One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo

Busy weeknights call for quick and easy dinners—and this One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo fits the bill. Tangy sun-dried tomatoes meet sweet shallots to create the foundation of flavor for this dish. Fiber-filled whole-wheat orzo is toothsome and perfectly balances the creamy cannellini beans, while marinated artichoke hearts and balsamic vinegar add a splash of acidity that complements the herby, creamy garlic-and-herb cheese. Spinach and basil add freshness and a pop of color. Best of all, this nutritious recipe is made in one skillet in only 30 minutes, which means your evening just opened up for other things. Keep reading for our expert tips, including ingredient substitutions. 

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• We call for baby spinach in this recipe, as its leaves are more tender and sweeter than mature spinach.
• Replace the garlic-and-herb Boursin with cracked pepper Boursin for a flavor profile similar to cacio e pepe.
• Toasting the orzo gives it a slightly nutty flavor, and coating it in oil helps prevent it from clumping together.
• The starches from the orzo, along with the cheese, provide the creamy base for this one-pot meal.

Nutrition Notes

• Cannellini beans are a type of legume and, like all legumes, are a great source of lean plant-based protein. They also bring complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting antioxidants to this dish, making them tiny power-packed packages of nutrition.
• Sun-dried tomatoes are simply tomatoes that have been salted and dried in the sun or a dehydrator. This concentrates the nutrients in the tomatoes, which include vitamins C and A and fiber. It also gives the tomatoes a slightly chewy texture and tangy zing. 
• Whole-wheat orzo is a type of pasta shaped like rice. Because this orzo is whole-wheat, it’s higher in fiber than white pasta and white rice. A quarter-cup of whole-wheat orzo has 6 grams of fiber, while the same amount of white rice has virtually none. With that said, all kinds of pasta and types of rice can fit into a varied, balanced diet, since they all contribute a variety of nutrients.
• Spinach and artichokes are green veggies that bring fiber and inflammation-calming antioxidants to this dish. Both also provide vitamin K, which is necessary for healthy blood clotting and strong bones.