Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Feta and Tomato Orzo
Sheet pan feta and tomato orzo with roasted vegetables and feta cheese. Cooks entirely in the oven! Enjoy as a great side dish or a meatless main dish.
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium red onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored and seeded, then chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, *see Note 1 below
- salt and pepper
- 28 oz (398 ml) canned whole plum tomatoes, peeled tomatoes, recommended
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 cup (160 g) orzo pasta
- 2 cups (500 g) hot water, plus more as needed
- 4 1/2 oz (130 g) feta cheese, sliced
- salt and pepper, as needed
- chopped cilantro and/or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F (regular setting/not fan-assisted). Have ready a 9x13-inch rimmed baking sheet. *See Note 2 below.
- Scatter the prepared red onion, garlic cloves and chopped red bell peppers on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are starting to colour, stirring once during cooking.
- Meanwhile, remove the plum tomatoes from the can and gently hand-crush a bit, allowing the liquid to drip back into the can. Place in a bowl and have ready. Reserve the canned tomato juices.
- After the vegetables have roasted, add the plum tomatoes (without the juice), the coriander and some red pepper flakes if using and roast for 10 minutes more, stirring once.
- Tip! If all of the liquid doesn't fit in your pan, add what will fit then drizzle the remaining liquid as the orzo cooks and the liquid level reduces.
- Remove from oven. Use a fork to smash the tomatoes and garlic. Add the orzo, hot water and the reserved juices from the canned tomatoes. Stir together well to distribute the orzo. Dot with top with the feta cheese slices. Season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Return to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring 2-3 times while cooking and taste-testing the orzo towards the end of cooking to see if it is done. If the pan seems dry and the orzo is not yet cooked, drizzle with a bit more water if needed. (I usually need to add 1/4-cup-ish more water near the end).
- Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with flaky salt and chopped cilantro and/or parsley.
Notes
Note 1: Whole garlic cloves are used as they won't burn in the hot oven. If you only have minced garlic on hand, don't add it to the vegetables. Instead, add a bit at the same time you add the water and stir it in, so it won't burn.
Note 2: Be sure to use a baking sheet with at least a 1-inch rim to contain all the liquid. If you don't have a 9x13-inch sheet pan, you can use a 9x13-inch casserole dish instead, preferably metal.
Top tip!
This dish greatly benefits from generous seasoning with salt and pepper. Season well several times throughout the cooking process and then finish with a seasoning over the top after cooking.
Variations
Replace some or all of the hot water with hot chicken or vegetable broth, for a bit of extra flavour.
Substitute different vegetables, just avoid using too many vegetables overall or there won't be room in the pan for all of the liquid that needs to be added later.
Be sure to read the notes above this recipe card, for more tips on making this recipe. You will also find step-by-step photos and a recipe video that you might find helpful.
Watch how to make it
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 140 kcal, Carbohydrates: 21 g, Protein: 6 g, Fat: 4 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 14 mg, Sodium: 618 mg, Potassium: 302 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 4 g, Vitamin A: 836 IU, Vitamin C: 37 mg, Calcium: 121 mg, Iron: 1 mg
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