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Sloppy Joe Orzo
By Laura Rege
Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Cal/Serv:
851
Think beyond the bun! You don’t need to sandwich a sloppy Joe to enjoy it; transform the classic comfort food into a date night staple with this sloppy Joe orzo instead. It’s really the sauce and ground beef mixture that makes sloppy Joes so delicious, so we decided to take that and pair it with one of our favorite pasta shapes of all time: orzo.
You cook the orzo right in the tangy meat sauce, meaning less dishes than a traditional pasta dish, creating a cross between pasta and risotto that you can spoon right up into bowls. The meaty sauce is reminiscent of Bolognese, but it stands alone as very much its own sauce, bringing in the signature sweetness and tang of sloppy Joe with thick tomato sauce, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and apple cider. We've paired it with various other dinner-worthy recipes (lookin' at you, sloppy Joe pasta), but it truly shines here.
Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
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Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp.
extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 lb.
lean ground beef
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- 1
medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 12 oz.
orzo (about 2 cups)
- 3
garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 cups
low-sodium beef broth
- 1
(15-oz.) can tomato sauce
- 3 Tbsp.
tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp.
packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp.
apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp.
Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups
packed baby spinach (about 3 oz.)
Directions
- Step 1In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat, heat 2 Tbsp. oil. Add beef; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through and browned, about 10 minutes. Scrape beef into a colander set over a bowl and let excess fat drain.
- Step 2In same pot over medium-high heat, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add orzo and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until orzo is lightly toasted and garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Step 3Add broth, tomato sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is mostly absorbed and orzo is tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
- Step 4Return beef to pot and add spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, until spinach is wilted and beef is warmed through, about 2 minutes more; season with salt and pepper, if needed.
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