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Baked Feta Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes (No Soggy Pasta Method)

Blistered cherry tomatoes and creamy roasted feta folded into risotto-toasted orzo for a version that’s never gluey or soggy.

  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • 1 block feta cheese (8 oz)
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
  • 3 to 3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, hot
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil, torn
  • 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a baking dish, toss cherry tomatoes with smashed garlic, 2 tbsp olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Nestle the block of feta in the center and drizzle it with a little more oil.
  2. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are blistered and bursting and the feta is soft and lightly golden on top.
  3. While that roasts, heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the orzo and toast, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and smelling nutty. Do not walk away — it goes from toasted to burnt fast.
  4. Add the hot stock a half cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition absorb before adding more, the same way you’d cook risotto. This takes about 10 to 12 minutes total, until the orzo is al dente and the mixture is creamy.
  5. Mash the roasted feta into the tomatoes right in the baking dish, then fold the whole mixture into the orzo. Loosen with a splash more hot stock if it looks tight.
  6. Stir in lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  7. Top with torn basil and toasted pine nuts if using, and serve immediately.

Notes

Always use a block of feta, not pre-crumbled — the anti-caking starch on crumbled feta stops it from melting into a sauce. If your roasted tomatoes throw off a lot of liquid, spoon off the excess before folding them in, or the orzo will end up soupy. Add the stock gradually rather than all at once; that’s what gives the orzo its creamy texture without any cream. Leftovers reheat well with a splash of stock or water stirred in over low heat.

  • Author: Ella Whitley
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Method: Baked + Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean