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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.
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.Â
One last comment—not sure why it’s called LEMON FETA in the recipe title.
The lemon juice is used in the yogurt and some zest with the zucchini–but had nothing to do with the feta.
This recipe is SO unique! I am mostly vegan so I used a “butter” olive oil ( it really has a buttery flavour. Instead of yogurt I used Vegenaise with lemon vinegar .
I did use feta because I couldn’t think of anything that would taste the same as that!
I like sesame seeds, but didn’t really feel they were integral to the recipe.
Hey Wanda,
Fantastic! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
I made this because I love all the components of this recipe but, my feta did not brown at all in the pan. It just stuck and all the cornstarch coating just came right off. I used cast iron. Not sure if that’s why. I’m usually a good cook but not sure what happened. The pan was certainly hot enough.
I’m going to try this w Halloumi cheese, I think that might work better
Hey Kathleen,
So sorry to hear this, I also use cast iron so that shouldn’t be the issue. Did you have enough oil in the pan? xTieghan
I had no trouble browning the feta in a cast iron skillet. I was worried when I saw your comment, but mine worked perfectly!
I used cast iron and had no trouble at all. It browned perfectly. I was worried when I saw your comment, but mine came out ok!
Ah-mazing! Turned out perfectly! What a delicious dish that was made with relative ease. I am definitely adding this out rotation!
Hey Dine,
Happy Friday! I’m so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
Yikes. Not sure how this feta could have possibly turned out for you, because it completely melted into a pile of goo when I cooked it without ever turning brown, and seems to have completely ruined the skillet I cooked it in. What a disgusting and expensive disaster.
Hey Vanessa,
So sorry to hear you had issues with the recipe. Was there anything you may have adjusted? What kind of skillet did you use? Please let me know how I can help! xTieghan
So many flavors popping in my mouth! Loved this! Hope it’s this good reheated…I have a lot left over!
Hey Melissa,
Awesome! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed and I really appreciate you giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan
Loved this! I only had one can of chickpeas on hand, so I added in some onion and extra zucchini on top, then some fresh grilled corn on top. Might add some blistered tomatoes next go-around. I love that this is a versatile recipe, but even as-is, it is easy and delicious.
Hey Jessica,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xxTieghan
Hey Jessica,
Fantastic! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This was delicious! We had it today for Mother’s Day dinner and it was loved by all.
Hey Christa,
Happy Monday! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Made this for an early mother’s day dinner and my parents loved it but I got a little frustrated not being able to get it right. I used a cast iron pan for pan searing the feta and did thoroughly coat in corn starch and a good amount of olive oil but it just stuck and got melty, not crispy. My parents cast iron isn’t well seasoned so maybe that’s why? Or maybe I didn’t have it hot enough to start. I also found it hard to use one pan for 2 cans of chick peas plus two big zucchini sliced, had to use two pans to get them both crispy with pan contact. Overall very fresh and delicious, just wish I had got that beautiful crispy feta nailed down. I adore all your recipes, thanks for producing such good content and inspiring me to try new things!
I have made this so many times. It is one of my all-time favourites!
Hey Hilary,
I am so glad this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan
I absolutely love this recipe! I honestly wasn’t so sure as I don’t love raw chickpeas but they were soooo good here! There are so many layers of flavors and tons of it! This was really filling too! My only complaint is the nutrition facts are wayyyyy off. But that’s ok, I calculate them myself. I really loved this recipe!! A must try. Could totally be on a fancy restaurant menu!
Hey Steph,
I am so glad this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan
I have made this recipe multiple times and it’s become a family favorite. Sometimes we add salmon to it, but it’s filling and delicious as is. So full of flavor and healthy ingredients. We just love it!
Hey Melissa,
I am so glad this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan
I’ve made this a bunch and I love it! It’s so beautiful and looks so impressive. I made it for the first couple times with feta and couldn’t quite fry it up right, so now I just use halloumi and it works perfectly with the directions. Much better than feta.
Hey Katherine,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
This recipe is just so good and so impressive! It’s easy, filling and perfect for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
Hey Jen,
Happy Monday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Wanted to update and let you know yes you can air fry the feta!! Worked great!! Delicious recipe!
Thanks so much Kristina, glad this worked well for you!!
We made this last night and it was not nearly as pretty as the pictures here, but still tasty! We substituted roasted cauliflower for the orzo to toss with the basil and butter and didn’t feel like it suffered at all from that. The feta completely melted into a mess (but later resolidified) and I have yet to ever get a chickpea “crisp” but it was still delicious.
One note – I am tracking calories right now and even with the cauliflower, the calorie count per serving was still ~725, not 272 as stated above. It doesn’t make sense for a serving of this to be just 272 cal, so I think the calorie counter above needs to be checked.
Hey Sarah,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xxTieghan