Creamy Salmon Orzo Pasta Bake (Dump-and-Bake)
This salmon pasta bake uses salmon fillets, orzo pasta, and Boursin cheese for a one-pan, no-chop, dump-and-bake casserole dinner that basically cooks itself. Creamy and savory, it’s a full meal with almost zero effort!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups orzo pasta
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 5.3 ounce package Boursin garlic & chive cheese
- 1 pound salmon, deboned and skin removed (fillets or whole)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare a 9x13 ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
- Assemble: Add the orzo, chicken stock, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and pepper, stirring until well combined. Nestle the Boursin cheese into the middle of the dish.
- Sprinkle the salmon fillets with ¼ teaspoon of salt, and place around the edges on top of the orzo. Sprinkle the cherry tomatoes evenly over the top. Do not stir.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, uncover, and add the spinach. Stir to break up the salmon into large chunks, and to evenly combine the orzo with the stock, cheese, and spinach. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the orzo is completely cooked through. Stir again to combine and serve.
Notes
- I like to give the orzo a quick stir before it goes into the oven and before adding the salmon and tomatoes to make sure it’s fully coated in broth, helping it cook more evenly and stay tender.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 (of 5) | Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 865mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1764IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg
