One Pan Cajun Orzo with Sausage
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Seared spicy sausage, red onion, bell peppers and tender orzo come together in a spicy tomato sauce with bold and smoky Cajun flavors in this One Pan Cajun Orzo with Sausage! Ready in 30 minutes, this flavor-packed dish is perfect for busy weeknights!
About This Recipe
It’s no secret I love quick and easy meals. This One Pan Cajun Orzo with Sausage is now one of my top favorite quick meals for dinner!
We have seared spicy Italian sausage, red onion and red bell pepper, plenty of garlic and fresh red chilies, canned diced tomatoes, flavorful seasonings, and orzo pasta all cooked in one pan with broth! Finished with savory and nutty Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and sliced fresh basil, this is a flavorful dinner the whole family will love!
While I’ve made this dish spicy, I’ve included notes below on how to make it milder if you’re sensitive to heat or if you’re dining with children.
Ready in just 30 minutes, this feel-good Cajun pasta dinner is the perfect comfort food for busy weeknights!
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and easy.
- High protein. Each serving has 36 grams of protein.
- Customizable. You can add any veggies you like and use your favorite type of smoked sausage. It’s also gluten-free and vegetarian/vegan adaptable.
- Adjustable spice level. Make it mild so that the whole family, including children, can enjoy or spice it up if you like!
- Meal prep and freezer friendly. It keeps well in the fridge for a few days and can be prepped in advance for an easy reheatable lunch or dinner during the week. You can also make a big batch to freeze for an easy dinner during a busy season of life!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Spicy Italian Sausage: I used Fra’Mani spicy Italian smoked sausages. I’m love this brand because their sausages have great flavor, and are made without any artificial ingredients or added hormones and antibiotics. However, feel free to use any spicy or mild fully cooked sausages you love. Andouille sausage is a great option for Cajun flavors!
- Veggies: Red onion and red bell pepper. A small yellow onion and any other colored bell peppers or mini sweet peppers would also work.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic and fresh red chilies for a spicy kick! I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety can be used. A diced jalapeño would also work – remove the seeds for a milder flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Or you can cook the dish in olive oil or any other cooking oil you prefer.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: Use your favorite kind! Mine is Waitrose’s Italian Chopped Tomatoes with Olive Oil & Garlic. Canned crushed tomatoes would also work if you prefer not to have tomato chunks in the dish.
- Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base: I love using this broth base along with water to make an instant homemade chicken broth in the pan. It’s packed with great flavor! Plus, it’s great for when you want a small amount of broth and don’t want open up a large carton. If you don’t have it, season the dish with more salt. Alternatively, you can use chicken stock or broth from a carton too.
- Seasonings: Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, ground cayenne pepper, smoked paprika (use hot or sweet), dried oregano and thyme pack in a ton of flavor!
- Orzo Pasta: I love using orzo here as it’s easy to work with and cooks perfectly in this one pan dish. Use gluten-free orzo if needed or whole wheat orzo if preferred.
- Fresh Basil: Or use chopped fresh parsley or green onions to add a herbaceous note.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan Cheese): Freshly grated from a block as it’ll melt more uniformly.
One Pan Cajun Orzo with Sausage
Seared spicy sausage, red onion, bell peppers and tender orzo come together in a spicy tomato sauce with bold and smoky Cajun flavors in this One Pan Cajun Orzo with Sausage! Ready in 30 minutes, this flavor-packed dish is perfect for busy weeknights!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 links (6-6.5 ounces) / 180 grams Spicy Italian Sausages (I used Fra’Mani brand – or use your favorite sausages) – sliced into ½-inch coins
½ medium / 100 grams Red Onion (or use yellow onion or shallots) – diced - ½ medium / 100 grams Red Bell Pepper diced
2-3 cloves / 15 grams Garlic – minced - 4–5 pieces / 15 grams fresh Red Chilies, to taste (optional – I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety can be used, omit for milder dish, note 1*) – finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons / 4 grams fresh Basil Leaves (or use fresh parsley) – finely sliced into thin strips
- ¼ cup / 22 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan Cheese)
- ½ tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1 (14-ounce) can / 400 grams canned Diced Tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes, I used Waitrose’s Italian Chopped Tomatoes with Olive Oil & Garlic)
- 2 teaspoons / 12 grams Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base (note 2)
- 1–⅔ cups / 400ml Water
- 2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning (note 3)
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt, to taste (note 4)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
- ½–1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground Cayenne, to taste
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika (hot or sweet)
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 5.3 ounces / 150 grams Orzo Pasta (use gluten-free orzo if needed or whole wheat orzo if preferred)
- To Serve: Reserved basil and grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
Instructions
Prep:
- Prepare the ingredients: Slice the sausages into ½-inch coins. Chop the red onion, red bell pepper, garlic, red chilies (if using) and slice the basil as indicated in the ‘ingredients section). Grate the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese using a box grater.
Cajun Orzo with Sausage:
- Cook the sausage: Melt ½ tablespoon unsalted butter in a medium-sized deep sauté pan or deep edged skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and sear for a minute, then flip and sear the other side until browned.
