Creamy butternut squash and spinach orzo

Recipe of the week - September 28th edition

We are fully into it…fall. Before you roll your eyes at another fall recipe, this one gives you just enough of those fall flavors without being TOO much. A twist on the fan favorite parmesan chicken meatballs with creamy spinach orzo…give it up for my creamy butternut squash and spinach orzo.

You roast butternut squash, blend it with ricotta until creamy, and fold it into the orzo for this super LUXE, creamy and flavorful dish. You are going to love it. I promise this isn’t a meatball blog, but pair it with the parmesan chicken meatballs and this meal is a 15/10.

Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Orzo with Parmesan Meatballs

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Parmesan Chicken Meatballs

• 1 lb ground chicken (1 package)

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs

• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 shallot, diced finely

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Orzo

• 1 cup orzo

• 2 tablespoons of butter

• 1 shallot, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 2 teaspoons of salt

• 1 teaspoon of black pepper

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 cups spinach, chopped and stems removed

Butternut Squash Sauce:

• 2 cups of butternut squash, peeled and rough dice (1 medium squash)

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

• 2 teaspoons of salt, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

• 1/2 cup of whole milk ricotta

• 1/2 cup of whole milk (can sub almond milk or water), plus extra if needed

• 1/3 cup of water (for thinning out pasta if too thick)

Instructions

Roast the Butternut Squash

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Peel and dice the squash: Peel the skin of the squash and then cut in half width-wise. Scrape out the seeds and then roughly dice. A medium squash should be about 2-3 cups of squash.

3. Arrange on baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread out squash and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

4. Roast squash: Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until very tender, stirring half-way through. NOTE: baking the squash might feel like an extra step, why not boil it? Roasting add so much depth of flavor and gives a great sweetness and toasty-ness to the dish!

Make the Meatballs

1. Prepare Meatball Mixture: While the squash bakes, dice shallots and in a large bowl, combine ground chicken, egg, Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, shallot, thyme, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well.

2. Form Meatballs: Using a cookie scoop, form the mixture into medium-sized meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

3. Bake Meatballs: When squash is done, bake for 17 minutes at 375°F, or until cooked through.

Make the Orzo

1. Sauté Shallot and Garlic: In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped shallot and cook for 1 minute. Add chopped garlic and cook for another minute.

2. Toast Orzo: Stir in dry orzo and toast for 1 minute.

3. Cook Orzo: Pour in chicken broth, add 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is cooked and the broth is absorbed (around 10-15 minutes). Add more broth or water if needed, but stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick.

Butternut Squash Sauce

1. Blend it up: While the orzo is cooking, get your blender or emersion blender ready. Let the squash cool slightly after it is done in the oven, and to the blender (or a large bowl if using emersion blender) add squash, ricotta, milk, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Blend until very smooth and no chucks of squash. The consistency should be thick but not super runny. Depending on the amount of squash you have, you might need to add extra milk to get it to the right consistency.

Finish the Butternut Squash and Spinach Orzo

1. Combine everything: With the squash sauce done, make sure the orzo is finished cooking. To the pan, add the squash sauce, spinach, parmesan cheese stirring well to combine and wilt the spinach slightly, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Add water if sauce is too tight: If the orzo is too thick or tight, you can create a more creamy consistency by adding some water. Start with 1 tablespoon at a time and stir to combine.

3. Check seasoning: Check your salt and pepper levels and add more if needed. ENJOY!