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This plate of Crispy Lemon Feta with Spiced Chickpeas and Basil Orzo is a great easy meatless dinner for any night of the week. Crispy pan-fried feta cheese paired with spiced chickpeas and zucchini and severed over a creamy garlic lemon yogurt and buttery basil orzo. When you’re in need of an easy, colorful, and fresh dinner…make this vegetarian dish. Every bite is layered with delicious spring flavors. And the feta? It’s salty, crispy, and keeps everyone coming back for seconds.
Leave it to me to come up with a dinner recipe that highlights cheese as it’s “main”. Are you surprised? I would hope not. You all know how much I love cheese…this recipe is just more proof of that.
This is hands down my new favorite vegetarian dinner. It focuses heavily on the feta cheese plus a whole bundle of pantry staples too. Ok, jumping straight into the details today because I have many words to share about this crispy lemon feta with spiced chickpeas.
The Inspiration.
I wanted to create a vegetarian dinner that felt new and exciting. I racked my brain forever to come up with something fun. But in the end, I was just landing on dishes that I’d either already created and shared, or just sounded too boring to pursue.
The one thing I have not done is crispy tofu. Why you ask? Simply because I’m really not a fan of tofu. To be honest, it totally weirds me out. Something about the bright white color and the texture…it’s just not for me. But a crispy tofu with rice always looks so good. And then this got me thinking. What kind of looks like tofu and can be crisped in a skillet?
First, I thought of Halloumi cheese and yes, halloumi cheese is so delicious. But I didn’t have any in the fridge and I did not want anyone going to the store.
What did I have in the fridge? Feta cheese. So much feta cheese. And then the light bulb in my head went off. Why not just make crispy pan-fried feta cheese slices and serve them over orzo and call it dinner? It sounded delicious, so I went for it. I wrote a few notes down, decided to add chickpeas for heartiness and protein, and zucchini for some green color.
I wasn’t sure how it would all come together, but I knew it was going to be delicious…
And yes, this is delicious…crispy feta cheese plus buttery orzo. Nothing not to love.
Before you do anything, make the orzo.
This orzo is easy and has just three ingredients, butter, orzo, and basil. Just boil the orzo, toss with butter, then add plenty of freshly chopped basil. I love the buttery orzo paired with the light and summery basil. It’s simple, but mouth watering.
I have to say that this orzo was inspired by little miss Asher who could easily survive on pasta or rice. Two other foods she loves? Butter and basil. Put the three together and you have Asher’s dream bowl of food. Especially when a very generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt is added…basic, but in the best way.
Now, make the feta.
The crispy feta cheese is a lot easier to make than you might think. You need a block of feta cheese and some cornstarch. Just slice the feta and then toss in the cornstarch. The cornstarch is what gets the feta nice and crispy on the edges.
Next, pan-fry the cheese in olive oil. It crisps up quickly, so watch closely. Once the feta is crisped. Remove it from the skillet to a plate. You want to keep the feta cripsy, so this step is key.
Once the feta has been removed from the skillet, toss in the chickpeas and zucchini. Cook these together until crispy. Add some fresh thyme, lemon, a pinch of salt, and red pepper flakes…to your taste. And done, that’s the feta and the chickpeas.
At this point, the orzo should be done and it’s time to serve. Well, almost. First, stir together some Greek yogurt with a little garlic and lemon. I love a sauce with just about everything. This is the perfect creamy sauce to pair with rice and crispy cheese. You have three textures that are all made better when paired together.
Swirl the yogurt into a shallow bowl. Add the basil orzo, then the feta, chickpeas, and zucchini. Top the dish off with plenty of fresh herbs. I love using a mix of fresh dill, basil, and mint. Oh, and then, a pinch of flaky sea salt too.
And that’s it. Dinner in thirty minutes, made with pantry staples, feta cheese, and lots of fresh herbs. And even though this recipe is simple, it’s still so delicious. The feta is crisp on the outside, but soft and slightly melted inside. The chickpeas are crispy, spicy, and salty. The zucchini are sweet and flavored with fresh thyme. And the orzo is buttery, basily, and so very good.
Put it all together? Pretty close to perfect. My ideal meal any night of the week…easy, filling, a touch indulgent, but yet healthy too.
Looking for other vegetarian dinners? Here are some tried and true favorites.