- Sauté the veggies and aromatics: Add the red onion and red bell pepper. Sauté for a minute until just starting to soften. Then add the garlic and chilies and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the canned diced tomatoes, bouillon base, seasonings, and orzo: Add the canned diced tomatoes, Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken base, Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, ground cayenne, smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, and orzo. Mix well to combine.
- Add water and cook: Pour in the water and cover the pan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the orzo is tender. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the cheese and basil: Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then stir in most of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and sliced basil (reserve some of each for topping).
- Serve: Top with the remaining cheese and sliced fresh basil. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Fresh Red Chilies. Use more or less to tailor this dish to your heat level preference. You can leave them out completely for a milder dish or if dining with children. Same for the crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne.
- Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base. If you don’t have this on hand, add more salt. Alternatively, use 1-⅔ cups / 400ml chicken stock instead.
- Cajun Seasoning. Some store-bought Cajun seasoning blends have salt added already and can be quite salty. You may need to use less or more salt depending on your taste preference.
- Kosher Salt. I used a coarse kosher salt from Redmond Real Salt which is less salty than iodized table salt and sea salt. If using either table salt or sea salt, use a little less than the amount specified.
- Storing and reheating leftovers. Store any leftovers in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout. I recommend garnishing with cheese and basil after reheating.
- Double the recipe. This recipe makes enough for 2 adult sized servings but can easily be scaled up. Click the ‘2x’ button at the top of the recipe card to display double the ingredient amounts to make 4 servings. For water, you’ll need about 3 to 3.5 cups. You can always add more liquid if needed if you find the orzo absorbs all before it’s tender. Be sure to use a large 5-quart sauté pan to cook if doubling the recipe.
- See the ‘Variations’ section above if you’d like to customize this recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
- Calories: 682
- Sugar: 13.7g
- Sodium: 2361.2mg
- Fat: 26.6g
- Saturated Fat: 9.9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 73.3g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 35.9g
- Cholesterol: 71.4mg
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Looking for more easy orzo recipes? Try my Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo, this Marry Me Chicken Orzo, or Tomato Ricotta Pesto Orzo next!
How to Make One Pan Cajun Orzo with Sausage – Step-by-Step
Serving Suggestions
This Cajun Orzo with Sausage dish is filling on its own but if you’d like to have something to accompany it, some garlic bread and a simple side salad pair well with it.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout. Garnish with grated cheese and basil after reheating.
Cook’s Tips
- Make it milder. Omit or use less fresh red chilies, ground cayenne, and crushed red pepper flakes and use a sweet smoked paprika. Also opt for a milder flavored Cajun seasoning and use regular Italian sausage or any other mild flavored sausage.
- Double the recipe. This recipe makes enough for 2 adult sized servings but can easily be scaled up. Click the ‘2x’ button in the recipe card below to display double the ingredient amounts to make 4 servings. For water, you’ll need about 3 to 3.5 cups. You can always add more liquid if needed if you find the orzo absorbs all before it’s tender. Be sure to use a large 5-quart sauté pan to cook if doubling the recipe.
Variations
Dietary Modifications:
- Gluten-free. Use gluten-free orzo pasta. Make sure that your sausages and the chicken broth base/liquid chicken broth you’re using is gluten-free.
- Vegetarian/Vegan. Use plant-based sausage links and vegetable broth or a vegetable broth base. Beyond Sausage, Impossible Sausage, or the plant-based Italian sausages from LightLife or Field & Roast are some available options.
Flavor/Preference Customizations:
- Use a different sausage. I’ve tried this recipe with smoked andouille rope sausage and also smoked chicken sausage and both came out delicious! Smoked turkey sausage or your favorite sausages would also taste great.
- Use creole seasoning. For a milder and slightly more herbaceous flavor!
- Add another protein. I tossed in some sliced Air Fryer Chicken Breasts once and it went perfectly with the sausage in this Cajun orzo dish! You can also add some cooked shrimp at the end if you like. Check out my Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta with Shrimp.
- Add other veggies. Sautéed sundried tomatoes, asparagus, green beans, zucchini, baby spinach or baby kale, etc. Vegetables that take longer to soften should be added earlier on and leafy greens can be stirred in after most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Use a mix of colored bell peppers. Orange, yellow, red and green bell pepper would also work!
- Add a splash of heavy cream. For a creamy Cajun orzo pasta dish, stir in ¼ cup heavy cream when stirring in the parmesan cheese.
- Make it creamy without heavy cream. Stir in some blended cottage cheese fro more protein, whipped ricotta, or cream cheese at the end for a creamy finish.
FAQs
This Cajun orzo with sausage dish freezes beautifully and is a great make ahead meal. After cooking, cool quickly and transfer to freezer-friendly airtight sealed containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring once in between, until hot throughout. Garnish with grated parmesan and basil just before eating.
Yes, it is! However, you can tailor it to your spice level preference and make it milder by using sweet Italian sausages, leaving out the fresh red chilies, using less of the spicy seasonings, and opting for a mild Cajun seasoning.
Some store-bought Cajun seasoning blends have salt added already and can be quite salty. You can season the dish with less or more additional salt depending on your taste preference and how salty your Cajun seasoning is.
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