Baked PastaGreekEasy

Baked Orzo with Feta, Tomatoes and Olives

Name: Baked Orzo with Feta, Tomatoes and Olives
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 42 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1½ cups (300 g) dry orzo pasta, uncooked, not rinsed; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 2 tablespoons for the dish, 1 tablespoon for drizzling; 1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm pieces); 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste; 2 teaspoons (2 g) dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); 1 pound (about 3 cups) (450 g) cherry tomatoes, halved; divided in half (half stirred in, half for the top); ½ cup (75 g) pitted kalamata olives, halved; divided in half (half stirred in, half for the top); 2¾ cups (650 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, hot (steaming, about 180°F / 82°C); ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 8 ounces (225 g) block feta cheese in brine, drained, patted dry, cut into 2 thick slabs; 1 medium (100 g) lemon, zested, then juiced (about 2 tablespoons / 30 ml juice); ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley or dill, roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Orzo bakes right in the dish, soaking up hot broth, garlic, oregano and the juices of burst cherry tomatoes, while a slab of feta turns golden on top. Finish with lemon and fresh herbs for a bright, salty, one-dish Greek-style dinner.

Prep: 23 min
Cook: 42 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 4 main-course servings (6 as a side dish)

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Ingredients

4 servings

1½ cups (300 g) dry orzo pasta, uncooked, not rinsed
3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 2 tablespoons for the dish, 1 tablespoon for drizzling
1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm pieces)
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
2 teaspoons (2 g) dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pound (about 3 cups) (450 g) cherry tomatoes, halved; divided in half (half stirred in, half for the top)
½ cup (75 g) pitted kalamata olives, halved; divided in half (half stirred in, half for the top)
2¾ cups (650 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, hot (steaming, about 180°F / 82°C)
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
8 ounces (225 g) block feta cheese in brine, drained, patted dry, cut into 2 thick slabs
To finish
1 medium (100 g) lemon, zested, then juiced (about 2 tablespoons / 30 ml juice)
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley or dill, roughly chopped

Equipment (6)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, or a 3-quart (3 L) dish
Aluminum foil
Medium saucepan, for heating the broth
Cutting board and chef's knife
Microplane or fine grater, for the lemon zest
Wooden spoon

Steps

Before you start

Use a block of feta packed in brine if you can. It bakes into creamy, golden slabs, while pre-crumbled feta dries out.
The broth must be hot when it goes in. Cold broth slows cooking and leaves the orzo unevenly tender.
Seal the foil tightly in the first bake so the orzo steams. If the dish leaks steam, the orzo will stay hard.
Feta, olives and broth are all salty, so the recipe uses only a little added salt. Taste before adding more at the end.

