Creamy Spinach and Feta One Pot Orzo

Spinach and Feta Orzo, at a Glance

⏰ Time: 30 minutes

🍽️Makes: 4 servings

🛒 Key Ingredients: Orzo, spinach, feta, garlic, leek, broccolini, vegetable stock, lemon

🧠 Skill Level: Easy

👩‍🍳 Cooking Method: Stovetop, one pot

💪 Why it Works: Cooking the orzo directly in the stock with the veggies creates a silky sauce without adding any cream, while the feta brings a gorgeous, savory tang

💃 Perfect For: Busy weeknights, cozy vegetarian-friendly meals, when you’re craving risotto but don’t want to babysit the stove

Creamy, Cozy, and All in One Pot

I always feel like orzo is such an underrated pasta. It cooks quickly, is ridiculously versatile – I love it in pasta salads (this pesto orzo salad is always a go-to) – and it’s wonderful in easy, one-pot dishes like this one.

Think of it as a quicker, easier version of risotto. That’s because you don’t have to add stock slowly, stir until it’s absorbed, and babysit the pot the whole time. Like risotto, the starch from the orzo creates the super luscious consistency, enhanced by creamy feta stirred through at the end.

Once you know the base technique for a one-pot orzo dish like this, you can really get creative. It’s a fab way to use up odds and ends in the fridge and is perfect for using up slightly sad-looking veggies.

The formula is essentially:

Soften your veggies (onion, garlic, leek, peppers, tomatoes, broccolini stems, etc)
Add orzo and stir through
Add liquid (stock or water)
Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally
Add finishing touches (stir through cheese, leafy greens, extra seasoning)

“Made this tonight for dinner & we loved it! Can’t wait to make for company!”

– Lindy

Ingredients You’ll Need

Creamy spinach and feta orzo ingredients on a grey marble background.

Orzo. Orzo is a small, rice-shaped dried pasta that you should be able to find with other dried pasta at the grocery store. It’s also called risoni, most commonly in New Zealand and Australia.
Spinach. It might look like a ridiculous amount at first, but I promise it wilts down quickly! Baby spinach is ideal – if you’re using regular spinach, remove any tough stems and roughly chop any larger leaves.
Feta. The feta serves two purposes – it makes the orzo irresistibly creamy and provides a lovely, salty flavor that pairs so well with the green veggies.
Vegetable stock. You can replace this with water if you like, but you will need to add more seasoning, so make sure you taste as you go. You can also use chicken stock.
Leek. I love the subtle, sweet, oniony flavor of leeks, and it helps to bulk out the veggie content here. But you can swap it for an onion, shallot, or scallions (I’d use 3 scallions).
Broccolini. We’re using the stalks AND florets here so there’s no wastage. Regular broccoli works too.

How to Make Spinach and Feta Orzo

This is a step-by-step photo overview of how to make the orzo – the full recipe with ingredient quantities is at the bottom of the page for you.

Red spatula stirring garlic, leeks and broccoli stems.

Add your sliced leek, garlic, broccolini stems, and salt to a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat and cook until they start to soften.

Orzo being poured into a black and red pan with leeks, broccolini and garlic.

Add the orzo and stir it through the softened veggies.

Stock being poured into a pan with orzo, leeks, garlic and broccolini stems.

Pour in all your stock (or water), stir it through the orzo, and bring it to a simmer.

Red spatula stirring stock through creamy orzo in black and red pan.

Simmer the orzo uncovered, stirring it occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of your pan. It will start to look creamy, thick, and glorious.

Hand crumbling feta into creamy orzo in a black and red pan.

Once thickened, add the broccolini florets, feta, and spinach leaves and stir them through. Add a little more stock or water if you’d like it saucier.

Add lots of black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. I like to sprinkle chilli flakes on top along with fresh basil leaves to finish.

“Made this tonight…Flavors are awesome. I appreciate the mention of the fact that you can add what you have…This recipe is very user-friendly and we loved it.” I think next time I may add a squeeze of lemon and maybe some dill. I will definitely make this again. 👍”

– Kellie

Watch How to Make Spinach and Feta Orzo

Spinach Feta Orzo FAQs

Can I use different vegetables in the orzo?

You can! This is a fab way to use up odds and ends in your fridge. Switch the spinach for kale or cavolo nero, use regular broccoli rather than broccolini, throw in a handful of frozen peas or edamame beans, or swap the leek for an onion, shallot, or scallions.

Can I use any other cheese?

Sure – soft goat’s cheese, cream cheese, or Boursin would be great, as would any strong cheddar, parmesan, or even creamy blue cheese.

Can I use water instead of stock to make the spinach and feta orzo?

You can! Use the same quantity of water. You’ll need to add extra seasoning because stock adds extra savory flavor – taste it after you’ve added the feta and add a little more salt or fish sauce if needed.

Can I make the spinach and feta ahead of time?

You can, and it’s a great one to make ahead for meal prep (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 it either on the stovetop or in the microwave. It’ll last at least 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @Zageer on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.

This super creamy one-pot spinach and feta orzo gives you cozy risotto vibes with a lot less fuss. Ready in just 25 minutes, it’s packed with greens and lovely salty feta, with no cream needed. Soften your veggies, stir in orzo and stock, and simmer your way to a comforting dinner with minimal washing up.It's great for busy weeknights, an easy one for dinner parties, and it's great for meal prep to enjoy throughout the week. Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 25 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

1 large leek
3 garlic cloves, crushed
150 g (5oz) broccolini, or use regular broccoli
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 ½ cups orzo
3 cups hot vegetable or chicken stock
100 g (3.5oz) feta, plus extra to serve
150 g (5oz) baby spinach leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, from roughly ½ a lemon
Handful of basil leaves, roughly ½ a cup
Black pepper
2 tablespoons chili oil, to serve (optional)

Method

Prepare the vegetables. Remove the root and any tough outer leaves from the leek, then wash it, and slice it finely. Cut the florets from the broccolini stems. Finely slice the stems and slice the florets into bite-sized pieces.
Cook the vegetables.Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a high-sided skillet and set it over medium-high heat. Add the chopped leek, broccolini stems, garlic, chili flakes, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes until they start to soften.
Add the orzo and stock.Pour in 1 ½ cups of orzo and stir it through the vegetables. Then, pour in 3 cups of hot stock. Stir and reduce the heat to low, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the broccoli florets, spinach, and feta.After 10 minutes, the orzo should look SUPER creamy and be al dente (test it by tasting – it should be cooked, but still have a little bite to it). At this point, add the reserved broccolini florets and crumble in the feta. Stir them 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 to wilt them into the pasta. Once the spinach is soft, remove the pan from the heat.
Garnish and serve.Squeeze the lemon juice into the orzo and stir, then taste and add any lemon juice or salt if needed. Scatter the remaining feta over the top of the orzo, then finish with a little drizzle of olive oil (or chili oil if you're using it). Divide between plates and serve while hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl
Calories: 443kcal
Carbohydrates: 71.3g
Protein: 16.5g
Fat: 10.4g
Saturated Fat: 4.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 3.8g
Trans Fat: 0.2g
Cholesterol: 22mg
Sodium: 1456mg
Potassium: 666mg
Fiber: 5.4g
Sugar: 6.6g
Vitamin A: 5030IU
Vitamin C: 52mg
Calcium: 241mg
Iron: 3.7mg

Notes

PREP AHEAD: 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 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. INGREDIENT NOTES: This recipe is SUPER customizable, 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.