This easy Spanakopita Orzo is a creamy one-pan dinner with tender orzo pasta, spinach, feta, fresh dill, and lemon. All the flavors of spanakopita, ready in about 30 minutes!
Spanakopita, meet pasta night. This creamy Spanakopita Orzo brings all those delicious Greek-inspired flavors-spinach, feta, fresh dill, scallions, lemon, and a hint of nutmeg-into an easy one-pan dinner. We’ve been listening, and you’ve been asking for quick, easy meals, and well, here you go!
The orzo cooks right in the skillet, absorbing the flavorful broth and releasing its starches as it cooks, creating a creamy, risotto-like texture without any cream. Fresh spinach (in season now) and herbs are folded in at the end, along with plenty of tangy feta and bright lemon. It’s fresh, bright, and comforting, and on the table in about 30 minutes. Serve as is for a vegetarian dinner, or top it with salmon, baked chicken, shrimp, or your favorite protein.
Why you’ll love this Greek Orzo Recipe!
One pan, 30 minutes. The orzo cooks right in the skillet with the broth, making this an easy weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup.
Decadently creamy without using cream. As the orzo simmers, it releases starch into the broth, creating a naturally creamy risotto-like texture. No heavy cream needed!
Fresh Mediterranean flavor! Salty feta, fresh dill and parsley, tender spinach, and plenty of lemon juice and zest balance the creamy orzo with bright, fresh flavor.
Easily adaptable. Add chickpeas, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, olives, or chicken sausage, or top with your favorite protein.
One Pan Greek Orzo Ingredients
- Orzo: A small, rice-shaped pasta that’s perfect for one-pan meals because its starch creates a wonderfully creamy consistency as it cooks.
- Yellow onion and garlic cloves: Create the savory foundation for the skillet. Let the onion soften before adding the garlic so it becomes sweet and tender without the garlic burning.
- Broth: The orzo absorbs the broth as it cooks, so using a flavorful broth makes a big difference. Vegetable broth keeps the dish vegetarian, but chicken broth works beautifully, too!
- Spices: A touch of nutmeg complements the spinach and feta, while cayenne adds gentle warmth. Black pepper and salt round everything out. Adjust the cayenne to taste.
- Spinach: Wilts right into the warm orzo, adding color and plenty of greens.
- Green onions, fresh parsley, and fresh dill: Fresh herbs are key! Green onions add a mild oniony bite, parsley brings freshness, and dill gives the skillet its distinctive Greek-inspired flavor.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice: Brightens the creamy pasta and balances the salty flavor.
- Feta cheese: Adds salty, tangy flavor and a little extra creaminess as it softens into the warm orzo. We prefer to buy a block of sheep’s milk feta and crumble it rather than use pre-crumbled feta.
- Optional Addition: red pepper flakes, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, chickpeas
How to make Greek Orzo
1. Sauté the onion and garlic. Warm olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions for three minutes. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for a few minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
2. Add the orzo and simmer. Add orzo to the skillet and stir thoroughly, then add the veggie or chicken stock, nutmeg, cayenne, pepper, and salt.
Simmer uncovered for 12-14 minutes, stirring frequently. When done, the orzo should be tender and look a bit loose and saucy. It will continue absorbing liquid as it rests. If it’s dry, add a splash or broth or water.
3. Add greens, lemon, and feta. Add the spinach and wilt it in. Stir in the green onions, lemon zest, parsley, lemon juice, and feta. Remove from the heat.
4. Taste, adjust, and garnish. Taste the orzo skillet, adding more salt, lemon, or pepper as needed. Sprinkle with fresh dill.
Chef’s Tips
- Stir the orzo frequently. Stirring prevents the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the skillet and helps release the starches that make the dish so creamy.
- Keep it a little loose. When the orzo is tender, there should still be some broth visible in the skillet. It will continue absorbing liquid and thicken as it rests.
- If the pan looks dry before the orzo pasta is tender, add broth or water a splash at a time.
- Add fresh ingredients at the end. Stir in the lemon, herbs, green onions, and feta once the orzo is cooked so their flavors remain bright and fresh.
- Taste before adding more salt. Both broth and feta can be salty, so season conservatively at first and make adjustments at the end as needed.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy Greek Orzo is a satisfying vegetarian meal on its own. Serve with a simple side dish, like our cucumber tomato salad!
If desired, you can add protein on top, such as Mediterranean grilled salmon, baked salmon, chicken souvlaki, Mediterranean grilled chicken, shrimp, or chicken sausage (brown the sausage directly in the skillet before starting the orzo).
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, add a splash of broth or water to bring it back to its creamy, saucy consistency.
