Spiced orzo with prawns & feta

One of my favourite quick recipes.

Orzo pasta makes a fantastic base for a simple, store cupboard dish that’s somewhere between a pasta and a risotto. I particularly love how well it pairs with Middle Eastern spices and flavours, and often make a version with what I have to hand for a quick lunch. Without exaggerating, I’d say the one I’m sharing with you today is my best one yet!

The recipe is inspired by an Ottolenghi dish, but I've kept the flavour profile closer to the Middle East. Adding feta cheese to a dish with seafood in it might sound odd, but trust me—it makes a big difference to the overall taste, without tasting cheesy.

I toast the orzo first for a slightly nuttier texture, but you can skip that if you wish.

Hope you’ll enjoy this one as much as I do!

Vidar 🧿

Spiced orzo with prawns & feta

Lunch or dinner | Middle Eastern & Mediterranean inspired | 30 minutes | 2 small servings

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil (I use a mild extra virgin)
120 g orzo pasta (risoni/arpa şehriye) (about ⅔ cups)
3 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
250 g cherry tomatoes, halved if large (about 1½ cups)
½ tsp pul biber (Aleppo pepper), or other chilli flakes, to taste
½ tsp isot biber (Urfa pepper), or more pul biber
350 ml water (1½ cups)
200 g raw king prawns (thawed weight if frozen) (7 oz)
50 g feta cheese, roughly crumbled (1¾ oz)
1 tsp lemon juice
5 g (a small handful) flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
salt and pepper

How I make it (quick version)

1. Fry orzo in olive oil until golden.

2. Fry garlic and cumin in remaining oil, then add tomatoes, pul biber, water, orzo, salt and pepper. Simmer until al dente.

3. Add prawns, cook until done.

4. Stir in feta and lemon juice, then season.

5. Serve topped with parsley.

How I make it

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed pot or pan with high sides over medium heat. Fry the orzo pasta in half of the olive oil (1½ Tbsp) until golden, 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Set aside.

2. In the same pot or pan, fry the garlic and cumin seeds in the remaining olive oil (1½ Tbsp), stirring constantly, until the garlic begins to soften, 30–45 seconds.

3. Add the cherry tomatoes, pul biber (Aleppo pepper), water, and the toasted orzo to the pan, along with ½ tsp salt and a few grins of pepper. Stir together and bring to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let it simmer until the orzo is al dente, 10–15 minutes, stirring a couple of times during cooking to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom.

5. When the orzo is al dente, add the prawns. Continue to simmer until the prawns are cooked through, 1–2 minutes. Add more water if necessary —if should be like a loose risotto.

6. Stir in the feta cheese and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

7. Serve topped with a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley.

Notes

For a vegetarian option, omit the prawns and add more vegetables like peppers or courgette and a handful of chickpeas. You can also substitute leftover cooked chicken.