Cauliflower Gnocchi with Crispy Zucchini and creamy Whipped Goat Cheese
Artichoke and Broccoli Pesto Brie Panini with Thyme Honey
Lemon Butter Cheese Ravioli with Garlic Basil Breadcrumbs
Lastly, if you make this crispy lemon feta with spiced chickpeas and basil orzo, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To Video:
Crispy Lemon Feta with Spiced Chickpeas and Basil Orzo
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 813 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
Basil Orzo
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for serving
Lemon Feta and Chickpeas
- 1 (8 ounce) block feta cheese, patted dry, and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 (16 ounce) cans chickpeas drained and patted dry
- 3 cloves sliced garlic and 1 clove grated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt
- 2 zucchini or yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoons raw sesame seed
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mixed tender herbs, such as mint, dill, and or cilantro
Instructions
- 1. Cook the orzo according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and toss with butter, basil, and a pinch of salt. 2. Meanwhile, make the feta. Add the cornstarch to a shallow bowl. Add the feta slices and toss to coat all sides. Heat a large, high sided skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Arrange the feta in a single layer and cook until golden, about 1 minute per side. Remove the feta from the skillet to a plate. 3. To the skillet, add the remaining 1/4 cup oil, the chickpeas, 3 cloves sliced garlic, the paprika, and a pinch of red pepper and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chickpeas are crisping, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, thyme, lemon zest, and sesame seeds. Cook another 5 minutes, until the zucchini is crisped on the edges. Remove from the heat.4. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, 1 clove grated garlic, and a pinch of salt. 5. To serve, spread the yogurt in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Add the orzo, crispy feta, and chickpeas overtop. Serve topped with fresh herbs. Enjoy!
Notes
The crispy feta was adapted from The New York Times.
This post was originally published on May 14, 2020
Just made this yesterday! Everyone loved it – so delicious!!
Thank you Mary Ann! xTieghan
This tasted so fresh and flavorful with the herbs and lemon! Very easy and quick too!
Thank you so much Jolie! xTieghan
Tieghan this was like heaven on a plate !! So bursting with both flavors and textures. Had it all in house except feta… I used goat cheese in its place , and it was spectacular.
Now if only I could get my food to look like yours !! (I know … patience !)
This will certainly be made again and again !
Haha wow that is so amazing!! I am sure yours looks amazing too! Thank you Judi! xTieghan
I made this last night for dinner and I still can’t stop thinking about the next time I will make it. I added some torn kale to the chickpeas & zukes. I love pretty much everything from the HBH kitchen but this one really blew me away. So colorful, fresh, healthy, and creative. A home run, Tieghan!!
Oh wow that is so amazing to hear!! Thank you so much Sydney! xTieghan
So yummy. The feta was such a highlight. (I use a bit of Pam spray and a good spatula to make sure not to wreck that beautiful golden crust.) For some reason, the first time I made it, I wanted to add some extra protein so I put in two grilled chicken breasts, sliced. I found the chicken not only unnecessary, but almost detracting from the great flavors going on. The next time, I went back to exactly the way Tieghan wrote it. Yum! Great for Meatless Mondays.
Thank you so much Elizabeth! That is really great to hear! xTieghan
I can’t find cornstarch anywhere—it’s been sold out at my grocery store for weeks! The demand is almost on par with yeast. What do you recommend using instead? Can you just fry up the feta in olive oil, or should I try potato starch or a little flour?
Hi Emily,
I would go ahead and use some flour in place of the cornstarch. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was special! Loved this served with shrimp. Wish there was a way to show the photo.
Amazing!! Thank you so much for trying this Debby! xTieghan
We do like tofu so I used that instead of feta. Didn’t have yogurt so used sour cream. Otherwise, prepared as directed and garnished generously with feta cheese. There was a lot of prep cutting up herbs, grating the lemon, cooking the orzo, it took over an hour prepare. We liked it but not sure we would prepare again since it took quite awhile and made a big mess to clean up.
Hi Brooke! I am glad you enjoyed this, but please let me know if there is anything I can help you with! xTieghan
Would goat cheese work as well as feta, or too soft? I was thinking olives would be a good addition. Have to try it!
Hi Lynne,
I haven’t tested this with goat cheese, but brie or halloumi would be a great substitute as well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Very quick to make, tasty and filling. Swapped the zucchini for spinach. Good pantry cooking!
I am really glad this turned out so well for you Carole! Thank you!! xTieghan
Looks great! I’m not a huge feta fan. What other cheese could I use? I love goat cheese but I’m not sure that would work. Thanks!
Hi Megan,
I haven’t tested this with goat, but it could be delish! You could also use brie or halloumi. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Looks great! Would arrowroot work as a sub for the cornstarch? It’s all I have in the house!
Hi Amanda,
Yes or flour! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
hello Tieghan, if I want to use Halloumi, shall I just prepare it like feta here? or just put it on the grill?
thanx :*
Hi Ula,
You can prepare it like the feta! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
All the flavours go lovely together. I tweaked the recipe slightly to use what I had on hand. I used anelli pasta instead of orzo pasta, a high quality garlic oil instead of garlic cloves, carlin peas instead of chickpeas. Really worth adding lots of basil and mint. It was delicious.
Thank you so much Ali! That is really amazing to hear! xTieghan
This is what’s for dinner tonight!!! Have it all! Will add some rotisserie chicken for the hubs.
That is so great! I hope you both enjoy this one, Christin! xTieghan