Is orzo rice or pasta?

It's pasta! This is a common misconception because of its shape, but it is pasta.

Can I use different vegetables?

You can! Switch out spinach for kale or cavolo nero, use regular broccoli rather than broccolini or swap the leek for an onion, shallot or spring onions.

Can I use any other cheese?

Sure - goat's cheese would be great, as would any strong cheddar, parmesan, blue cheese or even a good cream cheese or Boursin.

I don't have stock - can I still make this?

Yes! Just use the same quantity of water. You'll need to add extra salt (or add a couple of teaspoons of fish sauce if you're not vegetarian) to up the savoury factor.

Can I make this ahead of time?

You can, it's a great one to make ahead for meal prepping (it also doubles well). You'll find the sauce thickens up in the fridge so you can add a tiny bit of water when you're reheating it to loosen things up. Reheat either on the stovetop or in the microwave. It'll last at least 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

Creamy Spinach and Feta One Pot Orzo

Name: Creamy Spinach and Feta One Pot Orzo
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 large leek; 3 garlic cloves, peeled; 150g/5oz broccolini (or use regular broccoli); 1 teaspoon salt; 250g/9oz orzo; 2.5 cups vegetable or chicken stock; 100g/3.5oz feta; 150g/5oz spinach leaves; Handful of basil leaves (roughly 1/2 a cup); 1 teaspoon chilli flakes

Description

This super creamy spinach and feta orzo takes just 20 minutes and is made in one pot for an easy clean-up. It’s as easy as throwing veggies, stock and orzo in a pan and letting it cook into a lusciously delicious risotto style dish you’re going to love.

It’s great for busy weeknights, an easy one for dinner parties and is a great one to meal prep to enjoy throughout the week.

Ingredients

Scale

1 large leek
3 garlic cloves, peeled
150g/5oz broccolini (or use regular broccoli)
1 teaspoon salt
250g/9oz orzo
2.5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
100g/3.5oz feta
150g/5oz spinach leaves
Handful of basil leaves (roughly 1/2 a cup)
1 teaspoon chilli flakes

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Instructions

Prepare the vegetables. Remove the root and any tough outer leaves from the leek, then slice it finely. Slice the 3 garlic cloves into thin pieces, then cut the florets from the broccolini stems. Finely slice the stems, and cut the florets into bite-sized pieces.
Cook the vegetables. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to your pan, then add the chopped leek, broccolini stems, garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes until they’re starting to soften.
Add the orzo and stock. At this point, add the orzo. Stir it through the vegetables, then pour in 2.5 cups of stock. Stir, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Orzo has a tendency to stick to the bottom of your pan, so check and stir so this doesn’t happen. If it does, you should be able to scrape the orzo off the bottom using a wooden spatula in the pan.
Add the broccoli, spinach and feta. After 10 minutes, the orzo should be looking SUPER creamy and be al dente (test it by tasting – it should be cooked, with a little bite to it). At this point, add the reserved broccolini florets and crumble in the feta. Give them a stir through the orzo, breaking apart the feta with your wooden spoon or spatula. Finally, add the spinach leaves and basil and stir through the orzo so they wilt into the pasta. Once the spinach is soft, remove the pan from the heat.
Garnish and serve. Scatter the remaining feta over the top of the orzo along with the chilli flakes. Finish with a little drizzle of olive oil, then divide between plates and serve!

Notes

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The orzo is great to prep ahead – I like to either reheat it in the microwave or gently on the stovetop. You might find you need to add a little water just to loosen things up after being stored in the fridge (go with 1 tablespoon at a time). Orzo will continue to absorb liquid as it sits so it’ll be less saucy after being stored. It will last for 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

INGREDIENT NOTES: This recipe is SUPER customisable, based on what you have to hand. Switch out the leek for an onion or shallot, and use regular broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cavolo nero, silverbeet or kale. You could also throw in frozen peas or edamame too! If you don’t like feta, try using parmesan, cheddar or blue cheese. You could also use something like boursin, or even mozzarella or burrata.

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 15
Category: pasta
Method: stove top
Cuisine: mediterranean

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 341
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 907mg
Fat: 6.8g
Saturated Fat: 3.8g
Carbohydrates: 56g
Fiber: 4.5g
Protein: 14.1g
Cholesterol: 22mg

Keywords: one pot pasta, easy orzo recipe, feta orzo, spinach orzo, broccoli orzo, orzo risotto