This one pot vegetable orzo is the kind of cozy, Mediterranean-inspired dinner you make when you want something comforting yet fresh—an easy, budget-friendly, high-fiber meal packed with winter vegetables, bright lemon, and feta, all cooked a single skillet with minimal cleanup.
For more cozy one-pot dinners, check out quick lemon lentil soup, easy Greek chickpea soup (Revithia), Greek bean stew with rice, Turmeric rice with chickpeas.
A cozy one-pot dinner for cold nights
This one pot vegetable orzo is the kind of recipe that gives you maximum comfort with minimal effort 🍋. Louise and I made it for the first time around New Year’s, inspired by the tradition of black eyed peas for good luck—but any bean works beautifully here—we love starting the year with a dish that feels cozy, nourishing, and deeply satisfying.
It comes together in just over 20 minutes in one skillet, making it a perfect easy vegetarian one pot meal for busy weeknights 🥕. Brussels sprouts, leek, and carrots keep it budget friendly and seasonal, while the beans and orzo make it naturally fiber-rich, protein-rich, and filling, supporting a balanced, Mediterranean-style eating pattern.
The flavors are unmistakably Greek-inspired: lemon, oregano, garlic, and feta, with tender orzo cooked right in the pot until creamy and comforting 🧀. And while lemon is often linked to summer, it’s actually a winter fruit, adding brightness right when you crave it most.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Orzo pasta: a small, rice-shaped pasta that cooks up tender and comforting in one pot. Substitute small pasta like ditalini or pearl couscous.
- Black eyed peas: mild, creamy, and great for luck and plant-based protein. You can use canned or cook them from dry—no soaking needed. Simply simmer dried black eyed peas in boiling water for 30–45 minutes until tender. Substitute cannellini beans, chickpeas, butter beans, or any cooked bean you love—this flexibility makes it an easy vegetarian one pot meal.
- Extra virgin olive oil: the base of flavor for this Mediterranean orzo recipe. Substitute another mild olive oil or a neutral oil if needed.
- Leek: adds gentle sweetness without overpowering the dish. Substitute yellow onion, shallots, or even green onions.
- Carrots: bring natural sweetness and color. Swap with parsnips, sweet potato, or butternut squash.
- Garlic: essential for savory depth. Substitute garlic powder in a pinch.
- Dried oregano: classic Mediterranean flavor. Substitute Italian seasoning or dried thyme.
- Brussels sprouts: hearty and perfect for winter. Swap with broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, chard, or chopped kale.
- Baby spinach: wilts easily and adds greens. Substitute Swiss chard, arugula, or frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed).
- Vegetable broth: builds flavor while keeping things light. Substitute chicken broth or water plus a pinch of salt.
- Lemon: brightens everything. Substitute a splash of white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Feta cheese: adds salty creaminess. Substitute dairy-free feta or a sprinkle of grated parmesan.
How to Make One Pot Vegetable Orzo
Step 1: Cook the Vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced leek, sliced carrots, and halved Brussels sprouts. Season with salt and black pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften. If the pan looks dry, add a small splash of broth.
Step 2: Add Flavor, Orzo, and Beans
Stir in the grated garlic and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the orzo and cooked or canned black eyed peas (drained), pour in the broth, and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender with a slight bite.
Step 3: Add the Spinach
In the last few minutes of cooking, add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring until it wilts and blends into the orzo. The dish should look creamy and full of vegetables.
Step 4: Finish and Serve
Turn off the heat and add the lemon zest and juice—starting with half and adding more to taste. Spoon the orzo into bowls, then finish each serving with crumbled feta and a drizzle of olive oil. This keeps leftovers easy to reheat and helps the dish store better, too.
Tips
- How to clean a leek: Trim off the dark green top and the root end. Slice the leek in half lengthwise, then rinse under cold running water, gently separating the layers to wash away any trapped dirt.
- Use a wide pan or skillet so the orzo cooks evenly and doesn’t clump—this really matters for a true one-pot dish.
- Stir occasionally, not constantly. Letting the orzo sit for short moments helps it cook evenly without turning mushy.
- Keep extra broth nearby. Orzo absorbs liquid quickly, so a splash of warm broth keeps this a relaxed, forgiving one pot orzo recipe.
- Season in layers. Lightly salt the vegetables first, then adjust again at the end for deeper flavor without overdoing it.
- Add spinach at the very end so it stays bright green and tender, not dull or watery.
- Finish with lemon gradually. Start with less and add more to taste—this keeps the balance right in this Greek-inspired orzo.
- Top with feta after serving, not in the pot. This helps leftovers reheat better and keeps the texture fresh.
- Think of this as a flexible base. Swap vegetables or beans based on what you have and still end up with a healthy one pot dinner that feels comforting and satisfying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This dish stores very well in the fridge for up to 4 days. For best texture, keep the feta off until serving, then reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of broth or water.
