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One Pan Cajun Orzo with Sausage

Closeup of spatula pushing spicy cajun tomato orzo with sausage and peppers to edge of skillet.
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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!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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:

  1. 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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).
  6. Serve: Top with the remaining cheese and sliced fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Equipment

Notes

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. See the ‘Variations’ section above if you’d like to customize this recipe.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thatspicychick.com/one-pan-cajun-orzo-sausage/