I recently bought a box of orzo and then searched for a recipe to make. I found this fabulous dish in New York Times Cooking, one of my favorite sites. It combines spinach, orzo, onion, lemon zest and feta to create a vegetarian main dish or a hearty side. This is also very easy to make - about 30 minutes all inclusive, and is all done in one pot. I modified it ever so slightly, using a yellow onion vs scallions, and added 1 T evoo.
I hope you are all doing well my fellow Foodies. It has been a while. Happy Labor Day 2022! I'm looking forward to a Fall filled with cooking. - Foodie Mama xxoo
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| Spinach and Orzo with Feta |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 T evoo
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces baby spinach leaves (8 cups), coarsely chopped
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¾ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 1cup orzo, uncooked
- 1teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- ¾ cup crumbled feta (3 ounces), plus more for garnish
- 1cup chopped fresh dill, or use parsley or cilantro (I used parsley)
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat a pan or heavy pot over medium, then melt butter, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add evoo. Stir in the onions and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, stir and cook for another minute.
- Step 2
Stir in spinach, adding in batches if it doesn’t all fit in the pan at once, and ½ teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.
- Step 3
Stir in stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in orzo, lemon zest and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until orzo is nearly cooked through and most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 14 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- Step 4
Stir in cheese and parsley, cover the pan, and cook for another 1 minute. To serve, sprinkle with more cheese if desired.