Cheesy Baked Orzo with Chickpeas, Spinach and Feta

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Everything goes into one baking dish raw — orzo, canned tomatoes, chickpeas and broth — and comes out of the oven as a bubbling, creamy pasta bake under a lid of melted mozzarella and salty feta. No boiling pasta, no browning meat, no extra pans. It feeds four generously, stretches to six alongside a salad, and reheats beautifully with a splash of water.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups dried orzo
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 5 oz baby spinach
• 1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges
• 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• 5 oz feta, crumbled

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the middle. Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
2. Add the sliced onion, garlic, oregano, crushed tomatoes, chickpeas, orzo, broth, salt, pepper and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil directly to the dish. Stir well with a spoon so the orzo is fully submerged and spread everything into an even layer.
3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes, until the orzo is just tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. It should still look a little saucy at this stage.
4. Uncover carefully (steam), then pile the baby spinach on top and fold it through with a spoon in a few big strokes — it will wilt into the hot orzo in under a minute. Stir in the lemon zest and taste for salt.
5. Scatter the mozzarella evenly over the surface, then dot the crumbled feta on top. Return to the oven uncovered and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling and browned.
6. Let the bake rest 10 minutes so it sets up, then serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over each portion.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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