Spinach and Orzo Side

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Orzo (1 cup)

Baby spinach (5 ounces)

Diced yellow onion (⅓ cup)

2 cloves of garlic

Pinch of red pepper flakes (to taste)

Salt

Pepper

First, cook the spinach. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Once heated, add olive oil. Add slightly smashed (but still intact) clove of garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until garlic softens and becomes fragrant. Add spinach, season with salt, and sauté until wilted. Remove spinach from the pan and chop the cooked spinach. Set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiled, add a generous amount of salt. Cook orzo, per package instructions or until al dente. Reserve cooking water before straining.

In the same pan that the spinach was cooked in, sauté minced garlic and onion until soft and translucent. Add cooked orzo. Add the cooked chopped spinach and fold into the orzo. Add reserved cooking water and continue to stir.

Serve with a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil and season with salt to taste.