One-Pot Sausage and Sage Parmesan Orzo in the pan overhead

This One-Pot Sausage and Sage Parmesan Orzo is a tasty and simple meal that’s full of flavor. You’ll get spicy sausage, fresh broccoli, and orzo pasta in a creamy Parmesan sauce, and the whole dish is topped with brown butter and sage bread crumbs! I adapted this recipe from NYT Cooking, and I think my lightened up version still tastes comforting and delicious. This recipe comes together pretty quickly and my whole family enjoys, so it’ll definitely be in our weeknight rotation. Plus, each serving of this Sausage and Sage Parmesan Orzo is just 294 calories or 9 WW Points on Weight Watchers! To view your current WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app, click here!

One-Pot Sausage and Sage Parmesan Orzo plated close up

Recipe Notes

  • Sausage: You want to use fresh, uncooked Italian chicken or turkey sausage in this recipe. I always use the hot and spicy kind, but you can use mild or sweet if that’s your preference! My grocery store (Wegmans) sells Hot Italian Poultry Sausage in both patties or links, so I just buy the patties for ease, but if your sausage comes in links, just remove the casings to access the ground sausage.
  • Sage: I recommend using fresh sage if you can find it in your local stores, but if you can’t, you can substitute two teaspoons of dried rubbed sage. I would suggest browning the bread crumbs in the butter for a couple minutes and then adding the dried rubbed sage for another minute or so to infuse the crumbs with sage flavor.
  • Broccoli/Vegetables: I added fresh chopped broccoli florets to get some veggies into this recipe and I thought they were great! I chopped them pretty small (about 1-inch) since the orzo pasta is small and the size blends better. If you want to try swapping in a different vegetable, spinach, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes would be great!
  • Parmesan: I shredded my own Parmesan using the finer holed side of my box grater. I think freshly grated melts easier, but you can save a step and buy shredded Parmesan if you prefer!
  • Better Than Bouillon: I love the flavor boost that Better Than Bouillon adds. I used the reduced sodium chicken base in this dish and I highly recommend it. Better Than Bouillon is similar to regular bouillon, but a paste instead of a cube or powder, and it just tastes really good. If you’d like, you could alternatively substitute some of the water in the recipe for chicken broth.
  • Pot/Pan: The original recipe on NYT Cooking recommended using a Dutch Oven, but I ended up making it in my large covered nonstick sauté pan. I don’t think you can go wrong either way, so use whatever is most convenient for you.
  • Serving Suggestion: I think this One-Pot Sausage and Sage Parmesan Orzo pairs really well with a side salad with either Italian dressing or Balsamic vinaigrette!

One-Pot Sausage and Sage Parmesan Orzo in the pan close up

More Tasty Lightened Up Pasta Recipes

If you love lightened-up pasta recipes like this One-Pot Sausage and Sage Parmesan Orzo and want more options, I’ve got you covered! Check out my One-Pot Beefy Creamy Tomato Pasta, Cajun Chicken Orzo Skillet, One-Pot Taco Pasta, One-Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta, Easy Skillet Lasagna, One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta, Loaded Spaghetti Bake, One-Pot Cheesy Chili Mac, One-Pot Turkey and Veggie Spaghetti, Chicken Pot Pasta, One-Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Spinach, Lemon Chicken Orzo, and so many more in the Pasta section of my recipe index!

One-Pot Sausage and Sage Parmesan Orzo in the pan overhead

One-Pot Sausage and Sage Parmesan Orzo

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 (1 cup) servings
This One-Pot Sausage and Sage Parmesan Orzo is a tasty and simple meal that’s full of flavor!
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 lb uncooked Italian poultry sausage, casings removed (can be turkey or chicken sausage)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 12 oz uncooked orzo pasta
  • 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon reduced sodium Chicken Base
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups chopped broccoli florets, (chopped to about 1-inch in size)
  • 2 oz Parmesan cheese, finely shredded

Instructions
 

  • In a large sauté pan (with a lid) or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped sage and stir to coat. Allow the butter and sage to cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until the butter begins to turn golden brown. Add the panko and stir to combine with the butter and sage. Cook for another 2-4 minutes until golden and toasted, stirring fairly often to brown the bread crumbs without burning them. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and transfer the bread crumbs with a side plate and return the pan to the stovetop.
  • Mist the pan with cooking spray and bring to medium heat. Add the raw ground sausage and cook, stirring and breaking it apart into small bite-sized chunks, for about 5 minutes or until just cooked through.
  • Add the garlic to the sausage and stir to combine. Cook for 30 seconds and then add the uncooked orzo. Stir together and then cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast the orzo. Add the teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon paste to the pan and then follow with the four cups of water. Stir together to combine.
  • Cover the pan and increase the burner heat to high to bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, uncover the pan and stir. Reduce the heat to med-low and allow to simmer for 6 minutes. Add the chopped broccoli and stir together. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the water is absorbed and the broccoli or bright green and cooked through.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the shredded Parmesan cheese. The cheese should blend with any leftover starchy water in the pan to make a creamy sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Sprinkle the sage bread crumbs from step one over the top of the pan before serving.

Notes

To view your current WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app, click here!
WW Points per (1 cup) serving: 9 (SP calculated using the recipe builder in the WW app)
Nutrition Information per (1 cup) serving:
294 calories, 38 g carbs, 2 g sugars, 8 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 17 g protein, 2 g fiber, 506 mg sodium (from myfitnesspal.com)
Weight Watchers Points Plus:
8 per (1cups) serving (PP calculated using a Weight Watchers PointsPlus calculator and the nutrition info)
Recipe adapted from NYT Cooking
Author: Emily Bites
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
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