One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta

title: "One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta"
author: "Liv Dansky"
site: "EatingWell"
published: 2024-01-04T16:46:39-05:00
source: "https://www.eatingwell.com/one-pot-white-bean-spinach-sun-dried-tomato-orzo-with-lemon-feta-8415910"
domain: "eatingwell.com"
language: "en"
description: "Learn how to make this one-pot pasta dish with white beans, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. It's lively and vibrant, leaving you with an easy cleanup."
word_count: 1197

How to Make One-Pan White Bean, Spinach, and Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta

0:43

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

Servings:

6

• This one-pot pasta dish is a delightful vegetarian option that's perfect for any night of the week.
• White beans are rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, which help maintain healthy blood pressure.
• While we prefer using whole-wheat orzo, you can also experiment with pastina, stelline, ditalini or even couscous.

This One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta is a delicious vegetarian dish that's perfect for any night of the week. Packed with plant protein, white beans team with antioxidant-rich spinach and tangy sun-dried tomatoes for a satisfying bite. Chewy, fiber-filled whole-wheat orzo is toothsome and complements the crunch of the toasted pine nuts. Briny feta is balanced out by bright, tart lemon, while basil adds the fresh finishing flair. Keep reading for our expert tips, including what ingredient substitutions you can make.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• We chose to use a red onion, which we think is best for this recipe because it’s mild and sweet.
• Whole-wheat orzo is our preferred choice, but you could try making it with pastina, stelline, ditalini or even couscous.
• We like that this recipe includes baby spinach. The leaves are sweet, tender and mild, while mature spinach leaves tend to be thicker and tougher. Additionally, mature leaves have higher oxalic acid content, which may be a concern for some people. However, you can use either type of spinach—it's purely a matter of preference.
• It’s important to note that not all feta cheese is made with animal rennet. If rennet is a concern for you or your guests, be sure to check the ingredients list on the packaging.

Nutrition Notes

• Whole-wheat orzo is hearty and filled with satisfying, gut-loving fiber from whole grains. Eating more whole-grains has been associated with a healthier heart and more stable blood sugar. If you don't like whole-wheat pasta, feel free to use regular orzo. You'll still get a bit of fiber and that chewy orzo bite.
• White beans add more fiber to this dish, plus the power of plant protein. They're also loaded with minerals, including potassium, calcium and magnesium, for healthy blood pressure.
• Sun-dried tomatoes are exactly that—tomatoes that have been dried in the sun. Tomatoes are loaded with immune-boosting vitamins C and A, as well as antioxidants that have cancer- and heart-disease-fighting power. Sun-dried tomatoes are treated with salt, so if your body is sensitive to sodium, feel free to reduce the amount of sun-dried tomatoes you add.
• Feta brings some protein and calcium to this dish. It's one of the saltier cheeses, so the same thing applies here with the sodium. You can use less of it, or feel free to swap it out for a lower-sodium cheese, like mozzarella, Swiss or goat's cheese.
  

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

• 1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup whole-wheat orzo
• 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 2¾ cups vegetable broth
• 2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Directions

1. Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup onion; cook, stirring often, until aromatic and translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook, stirring often, until aromatic, about 1 minute.
2. Stir in 1 cup orzo and 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes; cook, stirring often, until the orzo is toasted, about 1 minute. Add 2¾ cups broth, 2 cans beans, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, ¾ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon oregano; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the orzo is al dente, about 15 minutes.
   
   Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
3. Stir in 5 ounces spinach. Cook, uncovered and stirring often, until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; top with ¼ teaspoon feta, ½ cup basil, ¼ cup pine nuts and 1 teaspoon lemon zest.
   
   Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Frequently Asked Questions

• Sun-dried tomatoes have a more concentrated flavor and are chewier than roasted ones. They are dried in the sun for several days or in an oven at a low temperature for about 10 hours. Roasted tomatoes are cooked at a moderate oven temperature for a much shorter amount of time.
• What should I look for when shopping for sun-dried tomatoes?
  When purchasing sun-dried tomatoes, make sure they are fresh. Even dried tomatoes should bend easily. If you are selecting them from a bulk bin, it’s simple to test one in your hand for flexibility. If you are buying them in a pouch, you can feel their pliability through the packaging. Additionally, you can opt for sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil in a jar; the oil helps maintain moisture and adds a lot of flavor.
• To toast them, simply place them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure to stir them frequently to prevent burning. Alternatively, you can toast them on a sheet pan in a 350°F oven for about 8 minutes until they become fragrant. To ensure even toasting, remember to flip them halfway through the cooking time.
• Always cool leftovers before placing them in an airtight container and storing them in the refrigerator. This helps prevent raising the temperature inside your fridge. We would try to use up leftovers from this recipe within 3 days. You can reheat them in a skillet over medium heat until desired temperature or in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Adding a splash of water or broth can help maintain moisture while reheating.
• You’ll definitely want a crusty loaf of bread to enjoy mopping up every last bit of the delicious sauce. And a refreshing green salad can be a light, refreshing addition. Try it with our Little Gem Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese & Herb Dressing, Grilled Caesar Salad or Herb & Arugula Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

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