Carmen’s Kitchen | Viral One Pan Boursin Orzo Recipe 🍝❤️
A creamy, comforting, incredibly easy dinner with a little Carmen’s Kitchen twist.
WOW! There is absolutely a reason this recipe went viral. They say you can’t trust everything on the internet, but you can definitely trust this one. 😂
I had so much fun making this! It’s the perfect recipe for a random weeknight when you want something delicious without spending hours in the kitchen. It also makes wonderful leftovers, so you can enjoy it again the next day.
I love this recipe for entertaining. It’s a beautiful, comforting dish that would be wonderful for hosting friends or bringing to a gathering. Everything comes together in one baking dish, which means minimal preparation and even less cleanup (we love a one pan recipe, always!).
One of my favorite things about cooking is that you can customize just about anything. I love finding recipes online, experimenting with ingredients, and putting my own little spin on them.
For this version, I added fresh broccoli.
The biggest change (and what the internet would raise an eyebrow to)? Instead of using Boursin, as the original recipe calls for, I substituted garlic & herb goat cheese and cream cheese.
The combination created a wonderfully creamy sauce with plenty of garlic and herb flavor. It turned out BEAUTIFULLY.
I’m absolutely falling in love with this series, and this might be one of my favorite Carmen’s Kitchen recipes so far.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! ❤️
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Recipe Overview
Prep Time: Approximately 10–15 minutes
Cook Time: Approximately 40–55 minutes
Servings: Approximately 6–8
Cooking Method: Oven baked
Difficulty: Easy
(Cooking time may vary depending on your baking dish, oven, and how much additional liquid the orzo needs.)
Ingredients
Pasta & Cheese
* 16 oz dry orzo (1 lb)
* 4 oz garlic & herb goat cheese
* Approximately 4 oz plain cream cheese
* 32 fl oz low sodium chicken broth (4 cups)
* Olive oil or cooking spray, for greasing
Original recipe option: Substitute the goat cheese and cream cheese with Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese.
Protein & Vegetables
* Fully cooked beef sausage, sliced into rounds
* Cherry tomatoes
* Fresh spinach
* Fresh broccoli, chopped into small florets (optional)
The quantities of sausage and vegetables can be adjusted to your preference and the size of your baking dish. Just make sure you leave enough room for the pasta to cook evenly.
Seasonings
* ½ tsp Italian seasoning
* ½ tsp garlic powder
* ¼ tsp onion powder
* ¼ tsp black pepper
* A pinch of salt, or to taste
Because the sausage, cheese, and chicken broth already contribute salt, I recommend starting lightly and adjusting after cooking.
Directions
1. Prepare Your Baking Dish
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Lightly grease a large, deep baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray. I recommend using a dish approximately 9 × 13 inches to comfortably accommodate all the ingredients.
2. Add the Orzo & Cheese
Pour the dry, uncooked orzo directly into your baking dish.
Place the garlic & herb goat cheese and cream cheese in the center.
If you’re following the original version, use Boursin instead of the two cheeses.
There’s no need to boil the pasta or melt the cheese beforehand. Everything cooks together in the oven!
3. Add the Sausage & Vegetables
Arrange your sliced, fully cooked sausage, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and broccoli around the cheese.
I personally love adding extra vegetables to my recipes, so I included broccoli for a little more color, texture, and flavor.
Cut the broccoli into relatively small florets so it cooks evenly alongside the pasta.
4. Season & Add the Broth
Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and a light pinch of salt over everything.
Slowly pour in all 4 cups of chicken broth.
Make sure the dry orzo is submerged in the liquid. You can gently move the ingredients around if necessary to distribute the broth evenly.
Keep a little extra chicken broth or hot water available in case the pasta needs additional liquid later.
5. Cover & Bake
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Place it in your preheated oven and bake at 400°F for approximately 40 minutes.
The foil helps retain moisture, allowing the pasta to cook directly in the broth.
6. Check the Pasta
After approximately 30–40 minutes, carefully remove the foil, watching out for hot steam.
Check a small spoonful of orzo from both the center and the edges of the dish to make sure everything is cooking evenly.
If some of the pasta is still firm, gently stir to redistribute the liquid.
If the mixture is looking dry, add approximately ½ cup of hot water or additional hot chicken broth.
Cover tightly again and return to the oven for another 5–10 minutes, repeating as needed until the orzo is completely tender.
A little tip: Don’t worry if your pasta needs slightly longer than the suggested cooking time. With a full pound of orzo, you want to make sure every part of the dish is properly cooked before mixing everything together.
7. Stir Until Creamy
Once the orzo is fully cooked, remove the baking dish from the oven.
Using a large spoon or spatula, gently break apart the softened cheeses and stir everything together.
The goat cheese, cream cheese, chicken broth, and natural starch from the orzo will combine to create a deliciously creamy sauce.
Continue folding everything together until the pasta, sausage, tomatoes, spinach, and broccoli are evenly coated.
8. Serve & Enjoy!
Give everything one final taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Spoon into your favorite serving bowls and enjoy while warm!
The sauce will naturally thicken as the dish sits. If you’re enjoying leftovers later, add a small splash of water or chicken broth when reheating to restore that creamy consistency.
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Carmen’s Kitchen Notes ❤️
Can I use regular Boursin?
Absolutely! That’s what the original recipe calls for. I didn’t have any on hand, so I experimented with garlic & herb goat cheese and cream cheese instead. Both versions are worth trying.
Can I change the vegetables?
Yes! That’s one of my favorite things about this recipe. Broccoli was my addition, but you can adjust the vegetables based on what you enjoy or already have in your refrigerator.
Do I need to cook the sausage beforehand?
For this version, I used fully cooked sausage, so it only needed to be sliced before going into the baking dish. If using raw sausage, cook it thoroughly before adding it to the recipe.
Is this good for leftovers?
Definitely! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Add a splash of liquid when reheating, and make sure everything is heated through.
Can I bring this to a gathering?
This is a wonderful recipe for sharing! The large baking dish makes it particularly convenient for a casual dinner party, family gathering, or potluck.
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A Little Note From Carmen:
What I particularly loved about making this recipe was how simple the entire process felt (almost illegal). I love meals where you throw everything into a single dish and let the oven do most of the work.
Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated, and you certainly don’t have to follow every recipe exactly as written. Experiment a little, use ingredients you enjoy, and make it your own. And as always, have fun.
Happy cooking! See you in the next Carmen’s Kitchen! 🍝❤️
Carmen