Almost any cooked bean works here. Cannellini beans, chickpeas, butter beans, or navy beans are all great options, making this a very flexible vegetable orzo recipe.
Absolutely. Simply skip the feta or use a dairy-free alternative. The orzo and vegetables are flavorful on their own thanks to olive oil, garlic, oregano, and lemon.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water, and add feta and olive oil just before serving.
This one pot vegetable orzo is already a complete, satisfying meal on its own, thanks to the combination of pasta, beans, vegetables, and olive oil. If you’d like to change it up, you can add a protein on top—grilled or roasted chicken, salmon, or shrimp all work well, or keep it vegetarian with a poached or fried egg. A spoonful of plain Greek yogurt is also delicious, adding creaminess without heaviness.
More Easy Mediterranean Dinners
- Roasted Cauliflower Orzo with Chickpeas and Feta
- Lucky Black Eyed Peas Salad
- Greek Cauliflower Bowl
- Mediterranean Stir Fry
- Greek Sheet Pan Gnocchi
- Three Bean Orzo Soup
- Mediterranean Mushroom & Rice Stir Fry
- Turmeric Cauliflower and Chickpea
If you try this One-Pot Vegetable Orzo, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Mediterranean One-Pot Vegetable Orzo (Easy in 30 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large leek sliced into half moons
- 2 carrots
- 2 cups Brussels sprouts halved or quartered if large
- 3 cloves garlic grated/minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1 can black eyed peas 15 oz / 400 g can, rinsed and drained, or 1½ cups / 230 g cooked beans (sub any bean variety)
- 4 cups vegetable broth best if low-sodium
- 3 cups baby spinach
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste + black pepper
- ½ lemon zest and juice
- ½ cup crumbled feta substitute grated parmesan
Instructions
- Cook the vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 large leek (sliced in half moons), 2 carrots (cut into discs), and 2 cups Brussels sprouts (halved).Season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the veggies start to soften. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of broth.
- Add flavor, orzo, and beans: Add 3 cloves garlic (grated) and 1 teaspoon dried oregano and cook for 1 minute until it smells good.Stir in 1 cup orzo pasta and 1 can black eyed peas (drained). Pour in 4 cups vegetable broth and stir. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring sometimes, until the orzo is tender but not mushy.
- Add the spinach: Add 3 cups baby spinach a handful at a time, stirring until it wilts. The dish should look creamy and full of veggies.
- Finish and serve: Turn off the heat. Stir in zest and juice from ½ lemon (add more later if you like). Serve in bowls and top with feta and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- Orzo pasta → Small pasta like ditalini or pearl couscous
- Black-eyed peas → Cannellini beans, chickpeas, butter beans, or any cooked bean you like
- Extra virgin olive oil → Mild olive oil or any neutral cooking oil
- Leek → Yellow onion, shallots, or green onions
- Carrots → Parsnips, sweet potato, or butternut squash
- Garlic → Garlic powder (use a small pinch)
- Dried oregano → Italian seasoning or dried thyme
- Brussels sprouts → Broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, chard, or chopped kale
- Baby spinach → Swiss chard, arugula, or frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
- Vegetable broth → Chicken broth or water + a pinch of salt
- Lemon → White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- Feta cheese → Dairy-free feta or grated Parmesan
- Clean leeks the easy way: Cut off the dark green top and root, slice in half, and rinse well between the layers to wash out dirt.
- Use a wide pan: This helps the orzo cook evenly and keeps it from sticking together.
- Stir sometimes, not nonstop: Let the orzo rest between stirs so it cooks evenly and stays fluffy.
- Keep extra broth nearby: Orzo drinks up liquid fast—add a splash if things look dry.
- Season in stages: Lightly salt the veggies first, then taste and adjust at the end.
- Add spinach last: This keeps it bright green and tender, not soggy.
- Go slow with the lemon: Start with a little and add more so it doesn’t overpower the dish.
- Add feta after serving: This keeps leftovers tasting fresh and reheating better.
- Make it your own: Swap veggies or beans you already have—this recipe is very forgiving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; freezing is possible but not recommended, as the orzo can become soft when thawed.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
I enjoy ur recipes cause U make them sooo easy & exciting to put together, I like how U vary along the way to make it simple.. thank U both for making cooking an enjoyable art!!!
Delicious and easy to prepare.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Kathy, YAY 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight. One pot vegetable orzo was delicious . Easy to prepare and made enough for the week. Thank you for helping us eat more vegetables.
It’s our absolute pleasure, Kathy. Thanks so much for taking the time to rate and cook the recipes.
Happy new year to you and your family,
Louise
Perfect for cold winters dates!
YAY, I’m happy you like the recipe, Fern 🥳
Love this recipe! high in protein, Healthy!
I’m very happy you liked it, Amber. Thanks so much for commenting and for making it.
Happy new year to you and yours,
Best Louise