Oregano-Spiced Beef and Orzo

Savory seasoned lean ground beef simmered with tender orzo, sweet diced tomatoes, and wilted spinach in a rich garlic-herb broth.

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 18 min
• Total: 28 min
• Servings: 5
• Cuisine: Mediterranean
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $2.80/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• Low-Sugar
• Low-Fat
• Low-Cholesterol
• Low-Calorie
• Low-Saturated-Fat

Tags

• one-pot
• sauté
• quick
• comfort food

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (lean)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (with juices)
• 2.5 cup chicken broth (low-sodium)
• 1.5 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.75 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper (ground)
• 3 cup baby spinach (gently packed)
• 0.5 cup feta cheese (crumbled)

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, diced yellow onion, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper. Cook for 6 minutes, breaking the beef into crumbles, until the meat is thoroughly browned and reaches 160°F. Drain any excess fat.
2. Stir in the minced garlic and dried oregano, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the uncooked orzo pasta, the entire can of diced tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep pasta from sticking, until orzo is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
5. Remove skillet from heat, stir in the fresh baby spinach until just wilted, and top with crumbled feta cheese before serving.

Notes

Leftovers reheat exceptionally well with a tablespoon of water or broth to loosen the orzo.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 340
• Protein: 24.9 g
• Carbohydrates: 36.7 g
• Fat: 9.7 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Sodium: 987 mg
• Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
• Sugar: 4.8 g
• Cholesterol: 58 mg