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Roasted Red Pepper Sausage Orzo

By Carolyn Stilwell

5 from 1 vote

Updated Jul 14, 2025, Published on May 11, 2024

Next up in my ORZO RECIPE SERIES PART 3 is a flavor-PACKED dish – Roasted Red Pepper Sausage Orzo. Find the first four recipes from my series here: 

1. Italian Wedding Soup Orzo
2. Orzo alla Vodka
3. Spring Orzo Pasta Salad
4. Whipped Ricotta Lemon Orzo with Chicken Meatballs and Pesto

This recipe has several flavorful elements:

1. Hot Italian sausage crumbles cooked until browned and crispy - or use mild Italian sausage if you don't prefer heat!
2. Sautéed onions and garlic that get blended with fire roasted tomatoes, fire roasted red peppers, and seasoning.
3. Orzo pasta cooked in the flavorful sauce, finished with a splash of heavy cream.
4. And served with fresh herbs, feta cheese, and a squeeze of lemon juice as desired.

Watch how to make it here!

Roasted Red Pepper Sausage Orzo Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 lb Hot Italian Sausage can use mild if preferred
• 1 cup Water
• 1 cup Orzo uncooked
• 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley roughly chopped
• Fresh Basil, Feta Cheese, Lemon Juice optional to serve

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

• 1 Yellow Onion roughly chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic roughly chopped
• 14.5 oz Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes 1 can
• 16 oz Fire Roasted Red Peppers 1 jar; drained
• 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
• 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Salt optional or to taste

Recipe Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large high-rimmed sauté pan. Add loose Italian sausage. If using sausage links, remove the meat from the casing. Use a wooden spoon to break into crumbles. Cook for about 7 minutes until cooked through. Set aside for later.
2. In the same pan, add a roughly chopped yellow onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the roughly chopped garlic and cook for another minute, stirring often.
3. Add the onion and garlic to a blender. Pour in the can of diced tomatoes, drained roasted red peppers, dried thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and optional salt. Blend until smooth. (NOTE: the ingredients may already be salty enough so include salt to taste)
4. Pour the blended sauce and 1 cup of water back into the same sauté pan. Bring to a simmer and pour in the uncooked orzo. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until the orzo is cooked through. This can take about 15 minutes. Add additional splashes of water as needed.
5. Once the orzo is cooked, add back the cooked Italian sausage crumbles. Stir to combine. Turn off the heat and pour in the heavy cream. Stir until well combined. Finally, stir in the roughly chopped fresh parsley.
6. Divide among bowls to serve. Optionally top with fresh basil, feta cheese, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Did you try this Roasted Red Pepper Sausage Orzo recipe? Leave a Review!

Crisp up some Italian sausage then grab your blender or food processor and whip up a simple fire-roasted sauce! The orzo cooks right in the sauce for maximum flavor. There are so many bold flavors in this easy orzo recipe, and I hope you love it.

If you try this recipe, feel free to rate/leave a review. You can also tag me on Instagram or TikTok!

5 from 1 vote

Roasted Red Pepper Sausage Orzo

By: Carolyn Stilwell

Hot Italian sausage and orzo pasta mixed into a smokey roasted red pepper tomatoey sauce.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 35 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 3

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Equipment

• Chef Knife
• Cutting Board
• Blender
• Sauté Pan

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• ▢ 1/2 lb Ground Hot Italian Pork Sausage, can use mild if preferred
• ▢ 1 cup Water
• ▢ 1 cup Orzo Pasta, uncooked
• ▢ 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
• ▢ 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, roughly chopped
• ▢ Fresh Basil, Feta Cheese, Lemon Juice, optional to serve

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

• ▢ 1 Yellow Onion, roughly chopped
• ▢ 4 cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
• ▢ 14.5 oz Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, 1 can
• ▢ 16 oz Fire Roasted Red Peppers, 1 jar; drained
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt, optional or to taste

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions 

• Heat olive oil in a large high-rimmed sauté pan. Add loose Italian sausage. If using sausage links, remove the meat from the casing. Use a wooden spoon to break into crumbles. Cook for about 7 minutes until cooked through. Set aside for later.
• In the same pan, add a roughly chopped yellow onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the roughly chopped garlic and cook for another minute, stirring often.
• Add the onion and garlic to a blender. Pour in the can of diced tomatoes, drained roasted red peppers, dried thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and optional salt. Blend until smooth. (NOTE: the ingredients may already be salty enough so include salt to taste)
• Pour the blended sauce and 1 cup of water back into the same sauté pan. Bring to a simmer and pour in the uncooked orzo. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until the orzo is cooked through. This can take about 15 minutes. Add additional splashes of water as needed.
• Once the orzo is cooked, add back the cooked Italian sausage crumbles. Stir to combine. Turn off the heat and pour in the heavy cream. Stir until well combined. Finally, stir in the roughly chopped fresh parsley.
• Divide among bowls to serve. Optionally top with fresh basil, feta cheese, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 639kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 37g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 80mg, Sodium: 3045mg, Potassium: 653mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 2220IU, Vitamin C: 85mg, Calcium: 171mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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