Are you looking for a new weeknight dinner that is unbelievably fast, incredibly easy, super healthy, and absolutely bursting with the bright, sunny flavors of the Mediterranean? This amazing, mostly one-pan Pork and Orzo skillet is that perfect meal. Tender, juicy pork, soft orzo pasta, sweet cherry tomatoes, and salty feta are all tossed together with fresh spinach for a complete, satisfying, and flavor-packed dinner that is on the table in about 30 minutes.
This isn’t just another pasta recipe; it’s your new go-to for a quick and wholesome meal. We’ll show you how a few simple, fresh ingredients and some clever, time-saving techniques can create a stunning dish that the whole family will love. It’s a light yet satisfying meal that is perfect for any night of the week.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Fresh & Healthy Skillet Dinner
What makes this Pork and Orzo skillet so spectacularly delicious is its incredible simplicity and its wonderful balance of fresh, vibrant flavors. This recipe is a masterpiece of efficiency. It features tender, bite-sized pieces of pork tenderloin, which are quickly pan-seared to juicy perfection. This is then combined with a hearty and healthy mix of orzo pasta, fresh spinach, and sweet grape tomatoes. The “sauce” is a light and simple creation made from the pan juices and the natural sweetness of the tomatoes, all brought together with the salty, creamy tang of crumbled feta cheese. It’s a complete, well-balanced, and stunningly delicious meal.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 30 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4-6 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Mediterranean-Inspired Meal
This recipe uses a handful of fresh, wholesome ingredients to create its signature bright and savory flavor.
- The Pork:
- Pork Tenderloin: This is a fantastic, lean, and incredibly tender cut of pork that is perfect for a quick-cooking meal. By cutting it into uniform, 1-inch cubes, we ensure that it cooks in just a few minutes and stays wonderfully juicy.
- The Pasta & Greens:
- Orzo: This is a small, rice-shaped pasta that is a wonderful choice for a light and fresh skillet dish. Its small size allows it to mix beautifully with the other chunky ingredients.
- Fresh Baby Spinach: A generous amount of fresh baby spinach adds a beautiful pop of vibrant green color and a ton of healthy nutrients. The recipe uses a brilliant, time-saving trick of wilting the spinach directly in the hot pasta water.
- The Mediterranean Flavors:
- Grape Tomatoes: Sweet, juicy, and bite-sized, grape or cherry tomatoes are perfect for this dish. We add them to the skillet at the end just to warm them through, so they release some of their sweet juice while still retaining a pleasant, fresh pop.
- Feta Cheese: For the best, creamiest texture and the most authentic, salty, and tangy flavor, it is highly recommended to use a block of feta cheese that is packed in brine and crumble it yourself.
Step-by-Step to the Perfect Pork and Orzo Skillet
This delicious, one-pan (mostly!) meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Cook the Pork and Orzo
Step 1: First, bring a large pot or Dutch oven of heavily salted water to a boil.
Step 2: While the water is heating, prepare your pork. Rub the 1 1/2 pounds of cubed pork tenderloin with the 1 teaspoon of coarsely ground pepper.
Step 3: In a large nonstick skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the pork to the hot skillet. Cook and stir for 8 to 10 minutes, until the pork is no longer pink and is beautifully browned on all sides.
Step 4: While the pork is cooking, add your 1 1/4 cups of uncooked orzo pasta and the 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the pot of boiling water. Cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes.
Step 5 (The Time-Saving Trick!): After 8 minutes, stir the 6 ounces of fresh baby spinach directly into the pot with the orzo. Let it cook for just 45 to 60 seconds longer, until the orzo is perfectly al dente and the spinach has wilted.
Step 6: Drain the orzo and spinach mixture well.
Part 2: Combine and Serve
Step 1: Add the 1 cup of halved grape tomatoes to the skillet with the cooked pork and heat them through.
Step 2: Add the drained orzo and spinach mixture and the 3/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese to the skillet with the pork and tomatoes.
Step 3: Stir everything together until it is well combined and heated through.
Serve the hot skillet meal immediately in warm bowls.
