when cooking for people with allergies and be sure to use different utensils, cookware and preparation areas.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Herby Sausage Orzo?
If you haven’t heard of orzo before, it’s basically a type of pasta that looks a bit like rice! You should be able to pick it up in your local supermarket in the pasta aisle.
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Dried orzo is great for making silky, risotto-like pasta dishes.
A 28cm hob-friendly casserole dish is ideal for this recipe.
How many calories are in this Herby Sausage Orzo?
There are 418 calories per portion in this Herby Sausage Orzo, which means it falls into our Weekly Indulgence category.
To cut down the amount of calories even more, you can simply halve the portion size and serve with a healthy accompaniment!
This Herby Sausage Orzo is perfect if you’re following a calorie-controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Spray a large, shallow casserole dish (suitable for use on the stove), or large deep frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray. Place over a medium heat and when hot, add the sausages. Cook for 15 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked through and evenly browned on all sides. Set aside on a plate.
Step 2
Add the onion to the casserole dish or frying pan, and cook for 10 minutes, until soft and golden brown, scraping up and stirring in any meaty bits in the pan. This will add flavour to the dish. While the onion is cooking, cut each cooked sausage into 8 slices.
Step 3
Add the mushrooms, garlic granules, mustard powder, rosemary sprigs and thyme leaves. Stir well and cook for 10 minutes until the mushrooms have browned and any juices have evaporated away.
Step 4
Add the stock, stir, then bring to the boil. Add the orzo and cooked sausage slices, and stir well, making sure that the orzo is covered by the liquid.
Step 5
Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring frequently so that the orzo doesn’t stick to the pan.
Step 6
Add the frozen peas for the last 5 minutes of cooking. It will be ready when the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Step 7
Stir in the Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and season with freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Remove the rosemary stalks and serve.
What could I serve with this Herby Sausage Orzo?
This Herby Sausage Orzo is delicious and filling as it is. You can serve it as part of a three-course dinner with these starter, side and dessert ideas:
How do you know when Herby Sausage Orzo is cooked?
This Herby Sausage Orzo is ready when the sausages are cooked through and the orzo is tender from soaking up most of the liquid. This can take just under an hour from start to finish.
Here in the UK, the standard advice is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and maintained that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep you and your family safe!
How long can you keep Herby Sausage Orzo in the fridge?
Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.
If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Herby Sausage Orzo in the fridge for approximately 2 days.
Can I freeze Herby Sausage Orzo?
Yes, you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough in individual portions.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label telling you the name of the recipe and the date you’re stashing portions in the freezer.
How do I reheat Herby Sausage Orzo?
From chilled: Place in a microwave-proof container with loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
From frozen: Allow to defrost, and heat covered in the microwave for 3-5 minutes then stir. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.
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Herby Sausage Orzo
This budget-friendly Herby Sausage Orzo turns a pack of sausages into a hearty family favourite that's bursting with flavours in one pot!
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Prep Time
15 MINS
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Cook Time
55 MINS
- KCals 418
- Carbs 53G
Instructions
- Spray a large, shallow casserole dish (suitable for use on the stove), or large deep frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray. Place over a medium heat and when hot, add the sausages. Cook for 15 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked through and evenly browned on all sides. Set aside on a plate.
- Add the onion to the casserole dish or frying pan, and cook for 10 minutes, until soft and golden brown, scraping up and stirring in any meaty bits in the pan. This will add flavour to the dish. While the onion is cooking, cut each cooked sausage into 8 slices.
- Add the mushrooms, garlic granules, mustard powder, rosemary sprigs and thyme leaves. Stir well and cook for 10 minutes until the mushrooms have browned and any juices have evaporated away.
- Add the stock, stir, then bring to the boil. Add the orzo and cooked sausage slices, and stir well, making sure that the orzo is covered by the liquid.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring frequently so that the orzo doesn't stick to the pan.
- Add the frozen peas for the last 5 minutes of cooking. It will be ready when the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and season with freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Remove the rosemary stalks and serve.
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Recipe notes
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2 comments
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NatashaWednesday 2nd April 2025
Hi, can you replace the fresh herbs for dried herbs in this recipe? Thank you 🙂
HollyThursday 3rd April 2025
Hi Natasha, you can swap the fresh thyme and rosemary for 1 tsp dried. The parsley needs to be fresh rather than dried but you can omit if you prefer, hope that helps!
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