Lemon Orzo with Feta
This Greek-inspired lemon orzo with soft, almost buttery, courgettes and shallots, fresh herbs and feta is the perfect simple supper or easy lunch. It takes less than 30 minutes to put together and can be served hot or cold - what’s not to love?
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
For the salmon: optional
- 2 large salmon fillets
- Drizzle olive oil
For the lemon orzo with feta:
- 400 ml vegetable stock
- 180 g orzo
- 120 g petit pois
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 banana shallots finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 courgette coarsely grated
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 20 g fresh dill
- 10 g mint leaves picked
- 1 large lemon zest and juice
- 80 g feta or as much or little as you'd like!
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp runny honey
Instructions
- If serving with salmon: preheat the oven to 190C Fan and line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper. Place the salmon fillets (skin side down) on the baking sheet and drizzle each one with a little olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 8-10 minutes - or until they give way and begin to flake when nudged with a knife.
- For the orzo: pour the stock into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Once boiling, add the orzo and continue to cook as per packet instructions, adding the petit pois for the last 3 minutes of cooking. Keep an eye on the pan to check the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a medium-sized non-stick frying pan. Add the shallots and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the garlic and grated courgette and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the orzo is cooked, drain and reserve the stock.
- Add the orzo to the pan with the vegetables, alongside 2 tbsp of the reserved stock. Stir well, then season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Remove from the heat.
- While you’re waiting for the orzo to cook and the vegetables to soften, roughly chop the herbs and tip into a bowl. Add the zest of lemon, crumble over the feta and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Drizzle over the herby-feta mix and season to taste - bear in mind that feta is normally quite salty. Squeeze over the lemon juice, if wished.
- Stir half of the herby-feta into the orzo.
- Divide the orzo serving bowls, top with the salmon fillet (if using), then spoon over the remaining herby-feta mix. Enjoy!
Notes
To store: Whilst best enjoyed fresh, the leftovers are still delicious. Transfer to an airtight container (tupperware) and keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes (depending how much you have left) until piping hot. Otherwise, it's good cold too (see above).
To freeze: I wouldn't say it freezes amazingly but you can do so. I would pop any leftovers in a sealed tupperware and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating. Bear in mind that the orzo tends to soften upon defrosting so the texture will be slightly different.
Make ahead: You can make it ahead of time if you want to serve it cold. I wouldn't make it ahead of time if you want to serve it warm, as this can make the orzo a little mushy. If making it to serve cold, simply follow the recipe as instructed and then cool and place in the fridge. It will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. When ready to eat, remove from the fridge 20-30 minutes before as it's best at room temperature and you may need to add a drizzle more olive oil and a splash more lemon juice to loosen it.
Make it vegetarian: the salmon fillet is entirely optional - you can keep this veggie friendly and serve it without.
Make it vegan-friendly: you can make this recipe suitable for vegans by omitting the salmon and feta (or using a plant-based alternative) and opting for maple syrup instead of runny honey.