This roasted vegetable orzo combines oven-roasted vegetables with orzo and feta cheese, all tossed in a Balsamic and feta dressing. A great side dish or meatless main course.

Roasted vegetable orzo in a serving bowl with a spoon.

This orzo with roasted vegetables is a fabulous warm side dish, or try it as a meatless main dish.

It’s endlessly customizable with whatever vegetables you have on hand. This version uses feta cheese, but it’s also nice with goat cheese, too!

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Ingredients and substitutions

A few notes about the key ingredients …

Orzo – Look for orzo in the pasta aisle!

Vegetables – You can use any vegetable you can roast. I’ve used bell peppers, red onion and zucchini here. I toss a few cherry tomatoes on the pan about halfway through roasting.

Balsamic vinegar – I love the combination of balsamic vinegar with roasted vegetables. Red wine vinegar would be a decent substitute, though I would reduce the amount slightly, as it has a stronger flavour.

Feta cheese – Feta cheese works well here, but if you prefer goat cheese, you can certainly substitute it. I would skip adding the goat cheese to the vinaigrette, as it won’t hold up as well as feta cheese does.

How to make roasted vegetable orzo

This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Always refer to the complete instructions in the Recipe Card below when making this recipe.

Drizzling olive oil over cut vegetables on a baking sheet.
1
Toasting the orzo briefly in melted butter.
2
Adding the chicken broth to the toasted orzo.
3
  1. Start by cutting up the vegetables and spreading all of them except the cherry tomatoes evenly onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pop into a hot oven to roast for 20 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes to the vegetables and continue roasting another 10-15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, melt some butter in a skillet and then add the orzo. Cook the orzo with the butter briefly.
  3. Add the chicken broth to the orzo, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is tender.
Preparing the balsamic dressing.
4
Adding the roasted vegetables to the skillet with the cooked orzo.
5
Adding the balsamic dressing to the orzo and roasted vegetables.
6
  1. While the orzo is cooking, mix together the balsamic dressing.
  2. When the vegetables are roasted, transfer from the baking sheet to the skillet with the orzo and stir together.
  3. Transfer the orzo mixture to a serving bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Serve warm.

Recipe tips

  • You may not need to add all of the balsamic dressing. Add 1/2-2/3 of it, toss and taste. Add more if needed.
  • I like to add some feta to the balsamic dressing as it makes it a bit creamy and spreads the salty feta flavour throughout the dish. That said, you can leave it out of the dressing and just use it as a topping instead. If you are substituting goat cheese for the feta, you wouldn’t want to add goat cheese to the dressing, as it would remain clumpy. Scatter goat cheese on top instead.
  • I love this orzo for cleaning up odds and ends of vegetables in the fridge. Use what you have.
  • You could also grill the vegetables on the BBQ or a hot grill pan and serve alongside grilled chicken or salmon.
  • I enjoy this dish warm, but some might enjoy it at room temperature or even cold.
Roasted vegetable orzo in serving dish with a spoon.

Making ahead and storing

This roasted vegetable orzo is best enjoyed freshly made, though it does hold up reasonably well made ahead, refrigerated and rewarmed.

The orzo will absorb any excess dressing as it sits and in the refrigerator, but the flavour will remain.

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Roasted vegetable orzo in a serving bowl with a spoon.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Vegetable Orzo

Oven-roasted vegetables combined with orzo and tossed in a Balsamic and feta dressing for a delicious side dish or meatless main dish.
4 stars from 1 rating
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the roasted vegetables:

  • 1 medium red onion, cut into thick slices
  • 1 large zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 medium bell peppers, cored and sliced
  • Olive oil, for drizzling
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 10-12 cherry tomatoes

For the balsamic dressing:

  • 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey, or brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta, plus more for garnish
  • freshly ground pepper

For the orzo:

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup orzo
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or vegetable broth
  • salt and freshly groundp epper

For garnish:

  • Fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • Additional crumbled feta cheese
  • Balsamic glaze, optional, for drizzling

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 450F (non-convection/not fan-assisted).
  • Prepare the vegetables and spread all of them EXCEPT THE CHERRY TOMATOES onto a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place into the preheated oven for 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times during cooking.
  • Make the balsamic dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender (or with an immersion blender). Blend until smooth and set aside.
  • While the vegetables are roasting, melt the butter in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the orzo and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is tender.
  • Tip! If the orzo finishes before the vegetables are finished roasting, simply turn the heat off under the orzo and loosely cover the skillet with foil to keep warm.
  • After 20 minutes, remove the vegetables from the oven and scatter the cherry tomatoes onto the baking sheet. Return to the oven and allow to roast 10-15 minutes longer, or until well roasted.
  • When the vegetables are done, remove them from the oven and spoon them into the skillet with the cooked orzo. Stir in and reheat, if necessary. Season with a bit of salt and some freshly ground pepper.
  • Spoon the orzo mixture into a large serving bowl. Drizzle 1/2-2/3 of the balsamic dressing over the orzo mixture and toss to coat well. Add additional balsamic dressing as needed or to taste.
  • Garnish with basil leaves, additional crumbled feta cheese and drizzle with a bit of balsamic glaze, if you like. Serve immediately.

Notes

Goat cheese is a great substitute for feta cheese. If you are substituting goat cheese for the feta, you wouldn’t want to add goat cheese to the dressing, as it would remain clumpy. Scatter goat cheese on top instead
I like to add some feta to the balsamic dressing as it makes it a bit creamy and spreads the salty feta flavour throughout the dish. That said, you can leave the feta out of the dressing and just use it as a topping instead.
I enjoy this orzo warm, but some might enjoy it at room temperature or even cold from the fridge.
Be sure to read the notes above this recipe card for more substitution suggestions as well as step-by-step photos that you might find helpful.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Author: Jennifer Maloney
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 476kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 650mg, Potassium: 594mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 2463IU, Vitamin C: 102mg, Calcium: 107mg, Iron: 2mg
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