Dump and Bake Boursin Orzo with Smoked Sausage
Table of contents
Intro
If you love garlic, you are going to want to make this Dump and Bake Boursin Orzo with Smoked Sausage. It has tender orzo, smoky andouille sausage, spinach, and cherry tomatoes in a creamy rosemary and black garlic sauce. And the best part? You don’t even have to boil the pasta. If you like easy meals like this, then check these out while you are here! Creamy Boursin Chicken Orzo Bake, Creamy Boursin Salmon Pasta Bake, Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo (30-Minute One-Pot Recipe), One-Pot Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Orzo, Creamy Lemon Garlic Orzo With Salmon and Shrimp
I knew these ingredients would be good together, but I was honestly a little surprised by just how good this turned out. It tasted like something I would order at a restaurant, and most of the work was just putting everything into a baking dish.
I used the Rosemary & Black Garlic Boursin, plenty of fresh garlic, and a roasted garlic seasoning blend. So yes, this one is definitely garlicky, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. A little Parmesan and heavy cream stirred in at the end bring the whole thing together.
I served it with cheesy garlic bread, and that was all we needed!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No boiling the pasta — The uncooked orzo goes right into the baking dish and cooks in the chicken broth.
- Easy prep — About 10–15 minutes of prep gets this dinner ready for the oven.
- Creamy and full of flavor — Boursin, Parmesan, garlic, and smoked sausage do a lot of the work here.
- Six hearty servings — A full pound of orzo makes this a filling family dinner.
- Easy to adjust — Use a mild smoked sausage if andouille isn’t your thing.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Boursin cheese — One 5.2-ounce package of Rosemary & Black Garlic Boursin goes in the middle of the dish. It softens as everything bakes, then gets stirred into the sauce.
- Orzo — You’ll need 16 ounces of dry, uncooked orzo. Do not cook it first.
- Smoked andouille sausage — One 14-ounce package, sliced. I browned mine in a skillet before adding it to the pan, but that step is optional when using fully cooked smoked sausage.
- Olive oil — Just a little for browning the sausage, if you choose to do that step.
- Fresh baby spinach — About 3 cups, chopped.
- Cherry tomatoes — 8 ounces, halved.
- Fresh garlic — About 8 cloves, minced. This is a garlic-loving household, but you can use less if you prefer.
- Chicken broth — 4 cups to cook the orzo and form the base of the sauce.
- Roasted garlic seasoning — About 2 teaspoons. I used a Fire & Smoke Society roasted garlic blend. Salt levels vary between seasoning blends, so adjust to taste.
- Parmesan cheese — ½ cup grated Parmesan stirred into the sauce, plus more for serving if desired.
- Heavy cream — ½ cup, added after the first bake.
- Red pepper flakes — Optional, for serving.
How to Make Dump and Bake Boursin Orzo with Smoked Sausage
Brown the Sausage, if Desired
Slice the smoked andouille sausage. Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the slices on both sides. This adds extra flavor, but you can skip it and add the sliced, fully cooked smoked sausage directly to the baking dish.
Place the sausage at one end of the pan and the chopped spinach at the other. Top the spinach with the halved cherry tomatoes and minced garlic. Pour in the chicken broth, making sure the orzo is down in the liquid, and sprinkle the roasted garlic seasoning over the top.
Remove the dish from the oven. Add the Parmesan and heavy cream, then stir everything together really well, breaking up the softened Boursin and scraping along the bottom and corners to combine the orzo with the sauce. Cover the dish again and return it to the oven for 5 minutes to heat everything through.
Give everything another good stir and let it sit for a couple of minutes so the sauce can thicken slightly. Serve with extra Parmesan and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Tips for the Best Results
- Keep the dish tightly covered. The orzo needs that moisture to cook, so seal the foil firmly around the edges if your baking dish doesn’t have a lid.
- Use the full amount of broth. The pasta goes in dry and absorbs liquid as it bakes.
- Check the pasta before finishing the sauce. Ovens, baking dishes, and pasta brands can vary. The orzo should be tender before you stir in the cream and Parmesan. If it needs more time and the pan looks dry, add a splash of broth before covering it again.