More Orzo Recipes You Might Like
After you try this Greek Orzo recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Tonia
Spanakopita Orzo (One Pan Greek Orzo)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
- Category: 30 minute Dinner, Dinner, easy dinner, one pan meal, one pot meal, Pasta, vegetarain Main, weeknight dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Greek
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This easy Spanakopita Orzo is a creamy one-pan dinner with tender orzo pasta, spinach, feta, fresh dill, and lemon. All the flavors of spanakopita, ready in about 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced small
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cup orzo (dry uncooked orzo pasta)
- 2 1/2 cups stock or broth (flavorful vegetable broth or chicken stock)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated is nice here)
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (or red pepper flakes)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 4 cups)
- 2 green onions, minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, more to taste
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (we prefer crumbling a block of sheep’s milk feta rather than buying pre-crumbled)
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics. In a skillet, over medium-high heat, add olive oil and onions; sauté for 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
- Cook the orzo. Stir the orzo into the pan, 1-2 minutes, coating the grains. Add the broth, nutmeg, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Simmer gently over medium-low heat, without a lid, for 12-14 minutes, stirring frequently. Cook until the orzo is tender and looks slightly loose and saucy-it will continue absorbing liquid as it rests. If it seems a bit dry, add more broth or water.
- Add greens and herbs. Add spinach; it will seem like a lot, but it will wilt quickly. Stir in green onions, lemon zest, parsley, lemon juice, and feta. Remove from heat.
- Adjust flavor and serve. Season with salt, lemon, and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with dill.
Notes
Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat, adding a splash of broth or water to loosen.
Add a few tablespoons of cream before serving for a richer sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 187
- Sugar: 4.1 g
- Sodium: 749.9 mg
- Fat: 6.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.6 g
- Fiber: 2.7 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 11.1 mg
Just perfect!
Glad you enjoyed!
This orzo spanakopita was a fabulous and very tasty recipe.We enjoyed every bite and this will definitely be a repeat at our dinner table! Thank you for such a delicious dish
Wonderful, glad you gave it a try Kat!
Absolutely delicious and so incredibly easy. I’ve passed on this recipe to many friends. It was a real hit. Highly recommend!!!
Wonderful to hear Sandi! Thanks for taking time to leave a review.
Would this still taste good without cheese as I cannot do dairy?
I think it does Mary. If you feel it needs a little oomph you could add a little white miso or nutritional yeast. Or try a plant based feta?
Very nice flavor combination. Added a little more lemon and skipped the green onions. The dill and feta really stand out.
Glad you enjoyed this Heather!
This was very delicious and simple to make. It truly tastes a lot like spanakopita, but without having to mess around with phyllo dough. 🙂
Glad to hear this Kelly! Thanks for taking time to leave a review. 🙂
I made this last night. So delicious!!! I added a little more lemon zest and lemon juice. At the end, instead of just a little more salt, I added a spice mix “Greek Freek”, and topped it with toasted pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil. Out of this world!!!
Love it Margot! The adjusting at the end is everything really, glad you enhanced. Thanks for the helpful review!
I am anxious to try your recipes. I’m new to this site but love to cook and I just found a neighbor with an olive tree – hooray. Successfully cured green olives many years ago and want to do it again. Thanks for the recipes.
Oh awesome Rilla! Love to hear what you try. 🙂
Another winner from the Feasting at Home Team! Easy recipe that comes together quickly. The fresh dill and lemon really took it up a notch. Some how I managed to forget to buy feta but went ahead and prepared the recipe. The missing feta was not missed all that much but I will definitely remember for next time. Served with chicken thighs but is just as satisfying as a main dish. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed this Lizzie! Happy it all worked out. 🙂
I enjoyed this. Can’t go wrong with the flavors of spinach, lemon, and cheese
Could quinoa be substituted for the orzo? Trying to sneak some healthier grains into the family’s meals.
Glad you gave it a try Kevin! You could play around with it- check out our recipe for Mediterranean quinoa chickpea skillet. You could follow instructions for the quinoa and incorporate the ingredients from this one at the end.
We had this tonight and it was really delicious . I think next time I’ll add a few mushrooms and some pine nuts (I bought 2lbs of pine nuts at Costco today). A quick and easy one pot dinner. Thanks!
Yum- sounds like good additions. Glad you enjoyed!
I had high hopes for this one but it didn’t make the family cut. Textures great but flavor missing. We don’t always have to have a creamy sauce but for this and my boys, I think it would have been an improvement on flavor.
Hi Kay, Appreciate your feedback. Curious if you changed anything? It is helpful to hear as it gives us insight into how we can make the recipe better for everyone. We also find that adjusting the seasonings at the end can make a big difference—a flavorful broth, a little salt, a squeeze of lemon, or a touch of cream can really bring everything together.
If you need a quick, easy and delicious meal… this recipe delivers!!! It is so good and only one pan to clean when your done. Bravo!!
Awesome Pam, appreciate your review!
Excellent recipe. We really enjoyed it. I made it as specified, except added some extra feta since this was our main dish and also added some tomatoes as suggested as an option So so good!
Perfect Deborah, happy you enjoyed! Thanks for taking time to review.
I love this! Sylvia how would I do this in advance for a party? Add all
Aromatics on day of?
Hi Patricia, I would make it per the recipe and add the lemon juice and dill after reheating. When reheating, add more broth if needed.