Start by adding the ground beef to a soup pot or Dutch oven. Break it up a little with your spoon, then let it cook without stirring over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes. This allows the beef to brown evenly.

After the initial browning, add the chopped onion to the pot. Stir and break the beef into smaller pieces. Allow the mixture to cook for another 5 minutes. If you notice there’s a lot of excess fat due to using non-lean beef, carefully spoon some of it out. Otherwise, you can leave it in for flavor.

Stir in the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and orzo pasta. Cook this mixture for about a minute, allowing the flavors to blend and the orzo to start toasting slightly.

Pour in the tomato sauce, beef broth, cream, and Worcestershire sauce. Allow the mixture to start bubbling, then continue cooking for 10 minutes uncovered. Be sure to stir fairly often to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Adjust the heat to medium or medium-low to maintain a gentle bubble rather than a vigorous boil. This ensures the pasta cooks through without the liquid reducing too quickly.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and fresh spinach. Cover the pot and allow it to sit for about 3-5 minutes, giving the dish time to thicken and the spinach to wilt as desired. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Once the dish has thickened to your preference, serve immediately while hot.