This butternut squash and kale orzo is a delicious, easy, weeknight meal! The orzo soaks up all the flavor of the roasted butternut squash for a creamy, delicious pasta dish! The butternut squash takes a while to roast, but otherwise this orzo comes together quickly and easily!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe!
- Full of cozy fall flavors
- A great way to sneak extra veggies into your meal!
- Hearty vegetarian main course
- Or a delicious side dish for roasted chicken or seared salmon!
You might also like this Tuscan chicken orzo or this mashed butternut squash!
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this roasted butternut squash orzo!
- Orzo - Orzo is a small, oval shaped pasta that looks similar to rice. Use a high-quality die cut pasta like Delallo or De Cecco for the yummiest results!
- Kale - Fresh kale is best but you could also substitute fresh spinach or swiss chard.
- Butternut squash - You could substitute a different winter squash (like acorn squash or honeynut squash or pumpkin).
- White cooking wine - This is optional but adds some great flavor to your orzo! I always keep cheap, dry white wine on hand that I use for cooking. It’s amazing how much flavor a $3 bottle of sauvignon blanc can add to a dish!
- Vegetable stock - I always use my homemade vegetable stock when I cook for the best flavor!! You can also use store bought vegetable stock, chicken stock, or even water.
- Shallot - The mild flavor of shallots are perfect for this light orzo dish. But you could also use a small yellow onion instead.
- Nutmeg - Nutmeg is my favorite warming fall spice! It pairs beautifully with the roasted butternut squash!
- Fresh sage - This is optional but any fresh herbs will add extra flavor!
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
How to Make Creamy Orzo
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the butternut squash in half and discard the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and place cut side down on your baking sheet.
Bake the squash for 40-50 minutes or until soft. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Then scoop the flesh out of the skin and mash well with a fork. Then set aside.
In a large skillet or cast iron, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add in the shallot and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and aromatic.
Then add in the dry orzo and toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Then add in the white wine to de-glaze the pan and make sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
Stir in the fresh sage, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Then cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until the orzo is fully cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Then stir in the mashed butternut squash, parmesan cheese, and fresh kale. Let cook for 3-5 minutes until the orzo is creamy and the kale is soft. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Garnish the butternut squash and kale orzo with an extra sprinkle of parmesan and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ's
This butternut squash orzo is best eaten the same day, but will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
The orzo will soak up the sauce in the fridge, so it's best to reheat on the stove with a little extra broth or some heavy cream to add more moisture.
Yes, but it will be less flavorful. If using water, I recommend also using some sort of bullion to enhance the flavor. You can also substitute chicken broth instead!
This butternut squash orzo is already vegetarian but you can also make it vegan by just omitting the parmesan and swapping the butter for olive oil! It’s still creamy and tasty without the cheese! But if you eat cheese then you should DEFINITELY add the cheese. Trust me.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
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Recipe Card
Butternut Squash Orzo with Kale
Special Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Orzo
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups orzo
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup white cooking wine, optional
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups fresh kale, packed
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- lemon juice, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the butternut squash in half and discard the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and place cut side down on your baking sheet.
- Bake the squash for 40-50 minutes or until soft. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Then scoop the flesh out of the skin and mash well with a fork. Then set aside.
- In a large skillet or cast iron, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add in the shallot and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and aromatic.
- Then add in the dry orzo and toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Then add in the white wine to de-glaze the pan and make sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the fresh sage, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Then cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until the orzo is fully cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Then stir in the mashed butternut squash, parmesan cheese, and fresh kale. Let cook for 3-5 minutes until the orzo is creamy and the kale is soft. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. If desired, add a squeeze of lemon juice for some brightness.
- Garnish the butternut squash and kale orzo with an extra sprinkle of parmesan and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
erika b says
easy and incredible dish! i find myself craving it whenever i see butternut squash at the store.
Michelle C says
I made this tonight and holy cow!! it was amazing! I omitted the kale and used chicken broth instead of veggie broth. I was going to add spinach but was afraid it would water it down. Next time I'm going to either add chicken or serve it as a side s
dish to chicken. I highly recommend!
Lkc says
It was fabulous. We had it as a side with pork roast. Very complimentary. Lots left over but will be delicious, I'm sure. I did add red pepper flakes.
Alison says
Looks delicious! Question . . . Is the Parmesan cheese shredded or grated? Please advise.
Kyleigh Sage says
Either will work! I prefer fresh shredded Parmesan because it melts the most smoothly, but grated will work too!
Stephanie says
This recipe is unreal. It tastes amazing in every way. I added a bit of fresh thyme but other than that followed the directions to a tee and everyone is raving about how flavourful this dish is. This will go on my rotation when I entertain people 100%