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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
I just made this today for lunch (perks of working remote these days is getting to make delicious, fresh lunch at home). This dish is incredible! I am excited to make it more and more. It’s so healthy, fresh and different from our usual meals. I am obsessed!
Thank you Lauren!! That is amazing to hear! xTieghan
I made this tonight and it was a big hit. Flavors were right on point. I will definitely make this again! Thank you for another inspired meal.
Thank you Jane!! I am really glad this one turned out so well for you! xTieghan
In general, and specifically, when your recipes call for chickpeas, do they need to be skinned?
Hi Hanna,
No need to bother! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this for dinner last night. It was really good. My feta must have been too creamy or something because it just melted into the pan. I scraped it up and put it on a plate then moved on. I was making it for the 2 of us and we ate it all (I halved the amount feta). We are it all and it didn’t feel like too much. If I were serving 4 I would definitely at a salad and some pita bread.
Thank you so much Paula!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so amazing for you!! xTieghan
Sooooo delicious! My tips / tricks for next time: Start with the chickpeas, since they will take the longest – I started with the orzo and the feta as instructed, but these lost their warmth by the time the rest was done (but we just popped the fried feta in the microwave for 15 sec to warm up again, and that worked fine). I would probably also remove the chickpeas before adding the zucchini so they have room to brown and get crispy, and then mix it all back together. After you’ve put in the zucchini, THEN start the orzo and feta, and it should come together nicely, timing wise. (All that said, I’m not sure what you lose, if anything, by cooking the feta separately instead of in the pan you will use for the chickpeas). Can’t wait to make this again!
I am so glad this turned out so amazing for you!! Thank you Julia! xTieghan
Nice recipe! It turned out great, a perfect balance of flavours. I was first attracted to this recipe for its grilled feta cheese but all other elements go really well together.
I have to say I struggled a bit with the chickpea and zucchini part, that amount clearly did not fit together in one large pan especially if you want to crisp/grill them. I had to remove the chickpeas to make space for the zucchini to properly cook and still it took forever for them to brown slightly – in the meantime the rest of the food got a bit cold. I suppose the recipe calls for rather small zucchinis. Anyway next time I think I would simply bake them in the oven which would also help having everything ready at the same time.
Still, great recipe!! Thanks!
Thank you Abigail! That is so great to hear! xTieghan
I made this for dinner last week – I didn’t have feta but goat cheese slices worked pretty well! Everyone loved it <3
Wow that is so great! Thank you so much Chelsea!! xTieghan
Good Morning Tieghan
Thank you for creating this wonderful recipe. Made this last night for a couple friends. Everything about this recipe called to me to try this. Delicious, healthy, and each mouth full was a surprise of flavor. This is a keeper.!! My friends thought this is what you would order at a really good restaurant. Bringing Joy one bite at a time.
Thank you, Kathy
Thank you so much Kathy! This was so sweet to read! xTieghan
So tasty! Substituted orzo with jasmine rice and it was amazing!
Thank you so much Ashton! xTieghan
Just a phenomenal recipe. Hits all the notes, crunchy, salty, sweet, savory. I added massaged kale & might do pinenuts if they were in my cupboard. So good!
Thank you Karen!! I am really glad this recipe turned out amazing for you! I hope you continue to enjoy all of the recipes you try! xTieghan
How do you keep coming up with these fabulous recipes? I made this for dinner tonight and I think this is one of my favorites. It is so, so good. Who knew fried feta could be so delicious? Loved it so much and so did my husband.
Haha just playing with ingredients in my kitchen! I am so glad you enjoyed this one, Swede! And I hope you continue to love others!! Thank you! xTieghan
I don’t think I’ve ever rated a recipe in my life. This was so delicious I had to give you kudos. I also added jarred artichokes as I had on hand and toasted pita. Best Veg dish I’ve had in ages. Used many of the herbs I’ve been growing and that was so satisfying as well. Bravo!
Thank you Toni!! That is so amazing to hear! xTieghan
This is exceptional! Thank you!!
Thank you so much Julie! xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight. Turned out amazing! Very quick and very filling .
Stacey
Love that! Thank you Stacey! xTieghan
This recipe is incredible! Your website is my new go-to for recipes. My fiance, who is largely a meat/potatoes kinda guy has loved all your stuff as well, so huge win for me! Any thoguhts about making an app? I would love it for recipes!
Hi Abby,
Sorry I think I am confused about your question. Are you asking to make this as an app? because you totally could! xTieghan