This flavorful one pot pasta bake is perfect for weeknight dinners! It's made with fire-roasted tomatoes, spinach, white beans, and orzo pasta. Crumbled feta gets sprinkled on top and browned in the oven. Leftovers make for a yummy lunch the next day. (Vegetarian, Vegan option)
Cook onions: Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large broiler safe skillet over medium heat (see note 5). Add red onions and cook until golden brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add other aromatics: Push onions to the edges of the skillet. To the middle of the skillet, add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and tomato paste, then stir to mix. Cook until tomato paste darkens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, harissa paste, and smoked paprika. Cook, stirring frequently, until spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Bring to a boil: Pour in vegetable broth, tomatoes, and salt. Use a stirring spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cover with a lid (or baking sheet) and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook orzo: Add orzo and cook, stirring frequently, until orzo is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.
Prepare oven: Meanwhile, position an oven rack so that the top of the skillet will be 6-inches (15 cm) from the broiler. Set oven to broil.
Combine and broil: Once orzo is al dente, remove from heat. Stir in beans, spinach, and red peppers. Top with feta and lemons. Broil until the feta is golden brown, 4 to 8 minutes (watch carefully as broil times vary!). Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and flaky salt, if you'd like.
Notes
Harissa paste: Depending on the brand you're using, spice levels vary so adjust as needed. As written, this recipe has a mild to moderate heat. If you like things spicy you can add more, but add in small increments— it is easier to add heat than remove it! In a pinch, you could use red pepper flakes instead of harissa (start with ½ teaspoon and add more to taste).
Smoked paprika: This recipe calls for smoked sweet paprika. If a smoked paprika package isn't labelled "hot" or "picante", it's usually smoked sweet paprika.
Fire-roasted tomatoes: Or 2 smaller (14 fl oz/398 ml) cans. If you can't find fire-roasted tomatoes, substitute with the same sized can of whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano ideally) and crush the tomatoes with your hands as you add them (and their juices) to the pot.
Vegan option: To make this vegan, use a vegan feta substitute or omit. If leaving out the feta, garnish with flaky salt and extra lemon juice to compensate (feta is both salty and tangy).
Skillet selection: Use a 12-inch skillet (or a braiser/casserole/Dutch oven with at least 3.4L capacity) for 1x batch of this recipe. We recommend using a stainless steel or enamelled cast iron pan—or another material that is well suited for acidic dishes. (Note: raw cast iron can be sensitive to acidity, see post above for more details).