- Stir thoroughly. Work the softened Boursin into all of the pasta so every serving gets that creamy sauce.
- Let it rest briefly. This is creamy and saucy when freshly made. It thickens a little as it sits and quite a bit once refrigerated.
Substitutions and Variations
For a milder dinner, use plain smoked sausage or a mild chicken smoked sausage in place of the andouille. Choose a fully cooked variety for this method.
I didn’t find mine spicy, but I’m also not especially sensitive to heat. Andouille varies by brand, so use a sausage you already know you enjoy and leave off the red pepper flakes if you prefer.
If you can’t find the Rosemary & Black Garlic Boursin, Garlic & Fine Herbs would be a reasonable alternative. The flavor will be different; the rosemary and black garlic is the version I used for this recipe.
You can reduce the fresh garlic to suit your taste. Between the Boursin, fresh garlic, and roasted garlic seasoning, this dish has plenty of garlic flavor.
If you do make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating! I love hearing from you and it helps so much! Thank you!
Dump and Bake Boursin Orzo with Smoked Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 5.2-ounce package Rosemary & Black Garlic Boursin cheese
- 16 ounces dry orzo uncooked
- 1 14-ounce package fully cooked smoked andouille sausage, sliced
- Olive oil as needed for optional browning
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach chopped
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons roasted garlic seasoning blend or to taste
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Red pepper flakes optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the unwrapped Boursin in the center of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Spread the uncooked orzo around the cheese.
- If desired, heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the sliced sausage on both sides. Browning is optional when using fully cooked smoked sausage.
- Add the sausage to one end of the baking dish and the chopped spinach to the other. Top the spinach with the halved cherry tomatoes and minced garlic.
- Pour in the chicken broth, making sure the orzo is down in the liquid. Sprinkle with the roasted garlic seasoning.
- Cover with an oven-safe lid or tightly sealed foil. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the orzo is tender. If needed, continue baking covered until tender, adding a splash of broth if the pan looks dry.
- Remove from the oven and add the Parmesan and heavy cream. Stir thoroughly to combine, breaking up the softened Boursin and scraping along the bottom and corners of the dish.
- Cover again and bake for 5 more minutes.
- Stir and let rest for about 2 minutes to thicken slightly. Serve with additional Parmesan and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
Notes
- I used Rosemary & Black Garlic Boursin and a Fire & Smoke Society roasted garlic seasoning blend.
- This is a garlicky dish. Reduce the fresh garlic if desired.
- Plain smoked sausage or mild chicken smoked sausage can replace the andouille. Use fully cooked sausage.
- I didn’t find my version spicy, but andouille heat varies by brand.
- The orzo was tender after the first 35 minutes in my oven. Baking times may vary.
- Browning the sausage can be done during the 15-minute prep time.
- The sauce is creamy and loose when freshly made and thickens as it sits.
- For leftovers, stir in a little chicken broth before reheating to loosen the sauce.
Estimated Nutrition per Serving
Calories: 650Carbohydrates: 65 g
Protein: 23 g
Fat: 33 g Nutrition information is an estimate based on six equal servings and typical ingredient values, including about 1 teaspoon of olive oil for the whole recipe. Actual values vary with brands, amounts used, and portion sizes. Optional garnishes and garlic bread are not included.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I cook the orzo first?
No. Add it dry and uncooked. It cooks right in the chicken broth while the dish is covered in the oven.
Do I have to brown the sausage?
No, as long as you are using fully cooked smoked sausage. I like the extra flavor from browning it, but you can skip that step.
Can I use another pasta shape?
This recipe was made with orzo. Other shapes may need different amounts of liquid and different cooking times, so I would stick with orzo for these instructions.
Is this spicy?
I didn’t find it spicy, but the heat will depend on your sausage and your own preference. Mild smoked sausage or mild chicken smoked sausage is an easy swap.
Can I leave out the heavy cream?
I made this with the heavy cream, and it contributes to the finished sauce. Leaving it out will change the richness and consistency.