1
Heat oven and brothOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
- Pour the vegetable broth into a medium saucepan and warm over medium heat until it is steaming and small bubbles form at the edges, about 4 minutes.
- Do not let it boil hard.
- Remove from the heat and cover to keep it hot.
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Ready when: Broth is steaming with small bubbles at the edges.
Tip: Heat the broth while you chop. You can use a microwave-safe jug for about 3 minutes instead.
2
Prep the vegetables
- Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, halve the cherry tomatoes and the olives, and drain and pat the feta dry.
- Cut the feta into 2 thick slabs.
- Zest the lemon and set the zest aside, then juice it.
- Chop the parsley.
- Divide the tomatoes and olives into two equal piles, one for stirring in and one for the top.
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Ready when: Everything is chopped and the tomatoes and olives are split into two piles.
Tip: Pat the feta well with paper towels. Excess brine thins the sauce and keeps the top from browning.
3
Build the orzo base
- In a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, combine the dry orzo, diced onion, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the olive oil, and half of the tomatoes and half of the olives.
- Pour in the hot broth and stir well, scraping the corners, until the tomato paste has dissolved and the orzo is spread in an even layer and fully submerged.
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Ready when: Broth looks evenly rust-colored with no streaks of tomato paste, and no orzo sticks out above the liquid.
Tip: Orzo left sticking out of the liquid will stay hard, so push any stray grains under.
4
Bake coveredOven 400°F / 205°C
- Cover the dish tightly with foil, crimping it around the edges so steam stays inside.
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes, without opening the oven.
- During this time the orzo absorbs most of the broth and the tomatoes start to soften.
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Ready when: When you lift a corner of the foil, the orzo is plump and about 80% tender, with some loose, saucy liquid left.
Tip: Open the foil away from your face. The steam is very hot.
5
Add feta and toppings
- Carefully remove the foil.
- Stir the orzo well, since the grains on the bottom will be thicker and stickier.
- Nestle the 2 feta slabs into the orzo, then scatter the remaining tomatoes and olives around them.
- Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil over the feta and tomatoes.
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Ready when: Feta sits on top of the orzo and the toppings are evenly spread.
Tip: Press the feta in slightly so the bottom is in the sauce but the top stays dry enough to brown.
6
Bake uncoveredOven 400°F / 205°C
- Return the dish, uncovered, to the oven and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 to 17 minutes.
- The liquid reduces, the tomatoes blister and burst, and the feta softens and browns at the edges.
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Ready when: Orzo is tender with a little bite, the sauce is thick enough to coat the grains, and the feta has golden spots and the tomatoes have burst.
Tip: If the orzo is still firm and the dish looks dry, add ¼ cup (60 ml) hot water and bake 5 minutes more.
7
Rest the dish
- Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest on a heatproof surface for 5 minutes.
- The remaining sauce thickens and clings to the orzo as it cools slightly.
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Ready when: Sauce is no longer runny when you drag a spoon through the orzo.
8
Finish and serve
- Sprinkle the lemon zest and drizzle the lemon juice over the dish.
- Break the feta slabs into large chunks and gently fold them into the orzo until creamy streaks form.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt only if needed.
- Top with the chopped parsley and serve warm straight from the dish.
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Ready when: Orzo is glossy and creamy with chunks of feta, and smells bright with lemon and oregano.
Tip: Add the lemon at the end. Cooking it in dulls the flavor.

Good to know

Tips

Use a metal or ceramic dish of the size listed. A smaller, deeper dish needs more time because the orzo cooks in a thicker layer.
Stir halfway through the bake (when you uncover) so the orzo on the bottom doesn't stick or cook unevenly.
For deeper flavor, broil the dish for 1 to 2 minutes at the end until the feta is spotted brown, watching closely.
Serve with a crisp cucumber salad or grilled vegetables, or add a can of rinsed chickpeas in step 3 for extra protein.

Make ahead

"Chop the onion, garlic, tomatoes and olives up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate them in separate containers. Heat the broth and assemble the dish just before baking, because orzo left soaking in cold liquid turns gummy."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The orzo will thicken as it sits. Freezer: up to 2 months, though the feta becomes crumbly after thawing. Reheat individual portions in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or broth per serving, stirring occasionally until hot throughout, 2 to 3 minutes."

Substitutions

low-sodium vegetable broth → Chicken broth (not vegetarian). Use the same amount. Choose a low-sodium one.
dry orzo pasta → Gluten-free orzo. Check the package. It often cooks faster, so bake covered for 20 minutes and check early.
block feta cheese in brine → Vegan block feta or halloumi. Halloumi gets golden but won't melt into the sauce. Vegan feta may not brown much.
fresh flat-leaf parsley or dill → Fresh mint or basil. Use the same amount. Mint gives a brighter flavor.

baked orzo feta greek mediterranean one-dish pasta vegetarian weeknight

Steps

Heat oven and brothOven 400°F / 205°C

Prep the vegetables

Build the orzo base

Bake coveredOven 400°F / 205°C

Add feta and toppings

Bake uncoveredOven 400°F / 205°C

Rest the dish

Finish and serve

Good to know

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