Healthy One-Pan Pork and Orzo Skillet
A quick and simple Mediterranean-style one-pan meal featuring pork tenderloin and orzo pasta. In this easy weeknight recipe, cubed pork tenderloin is seasoned with pepper and sautéed in a large skillet. Cooked orzo pasta, fresh baby spinach, halved grape tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese are then all tossed together with the cooked pork until everything is heated through and well combined.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 quarts water
- 1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo pasta
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Rub the pork tenderloin with the pepper, then cut it into 1-inch cubes.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes until it is no longer pink.
- Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Stir in the orzo and salt. Cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes.
- Stir the fresh spinach into the pot with the orzo. Cook for 45-60 seconds longer, until the orzo is tender and the spinach has wilted. Drain the orzo and spinach mixture.
- Add the halved grape tomatoes to the skillet with the cooked pork and heat through.
- Stir in the drained orzo mixture and the crumbled feta cheese.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- This is a quick meal, perfect for a busy weeknight, that comes together in about 30 minutes.
- Cooking the spinach by adding it to the pasta water for the last minute is an efficient way to wilt it without overcooking.
- The entire dish is combined in the same skillet used to cook the pork, which helps to meld the flavors.
How to Serve Your Pork and Orzo Skillet
This hearty skillet is a fantastic, all-in-one meal. It’s perfect on its own, but a few simple additions can make it even better!
- A Drizzle of Good Olive Oil: A final drizzle of a high-quality, extra-virgin olive oil over the top of each bowl will add a wonderful, peppery, and fruity finish.
- A Squeeze of Lemon: A fresh squeeze of lemon juice just before serving will brighten up all the flavors beautifully.
- Crusty Bread: A side of warm, crusty bread is a must-have for sopping up all the delicious pan juices.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This is a fantastic meal-prep recipe for a week of delicious and healthy lunches.
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive weeknight meal, you can get a head start by chopping all your vegetables and cubing your pork up to a day in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: You can reheat this dish gently in a skillet on the stovetop over a low heat with a small splash of water or chicken broth to keep it moist, or in the microwave.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Use a Different Protein: If you’re not a fan of pork, this delicious and simple cooking method is also absolutely fantastic with an equal amount of bite-sized, boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, or even with some shrimp (just be sure to cook the shrimp for only a few minutes, until they are pink).
- Add More Mediterranean Flavors: For an even more vibrant and complex flavor, you can stir in about 1/2 cup of chopped, marinated artichoke hearts, some salty Kalamata olives, or a handful of fresh, chopped basil or dill at the very end.
- Make it a Pasta Salad: For a wonderful, cold pasta salad that is perfect for a picnic or a potluck, you can simply let all the cooked components cool down, and then toss everything together with a bright and zesty lemon-herb vinaigrette.
Enjoy The Ultimate Fresh & Healthy Skillet!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, fresh ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This Pork and Orzo Skillet is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch meal to be both incredibly fast and incredibly delicious. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new family favorite for busy weeknights.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a good, easy, and healthy meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute best way to cook pork tenderloin so that it is not dry or tough?
The number one secret is to not overcook it! Pork tenderloin is a very lean cut of meat, which means it cooks very, very quickly and can easily become dry. By cutting it into small, uniform cubes, as this recipe directs, you are ensuring a super-fast cooking time. The best way to check for doneness is to cut into a piece to ensure it is no longer pink in the center.
Q2: What is orzo?
Orzo is a type of small pasta that is shaped like a large grain of rice. Its small size and hearty texture make it a fantastic and versatile choice for all kinds of soups, salads, and skillet meals like this one.
Q3: Can I make this dish ahead of time for meal prep?
Yes, this is a perfect meal-prep recipe! You can prepare the entire skillet meal and portion it into individual, airtight containers for a week of delicious and healthy lunches. It reheats beautifully.
Q4: What is the best kind of feta cheese to use?
For the best, creamiest texture and the most authentic, salty, and tangy flavor, it is highly recommended to buy a block of feta cheese that is packed in brine. You can then crumble or cube it yourself. The pre-crumbled varieties are often a bit drier.
Q5: Can I use a different kind of pasta instead of orzo?
Of course! This recipe is fantastic with any other small pasta shape that will mix well with the other chunky ingredients. Try it with ditalini, small shells, or even a classic elbow macaroni.