One pan orzo with spinach and feta is a lemony, dill-flecked skillet dinner that goes from box to bowl in about 25 minutes. Almost all of it comes from the cupboard: orzo, broth, olive oil, garlic, lemon and feta. The only shopping is baby spinach and a bunch of green onions.
The order is what makes it work. The orzo toasts in olive oil first, simmers covered in a measured amount of broth, and the spinach goes in last so it stays green. Add a can of white beans and it becomes a full meal.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
From the pantry
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup orzo (about 190 g)
- 1¼ cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- ¾ cup crumbled feta, plus more for serving (block feta is creamier than pre-crumbled)
- ½ cup chopped fresh dill (or parsley)
Fresh
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 ounces baby spinach (about 3 cups)
Pantry Swaps
| If you don’t have | Use | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Green onions | 1 small yellow onion, finely diced | Cook it 2 to 3 minutes longer before the garlic; sweeter, without the fresh green finish |
| Baby spinach | About ⅓ cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, or chopped kale | Frozen only needs to warm through; kale needs 2 to 3 extra minutes and stays chewier |
| Fresh dill | Chopped parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano added with the garlic | Parsley is milder; oregano makes it more savory and less bright |
| Feta | Finely grated Parmesan | Nuttier and saltier, and it melts in instead of leaving soft, tangy pockets |
How to Make One-Pan Orzo with Spinach and Feta
- Warm the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet with a lid over medium heat.
- Add three-quarters of the green onions and all of the garlic. Cook, stirring often, until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the orzo and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, until it smells nutty and some grains turn light golden. The oil coats each grain so they stay separate instead of clumping.
- Pour in the broth and bring it to a simmer.
- Cover, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 14 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the orzo is nearly tender and most of the broth is absorbed. Constant stirring pulls out extra starch and can make it gluey.
- Add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Added this late, it stays bright green and silky.
- Stir in the feta, dill, lemon zest and lemon juice. The orzo should look glossy and a little loose; it tightens as it sits.
- Serve with more feta, the reserved green onions and lemon wedges if you have a second lemon.
How Much Liquid for Orzo with Spinach and Feta
This recipe uses 1¼ cups of broth for 1 cup of orzo, less than many one-pan versions. It works because the lid stays on and the heat stays low, so little liquid escapes as steam and the orzo finishes creamy rather than soupy. A wider skillet or a loose lid loses more liquid, so keep some hot broth nearby and add 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time if the pan dries out before the orzo is tender.
Tips, Swaps & Variations
- Make it a meal with beans: stir a drained can of white beans or chickpeas in with the spinach, plus a splash of broth.
- Gummy orzo usually means too much stirring or too long on the heat. Pull it as soon as the grains are just tender.
- If it sticks, the heat is too high. Turn it down and give one scraping stir halfway through.
- Feta and broth vary in saltiness, so taste after the lemon goes in before adding salt or pepper.
- To double it, use a 12-inch skillet and expect the simmer to run a few minutes longer.
- Turn leftovers into an orzo salad with spinach and feta: loosen the cold orzo with olive oil and lemon, then add cucumber, cherry tomatoes and olives.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within two hours; FoodSafety.gov recommends eating cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days. The orzo keeps absorbing liquid, so add 2 to 3 tablespoons of broth or water per portion when reheating, in a small pan over low heat or in the microwave. It doesn’t freeze well, as the orzo and spinach turn soft.
What to Serve With One-Pan Orzo with Spinach and Feta
The flavors borrow from spanakorizo, the Greek spinach and rice dish, so it sits well beside other simple Mediterranean plates.
- Lemon-garlic chicken thighs: the orzo soaks up the pan juices. Try Mediterranean lemon garlic chicken thighs.
- A cucumber and tomato salad: cool crunch against the warm, creamy orzo.
- Crusty bread and olives: enough to make a small bowl feel like dinner.
- More orzo: start with How to Cook Orzo, then try one-pan orzo with tomatoes and white beans.
One-Pan Orzo with Spinach and Feta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 green onions thinly sliced, a quarter reserved for serving
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup orzo about 190 g
- 1 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 ounces baby spinach about 3 cups
- 3/4 cup feta crumbled, plus more for serving
- 1/2 cup fresh dill chopped (or parsley)
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet with a lid over medium heat.
- Add three-quarters of the green onions and all of the garlic. Cook, stirring often, until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the orzo and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, until it smells nutty and some grains turn light golden.
- Pour in the broth and bring it to a simmer.
- Cover, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 14 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the orzo is nearly tender and most of the broth is absorbed.
- Add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring until it wilts, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the feta, dill, lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Serve with more feta, the reserved green onions and lemon wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
What is good to put in orzo?
Orzo takes well to anything you would stir into risotto or pasta. Wilted greens, crumbled feta, lemon, garlic and fresh dill or parsley make a reliable base. For more substance, add canned white beans, chickpeas, cooked chicken or shrimp, and finish with good olive oil and black pepper.
How do you make spinach and feta orzo creamy?
Cook the orzo in a measured amount of broth so its starch stays in the pan and thickens the liquid into a light sauce. Crumbled feta stirred in at the end softens and adds richness, and a squeeze of lemon keeps it bright. You don't need cream or butter.
What is a good dish with feta and spinach?
Spinach and feta show up together in spanakopita, the Greek spinach pie wrapped in phyllo, as well as in omelets, frittatas, stuffed chicken breasts and grain dishes like this one. On a weeknight, an orzo skillet is the quickest option, because the spinach wilts right into the pan with the cheese.
This one-pan orzo with spinach and feta asks very little: a box of orzo, a carton of broth, a block of feta and a bag of greens. If you made a swap, beans, kale or another cheese, share it in the comments. Expect a bowl that’s glossy and soft, salty with feta and bright with lemon, the kind of supper that makes a weeknight feel calm.
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