One-Skillet Greek Orzo and Chickpeas

A white cast iron skillet filled with orzo, chickpeas, tomatoes and other Greek inspired herbs and veggies.

One-Skillet Greek Orzo and Chickpeas

This easy one-skillet dinner is Greek inspired - orzo pasta, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and healthy veggies cooked all in one pan. Satisfying and nutritious, this meatless meal is ready in as little as 15 minutes.

4.84 from 24 votes

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Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: One-Pot Orzo, One-Pot Pasta, One-Pot Vegan Dinner

Prep Time: 2

Cook Time: 13

Total Time: 15

Servings: 6

Calories: 398kcal

Author: Bronwyn

Recipe Video

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium brown onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
¼-½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 ½ cups uncooked orzo pasta
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil packed, drained and sliced
1 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
½ cup white wine
3 cups vegetable broth
1½ cups cooked and drained chickpeas
1 bell pepper (capsicum), sliced
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
3 cups baby spinach
⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (about 2 cups)
vegan tzatziki, for serving optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat a large (10-12”/25.4-30.5 cm) skillet or braiser over medium, then add the olive oil until shimmering.
Stir in the onion, and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add the garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Stir and cook for another minute.
Add in the orzo, stirring to coat and lightly toast, about a minute or 2.
Deglaze with the wine, add in the sun-dried tomatoes, and sun-dried tomato oil. Stir and simmer for a minute or two until half of the liquid cooks off.
Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, stirring often to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom.
As soon as the pasta is boiling, reduce the heat to a low simmer for 5-8 minutes until the orzo is nearly al dente - if the heat is left too high, the liquid will cook down before the orzo is cooked. Do not cover. If you like your bell pepper soft, add it while the orzo cooks. I add it at the end of the pasta cooking so that it remains crisp.
Add the chickpeas, sliced pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and fresh dill. Continue to simmer until the orzo is al dente and the liquid has been absorbed.
Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach and olives. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cherry tomatoes or serve on top.
Serve with vegan tzatziki and flatbread, if desired.

Nutrition Info:

Notes:

Store leftover orzo and chickpeas in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can be frozen in an airtight container for about 3 months, but will naturally be much softer once defrosted. To avoid this as much as possible, slightly undercook your pasta if you know ahead of time that you’ll be freezing it.

When reheating leftover pasta, add a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil (or a pat of vegan butter) and some salt to help brighten the flavors.

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