Herbed Orzo with Feta
I forgot to post yesterday, so here I am a day late, reminiscing about a dish I made on repeat all summer. Luckily for me, since I am still craving those bright, simple flavors, it’s a simple pasta recipe that you can make year-round.
Before turning to the Grande Dame, Ina Garten, to test her version of Herbed Orzo with Feta, I riffed on my own versions of a lemony pasta side dish. I wanted something fresh, herbaceous, and obviously delicious, but not so flavorful that it would overpower the main event — whether that be grilled swordfish, marinated flank steak, or Maryland crab cakes. My attempts were fine, but as expected, Ina’s orzo was perfect and hit all the marks. My only complaint, which is reflected in the changes below, is the ubiquitous use of 3/4 lb of pasta. Why?! Why?! Why?! I’ve asked before, and I will ask again: why do so many recipes use 3/4 lb of pasta when pasta is almost exclusively packaged in 1 lb boxes? Are we expected to weigh our pasta before using? And what are we intended to do with 1/4 lb remnants of pasta? I just don’t get it. If someone has the answer, please enlighten me.
Following is the scaled version of Ina Garten’s Herbed Orzo with Feta. Enjoy!
Herbed Orzo with Feta
Ingredients
- 1 lb orzo
- 3/4 c olive oil
- 2/3 c freshly squeezed lemon juice about 4 lemons
- 1 1/3 c minced scallions, white and green parts
- 1 1/3 c chopped fresh dill
- 1 1/3 c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 1/3 c medium-diced English cucumber, unpeeled and seeded
- 2/3 c small-diced red onion
- 1 lb block feta cheese, large-diced I used 8 oz Israeli sheep's milk feta
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl.
- Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.
- Add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. Taste for salt and if refrigerated, bring back to room temperature before serving.
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November 10, 2026 @ 9:10 am
this would be so perfect with chicken swarma !