GRILLED HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE & ORZO

hot Italian sausage

🥗Healthier: chicken sausage

💰Cheaper: pork sausage

Chicken sausage is lower in fat and calories.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated Pecorino

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and lower in calories.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil has a higher smoke point and is heart-healthy.

chicken broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water with seasoning

Vegetable broth is lower in calories and suitable for vegetarians.

Fill a medium-sized pot with water, about 3/4 full, and bring it to a boil.

Add salt to the boiling water, then add 2 cups of dried orzo and stir.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook the orzo for about 6 minutes until al dente.

Strain the orzo and transfer it to a medium-sized bowl.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 clove of finely chopped garlic to the orzo and stir.

Add 1/4 cup of finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes and a little bit of salt to the orzo and stir everything together.

Add 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the orzo and stir it in.

Prepare the bell peppers by cutting them in half, removing the seeds, and cutting them into strips or larger chunks.

Trim and peel 8 Cipollini onions, then cut them in half and transfer them to a bowl with the bell peppers.

Drizzle the vegetables with extra virgin olive oil and toss by hand.

Preheat the grill to above 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the sausages and the vegetable basket on the grill and close the lid.

Cook for about 5 minutes, then turn the sausages and toss the vegetables.

Poke the sausages with a paring knife to release fat as they cook.

Once the sausages are done, transfer them to a platter and the vegetables to a medium-sized bowl.

Slice the sausages and add them to the bowl with the vegetables.

Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the sausage and vegetables, add salt, and toss with fresh basil.

Stir fresh parsley into the orzo, then transfer it to a presentation bowl.

Top the orzo with black pepper and more Parmesan cheese.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens