This easy Orzo with Bacon, Leeks, Peas, Spinach and Lemon is a one-pot meal that’s sure to become a regular on your dinner rotation!
One Pot Orzo with Bacon
I usually make this bacon/pea dish with risotto, but decided to try it with orzo this week, and it was so good! Simple dinner all in one pot. I love recipes that are not only easy to prepare, but also easy to clean up, and this one-pot meal ticks both those boxes! Thanks to bacon, leeks, peas, spinach and lemon, this dish is also packed with tons of flavor and nutrition. You can check out my Skinnytaste One and Done cookbook full of one pot recipes, and for even more one-pot orzo recipes check out this one One-Pot Orzo with Sausage, Spinach and Corn or this one One-Pot Chicken and Orzo. I also have a section here with lots of one pot meals.
Feel Better, Eat Better
Hi there, I’m Heather K. Jones—I’m a dietitian, the nutrition expert for the Skinnytaste cookbooks, and the founder of the weight and wellness program Feel Better Eat Better.
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What You’ll Need
I’m a big fan of simple Italian-style recipes that are created by combining few fresh and nutritious ingredients. Just like my wildly popular One-Pot Orzo with Sausage, Spinach and Corn recipe, this flavor-packed one-pot orzo with bacon, leeks, peas, and spinach, all topped with grated parmesan and a squeeze lemon, is one of those dishes you’ll want to make again and again. It’s easy, tasty and ready in under 30 minutes! – Heather
How To Make Orzo with Bacon
Here’s the step by step photos. See full instructions in recipe card below.
- Place the chopped bacon in a large, heavy-bottom sauce pot or Dutch oven. Cook the bacon over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or until crispy.
- Add the leeks and sauté until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the peas and sauté for 1 minute more.
- Add the orzo and chicken broth, stir to combine then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure the orzo doesn’t stick.
- Remove from the heat, add the spinach, stir, then cover for a couple minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Top with parmesan, lemon zest and black pepper and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Helpful Tips
When you’re making a recipe with a just few ingredients, it’s extra important to use the highest quality products you can find. For this orzo I used humanely-raised bacon from a regenerative farm, locally grown produce and organic Parmesan cheese.
Serving Suggestions
- I serve this dish with a simple salad with greens, radishes and tomatoes, and some Italian bread from my local bakery.
- Or try it with this simple arugula salad.
Orzo FAQs
Because orzo looks like rice, some people assume orzo is gluten-free, but traditional orzo is not gluten free. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, and orzo is usually made from semolina flour, a type of flour that comes from durum wheat. However, some brands, such as DeLallo, have created a gluten-free orzo.
Orzo and pasta can be a part of a healthy diet. It is a good source of carbohydrates, the bodies preferred energy source, and you can pair orzo with lots of different veggies and proteins to create a delicious and balanced meal.
More Orzo Recipes You Will Love
- Greek Orzo Salad
- Orzo with Zucchini and Tomato
- One Pot Orzo with Sausage
- Grilled Vegetable Orzo Pasta Salad
- Shrimp Scampi with Broccoli Orzo
Orzo with Bacon, Peas, Spinach and Lemon
Ingredients
- 6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 leek, white parts only, chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup dry orzo
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups packed baby spinach
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 medium lemon, zested and cut into wedges
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the chopped bacon in a large, heavy-bottom sauce pot or Dutch oven. Cook the bacon over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or until crispy.
- Add the leeks and sauté until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the peas and sauté for 1 minute more.
- Add the orzo and chicken broth, stir to combine then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure the orzo doesn’t stick.
- Remove from the heat, add the spinach, stir, then cover for a couple minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Top with parmesan, lemon zest and black pepper and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
I tried this recipe last night. A past review comment suggested to use 2 cups of broth instead of 3. Everyone loved the meal and my sister in law asked for the recipe. I will definitely make this again. 5 stars from me.
Loved this recipe! Only thing I did differently was add shrimp and turned out great
This was a miss for me. The bacon made the dish way too oily for my taste. Next time I would remove the cooked bacon and bacon grease. Leave only a little bacon grease to fry the leek. Add the bacon back to the pan at the end.
I’ve tried a number of this authors recipes, and have loved them all. This one would’ve been better if the bacon and peas weren’t cooked alongside cooking the orzo as they got soggy / mushy. There was also too much extra liquid, which I needed to drain before serving.
I was really craving lemon forward meals during my pregnancy and this hit the spot! I usually make a similar recipe Gina has that includes chicken sausage and corn but this version is amazing! An absolute try.
I made this recipe tonight with Chicken Thighs! Both myself and my partner really enjoyed it . I followed the recipe and did not change anything…..just put a little less broth in it so it wouldn’t be soupy! It was absolutely delicious!
Thank you very much for this ,I will be making it time and time again 👏😊
Geraldine.
We really enjoyed this recipe. The flavors were great. It states that this should make 4 11/2 cups serving, however. I only got about 4 1c servings. I followed the recipe exactly.
This recipe turned out beautifully. I followed the recipe exactly, and it was so flavorful and very easy to make in my Le Creuset.
absolutely fabulous meal, will make often.
This is such a hidden gem, I’ve made it twice now. My store sells leeks in pairs, and bacon in a 12 pack, so this was easy to double. However, it was better split into six servings instead of 8, that would not have filled us up. I also recommend cutting down the broth a smidge, mine turned out just a tad soupy unlike a usual pasta but it was still amazing!
Love this! The bacon adds great flavor! I added a bit of garlic with the leeks and added more spinach than called for. Good for company because it’s easy with a beautiful presentation!
A lovely combo of flavors. I added some cremini mushrooms. The lemon added a refreshing touch.
So treasury
Tasty! I served it with the Mediterranean meatballs tonight. The littles to the elders enjoyed them both.
This might be one of the best recipes ever! It took me 30ish minutes from start to finish and was ridiculously tasty! Even my 7yo ate it… peas, spinach and all!
Awesome!
Used whole wheat mini macaroni (what I had). I forgot to buy peas and used up some frozen spinach (about double). We enjoyed it for dinner and had leftovers the next morning with scrambled eggs on top.
This was delicious. I love orzo and had a leek I needed to use. I was feeling tomatoes so subbed those for the spinach and served it with grilled lemon chicken. So yummy.
Substitute for leeks plese
This was so good!!!
Read a review that said add the bacon back at the end and another that added another leek so that’s what I did. Loved this one…thanks!
This was so good!! The lemon made the dish so light and refreshing. The only tweak I made was using 2 leeks instead of 1 since that’s what I had left and I didn’t want it to go to waste. Once I was done the portion came out to a cup and a quarter instead of a cup and a half. It didn’t matter. It still filled me up! Definitely going to make this again!!!
On regular rotation in our house. Next time I think we’ll try taking out the bacon and adding it back in in the end to preserve the crisp. It loses the texture while sitting in the broth. Otherwise five stars!
This was so tasty and easy to put together. Also could have it on the table easily within an hour. Nice left overs. Definitely a keeper recipe.
So delicious!
I made this tonight and was concerned that I did not have a main but it was not missed! I made exactly as written and it was delicious. Will definitely make again!
definitely going to try this but will add the peas with the spinach otherwise they will be totally overcooked in ten minutes. I’ve made a similar recipe using fresh sugar snap peas, regular peas and leeks…a good springtime recipe that is easy and so good. Thanks Gina, this one is an obvious winner.
This was good! I used pre shredded parm instead of fresh, but otherwise I followed the instructions exactly. I wonder if it would be yummier as a risotto.
My wife hates peas, and she was pleasantly surprised. This was so good and simple. Our market had leeks at a ridiculous price, so we substituted the leeks with the bottoms of Bok choy. Still amazing.
Awesome
Made this last night and loved it, will add more spinach next time.
I made this as a side, but honestly couldn’t tell you what the main and other side were – I just wanted more orzo! Yummy!
Lol, glad you enjoyed it!
the only change I’d make make is we both felt the bacon overpowered the dish. Next time I’ll cook the bacon then fat then save it to the side and crumble a little bit on top just before serving.
Brilliant, easy, and super tasty recipe! Started making this on repeat as we can’t seem to get enough of it!
This dish came together beautifully. The flavor was spot on. I was hesitant about the peas, just trust the process. Please make this, your taste buds will thank you!
This was so easy and delicious! I also made it with riced cauliflower as a substitute for the orzo to save some WW points and topped it with shrimp and it was still delicious!!
Outstanding!
O.M.G.
Make this! So easy, came together super quickly. I subbed the bacon for diced pancetta and shallots for the leeks (suggested by my niece). It was beyond delicious!!!!
It was just okay for the parents and our 11 year old who has an adventurous palate said it was not good and threw her portion away. My partner says it gave him terrible heartburn. I did not love it myself so we won’t be making this one again. Just not for us and that was surprising.
We liked the flavor, if I make it again I will add the peas at the same time as the spinach and take the bacon out after crisping it and then put it back in at the end to keep the crispy texture.
Delicious, elegant recipe that’s very quick and easy to make! I added sliced mushrooms to sauté along with the leeks, and used the entire 5 ounce bag of baby spinach (added in 3 additions so it fit in the pot) because I like veggie forward dishes. I paired this with a simple roasted chicken breast and green beans.
This was SO good. I added some extra peas, and added the juice of the lemon as well. Will definitely be making this again!
This is a solid recipe. Very delicious. I added sea park garlic butter shrimp for more protein. I will definitely make again and again.
Absolutely amazing. Would change a thing about this recipe.
Just delicious
so delicious and light! loved it
Yum! I made the recipe exactly as written. And what’s not to love? Savoury bacon, bright lemon, poppin’ peas. It was my first time cooking with leeks and they fit right in the mix. For me this made 3 hearty servings, and I definitely recommend this one!
Thanks Caro!
Super easy and super delicious. I followed the recipe exactly, and used homemade chicken broth (made from the carcass of a frozen rotisserie chicken).
This is one of my favorite new recipes- the only change I made was to add some broccoli that I had (same time as the peas) in the fridge. The lemon really makes it delicious, normally I don’t care that much if I add lemon zest or not but in this it really made it delicous!
Awesome paired with grilled chicken!! A new favorite.
This was so good! Everyone cleaned their plates, including my 5 year old! Used pancetta instead of bacon.
A delicious one pot meal. I used chickpea orzo and added chopped rotisserie chicken to add more protein.
Another one out of the park! The flavor profile on this is incredible!! I doubled it and had no issues it came out perfect. Didn’t have lemon but used lime and fresh pecorino Romano cheese and WOW did that just elevate this dish! Gina you never disappoint!
Thanks Noelle! Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent, as written, but we doubled the veg and added shrimp to boost the protein. So good! Thanks, Gina!
Delicious! Followed recipe exact and only got two servings..??
I have been making Gina’s recipes for over 10 years (since before the first cookbook!) and am rarely disappointed. This one was another winner – my husband and 3 year old were fighting for the last bite! Definitely recommend.
Thanks Jody!
Really liked this recipe and it was fun to make. I added sliced mushrooms a minute after the leek since I had some to get rid of….excellent!
Delicious! I think the squeeze of lemon really took it to the next level
The whole family loved this one! My 6 year old was apprehensive at first (of course because vegetables) but once she took a bite she loved it! So did the 17 year old. I doubled the recipe and added extra spinach and it was great!!
What can I sub for leaks?
shallots
Yummy! Had to make some adjustments since we are vegetarian but it turned out great. Added some red pepper flakes for some heat. This is one of those recipes that you can add other vegetables if you want and it’s still good!
This was delicious and will go into the regular recipe rotation for dinners. The only change I made was to substitute pancetta for bacon as it was what I had on hand.
What can you replace for the leek? Or can you just leave it out?
Hi Lara – you can use 1/2 of a small sliced onion.
This was so easy to make and so delicious! Thank you so much another tasty dish that even my husband loves!
Do you drain the fat, or is the fat incluced in calorie count?
Thanks! I can’t wait to try it.
Hi Jem – You do NOT drain the fat – the fat is calculated in the calorie count.
Loved this so much!
And so easy made in one pot!
( although I wouldn’t complain if it were more because it was so yummy!)
Right, I love a one-pot meal! Happy you enjoyed it Catherine!
This was such a delicious combination of flavors and textures, and the lemon really brightened it up – definitely making this one again!
Happy to hear this, Deanna!
Made this last night and added a pound of lightly sauteed shrimp to add some protein. Served with a bit of parm sprinkled on top and toasted ciabatta rolls. It was absolutely delicious!!!
Great addition, Gale!
It was soooo easy to make and so delicious! This will be great for meal prep during the work week. The flavors are great but the recipe is simple and requires minimal veg chopping and prep work.
Thank you. And yes, this recipe works great with meal prep!
How long do you think leftovers keep?
up to 4 days.
Thank you!
Made this recipe tonight and the whole family loved it! It was such a great one-pot summer recipe and will definitely be making again! Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks, Lindsay! Happy you enjoyed the recipe.
Made this tonight and it was delicious! The whole family loved it. Served it with a side salad and crusty French bread! Perfect summer one pot meal. Thanks, Gina!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent! Only change I made was I doubled the spinach because we like spinach. Will make again for sure.
Great to hear, thanks Laurie!
If you really love the taste of leeks, then it’s okay. Apologies for the first sub par review. Perhaps I did something wrong. But this was not what I had hoped.
Made this for dinner tonight, it was delish. Made as written but used 4 cups of broth. Will be making again. Looking forward to making the other orzo recipes.
I make all your one-pot orzo recipes with Dellalo whole wheat orzo. Pricey but I like the fiber.
I will have to try the whole wheat orzo! Thanks, Constance 🙂
Can we substitute orzo for Arborio rice which would make it gluten free?
Sure, I would follow directions for arborio as it cooks longer.
If I wanted to sub with pancetta for the bacon, how many ounces should I use? Around 6-8?
Hi there – 1 slice of bacon is equal to around an ounce to 3/4 of pancetta. So, yes I would do around 5 or 6 ounces of pancetta.