Campfire One-Pot Sausage and Pepper Orzo

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Everything cooks in a single pot over the fire: browned Italian sausage, sweet peppers, and orzo simmered right in crushed tomatoes until saucy and creamy. No draining, no second pan, and a shower of Parmesan at the end. Prep the pepper and garlic at home and this is a 30-minute camp dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb Italian sausages, casings removed (or bulk Italian sausage)
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into short strips
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups dried orzo
• 1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Set a large heavy pot or Dutch oven on a grate over a bed of medium campfire coals, or on a portable stove over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat 1 minute, until it shimmers.
2. Add the sausage and break it into chunks with a spoon. Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and no longer pink. Stir in the bell pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning and cook 3 minutes more, until the pepper softens at the edges.
3. Stir in the orzo and toast for 1 minute, coating it in the fat, then pour in the crushed tomatoes and water. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper and bring to a strong simmer, about 3 minutes.
4. Move the pot to a cooler edge of the fire (or reduce the stove to medium-low) and simmer 12–14 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes and scraping the bottom so the orzo does not stick. It is done when the orzo is tender and the sauce is thick and creamy; splash in more water if it tightens up before the pasta is cooked.
5. Pull the pot off the heat, stir in half the Parmesan, and let it sit 3 minutes to thicken. Taste for salt, then serve straight from the pot with the remaining Parmesan on top.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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