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Greek Orzo Bake with Feta and Spinach

Name: Greek Orzo Bake with Feta and Spinach
Prep time: 37 min
Total time: 43 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: olive oil — 41 g; yellow onion — 110 g; garlic — 12 g; dried leaf oregano — 1 g; red chili flakes — 1 g; tomatoes — 794 g; vegetable broth — 710 g; orzo pasta — 355 g; salt — 5 g; black pepper — 3 g; baby spinach — 142 g; feta cheese — 227 g; lemon — 65 g; dill — 7 g

Greek Orzo Bake with Feta and Spinach reads citrus 5.6, sourness 5.3 and salinity 5.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Greek main, about 43 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 6.0 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.5 / 10
Sour & Bright — 7.3 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.6 / 10
Rich & Fat — 4.1 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.6 · Sourness 5.3 · Salinity 5.2 · Fruity 4.7 · Allium 4.4 · Umami 4.1 · Richness 3.7 · Sweetness 2.8 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.6 · Heat 1.5 · Earthy 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Floral 1.3 · Bitterness 1.2 · Nutty 1.2 · Marine & Briny 1.1

What's in it (14)

olive oil — 41 g
yellow onion — 110 g
garlic — 12 g
dried leaf oregano — 1 g
red chili flakes — 1 g
tomatoes — 794 g
vegetable broth — 710 g
orzo pasta — 355 g
salt — 5 g
black pepper — 3 g
baby spinach — 142 g
feta cheese — 227 g
lemon — 65 g
dill — 7 g

Time & effort: about 43 min (37 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 91.9 kcal, 3.8 g protein, 2.4 g fat, 13.7 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or braiser over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5-6 minutes.
Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan; bring to a simmer.
Stir in the orzo, salt, and black pepper. Cover the skillet tightly with foil, transfer to the oven, and bake until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 16-18 minutes.
Carefully remove the skillet from the oven (the handle is hot) and stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, until wilted into the hot orzo.
Scatter the feta evenly over the top and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Return the skillet, uncovered, to the oven and bake until the feta is softened and lightly golden at the edges, 8-10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes so the sauce settles and thickens slightly.
Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and scatter with the lemon zest and dill; taste and season with more salt if needed. Serve directly from the skillet.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Greek White Bean and Spinach Skillet — Greek
Baked Greek Chicken Meatballs with Orzo — Greek
Baked Orzo with Feta, Tomatoes, and Chickpeas — Mediterranean
Greek Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta — Greek
Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Pasta — Mediterranean

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.