Call me crazy, but I find it extremely difficult to go straight from the excesses of December to the abstinence of January. Who wants a limp pile of leaves after feasting on cookies and roasts and cups and cups of wine? (Or in my case, sweets and Kati rolls and endless street snacks during my 10-day trip to Kolkata … ) There needs to be some sort of a transition, a go-between that feels healthy but not spartan, filling but not rich, and interesting enough to satisfy a palate that’s subsisted on butter and cream.
Enter this butternut and spinach orzo. It’s somewhere between pasta and salad — there are enough vegetables to please any dieter, but a generous helping of cheese and good-for-you olive oil keeps it just on the right side of austere. Plus, the dish is endlessly adaptable. I swapped out the original recipe’s blue cheese crumbles for cubes of smoked mozzarella, but goat or feta or regular mozz would be delicious too.
And I like orzo so I stuck with it, but you could use a more wholesome grain like farro or wheat berries, or even wild rice if you’d like to make the dish gluten-free. I didn’t have any on hand, but pepitas would add a nice crunch, as would chopped toasted walnuts or almonds. It’s a forgiving meal, in addition to being a quick one: 15 minutes of prep work and 30 minutes of cooking yields something pretty to look at (those colors!) and delicious to eat.
My goal in making this dish was not diet-related — it was finance-related. After weeks of buying lunches during a very busy November and December, I made a much-needed return to packing my own lunch. And this orzo packs like a dream. The flavors meld together overnight, there’s no worry about hearing it up or keeping it warm, and there’s no mess in carrying it. It feels like a real treat, a rarity during these dark resolution-filled days.
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PinIngredients
- 1 20-ounce package of diced butternut squash, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup orzo
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach, shredded
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Toss the butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread into a single layer on the baking sheet, then roast for 30-35 minutes, until the cubes are browned and tender.
- Place the spinach in a large bowl and set aside. Cook the orzo according to package instructions, then rinse with cold water and drain well. Add the orzo, the butternut squash cubes and the smoked mozzarella to the spinach, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss well to coat thoroughly. Taste for seasonings and serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
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