Keto-Friendly Creamy Italian Sausage Orzo with Blue Cheese

You can make this easy keto-friendly meal in a single pot. The flavors of Italian sausage, blue and parmesan cheese, and garlic come together to make an amazing dish that you can have in minutes on a weeknight. If you have leftovers, 

How Can It Be Low-Carb?

Orzo is a type of pasta, but when you use Great Low-Carb Pasta  - Orzo, you are getting a low-carb version. It has only 7 grams of net carbohydrates, while delivering a filling 18 grams of protein and 12 grams of dietary fiber.

What About Low-Calorie Diets?

Are you trying to cut calories to lose weight? With a few modifications, you can turn this into a great-tasting low-calorie recipe! The Orzo has only 110 calories per surviving, or about half the calories that are in regular pasta. Swap low-fat Italian turkey sausage for regular sausage, use fat-free half and half instead of cream, and cut the parmesan cheese to 1 ounce to shave calories off.

How Should I Serve It?

This recipe can be a complete dinner on its own, but you can serve it with a salad if you like. Another option is to add mushrooms or broccoli florets to make it a heartier meal.

Recipe for Keto-Friendly Creamy Italian Sausage Orzo with Blue Cheese

Makes: 4 servings 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Cook time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces of Italian sausage, removed from casing and crumbled
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• ½ cup of chopped onion, about 1 medium
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• ¼ to 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, optional or to taste
• 1 package of Great Low-Carb Pasta  - Orzo 
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• ¾ cup of heavy cream
• 2 ounces (½ cup) of grated parmesan cheese
• 2 ounces of crumbled blue cheese
• 4 cups of fresh baby spinach leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional garnishes: more parmesan cheese, shaved fennel

Instructions:

1. Heat the butter in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage and cook for 4 minutes. Add the onions and crushed red pepper flakes, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until the onion is softened and the sausage is thoroughly cooked.
2. Add the garlic and Great Low Carb Pasta - Orzo and cook, while stirring, for 45 seconds. 
3. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, salt, and pepper, and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for another 10 minutes, keeping the mixture at a gentle simmer. Stir often and be sure to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pot or Dutch oven.
4. Stir in the spinach and parmesan cheese and remove the pot from the heat. Cover the pot and let it stand for 2 minutes. Quickly stir in the blue cheese, cover the pot again, and let it stand for another 2 to 3 minutes. During this time, the dish will thicken.
5. Plate the orzo and add any desired optional garnishes, such as extra cheese or shaved fennel. Serve and enjoy!