Greek lamb with orzo

Greek lamb with orzo

Entertaining doesn't have to equal stress, this spruced up one-pot is perfect for people with little time for preparation

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 35 mins

Freezable

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cut the lamb into 4cm chunks, then spread over the base of a large, wide casserole dish. Add the onions, oregano, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon and olive oil, then stir well. Bake, uncovered, for 45 mins, stirring halfway.
  2. Pour over the chopped tomatoes and stock, cover tightly, then return to the oven for 1½ hrs, until the lamb is very tender.
  3. Remove the cinnamon sticks, then stir in the orzo. Cover again, then cook for a further 20 mins, stirring halfway through. The orzo should be cooked and the sauce thickened. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and serve with crusty bread.
Try

To freeze

Freeze at the end of step 2. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then return to the casserole and bring slowly to the boil. Add a little water if it looks dry. Stir in the orzo, cover and bake for 20 mins.

Know-how: Orzo

The Italian word orzo means barley. When cooked, it has a texture similar to risotto rice. Look for it in the specialist sections of supermarkets, or in Greek, Italian and Middle Eastern delis. It can go by a variety of other names including puntaletti and romarino. If you can't find it, use another small pasta, like trofie.

Mary says...

Relaxed, easy entertaining is always top of my list. Simply put the dish in the centre of the table for everyone to help themselves. Add some good crusty bread and side salad, and you have a real feast

Fancy a side dish?

Olive, caper & feta salad: Tear 1 romaine lettuce into a large bowl. Scatter over 1 thinly sliced small red onion, ½ cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks, a good handful of kalamata olives and 2 tbsp capers. Whisk together 1 tbsp red wine vinegar with 3 tbsp olive oil, drizzle over, then top with 100g crumbled feta.

Per serving

696 kcalories, protein 40.0g, carbohydrate 58.0g, fat 36.0 g, saturated fat 16.0g, fibre 4.0g, sugar 7.0g, salt 0.68 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2008.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 161-180

  • Binder photo EmmaT

    19 September 2012

    EmmaT rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Made this with leftover barbequed lamb (still pink inside), and cooked the dish on the hob. Cooked the onions etc first, added the lamb with the tomatoes and stock and reduced the cooking time. Loved how the orzo turned a liquid sauce into something substantial, and it tasted fine, but neither husband or I would hurry to have this again. Judging from other reviews we're in a minority - perhaps the longer cooking time and raw lamb are the way forward for this dish. It does work with cooked lamb, but definitely not a 5 star dish.

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  • Binder photo rachelchamberlain14

    28 September 2012

    rachelchamberlain14 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Best dish in the world!!! Easiest and tastiest meal ever how i love greek yvetsi! i couldnt find my greek recipe so tried this but put some red wine in and a little water in with the lamb and onions etc when cooking it for the suggested time of 45 mins as this is what i do with all my meat and it didnt disappoint the meat was sooo tender...def make this meal and save loads for the next day it tastes even better

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  • Binder photo Martin

    24 October 2012

    Martin commented on this recipe

    I have cooked this dish twice. 1st time I found it a bit dry & the 2nd time I tweaked the recipe & it was delicious. I only used a 1LB of Lamb as I cook for the 2 of us. I mixed the lamb with a couple of teaspoons of Mrs. Balls Original South African Chutney then left it for a couple of hours before proceeding with the recipe. At stage 2 of the recipe I added a jar of Al'fez Apricot and Coriander Authentic Moroccan Tagine Sauce & I only used 1 pint of Bouillon Vegetable stock. For us this dish turned out to be delicious the 2nd time around & I will be cooking this dish again.

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  • Binder photo Chewbecca

    02 November 2012

    Chewbecca commented on this recipe

    Can anyone tell me please - Is the lamb boneless shoulder? Or bone in chopped up? Thanks!

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  • Binder photo taste tester

    04 November 2012

    taste tester rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was gorgeous - even though I forgot all about the parmesan until the morning after! I bought the orzo in Asda. The shoulder had the bone in but my lovely husband cut all the meat off for me. Will see if I can buy this meat ready prepared in future because I am definitely cooking this agin.

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  • Binder photo Marta

    26 November 2012

    Marta rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Lovely and easy, fantastic success!

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  • Binder photo Laura

    27 November 2012

    Laura commented on this recipe

    I made this recipe when I had friends visit, it was absolutely gorgeous with such unusual flavour.

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  • Binder photo AP

    07 January 2013

    AP commented on this recipe

    Very easy and tastes really good. Everyone liked it. Will do again.

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  • Binder photo blondenurse

    20 January 2013

    blondenurse rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Lady Payne

    28 January 2013

    Lady Payne commented on this recipe

    Made this for Saturday night and ate with the Greek salad as suggested - absolutely delicious! We found orzo in Sainsburys (despite being told by two separate members of staff that they didn't stock it!). Just look out for the blue merchant gourmet packets. We will be making this again very soon!

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  • Binder photo Lulubee

    29 January 2013

    Lulubee rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Just delicious, and very easy!

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  • Binder photo alelo

    06 February 2013

    alelo rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Yum yum!!! Just have polished off this dish and it is sooooo nice! Silky, fragrant, aromatic flavour, meat falling off the fork! 100% recommend!

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  • Binder photo nago63

    07 February 2013

    nago63 rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo GKnight29

    25 February 2013

    GKnight29 rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Moggydrip

    04 March 2013

    Moggydrip commented on this recipe

    Delicious! I made this as an alternative Sunday lunch. Served with crusty bread, the whole pot was finished off by 4 adults. Never had orzo before. I found it in Waitrose in the pasta section. It was gorgeous, really silky and worked perfectly with the lamb. Try this, you will not be disappointed!

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  • Binder photo mel

    15 March 2013

    mel commented on this recipe

    Orzo is also know as risoni in Australia, found it in Woolies 'macro' organic range in pasta the isle.

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  • Binder photo Caroline

    05 April 2013

    Caroline commented on this recipe

    I am confused - should the orzo be barley or a pasta? it looks like pasta in the photos. Does it make a difference to cooking time?

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  • Binder photo CalSmith

    14 April 2013

    CalSmith rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made this for a party, only change was we cooked the last step on the hob as we didn't have enough space in the oven with other dishes. Result was delicious. Everyone really enjoyed it. We did use Orzo. Would make again, definitely.

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  • Binder photo AllyBally

    17 April 2013

    AllyBally rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Yummy! Don't know I'd call it Greek though. The whole family loved it, including two fussy kids.

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  • Binder photo Dee

    05 May 2013

    Dee commented on this recipe

    I love this recipe. I've made this dish several times but today I used paella rice as I didn't realise I didn't have any orzo. I always add some ginger and garlic to the mix, some corriander and cumin powder and Definately some red chilli powder. It's a must when I make this dish and its always delicious. But tasted yum with paella rice today. I always use lamb shoulder with bones & it never goes to waste. My 2yr loves eating the lamb. Great recipe but love adding my own touch.

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 35 mins

Freezable

Melt-in-the-mouth lamb

Ingredients

  • 1kg shoulder of lamb
  • 2 onions , sliced
  • 1 tbsp chopped oregano , or 1 tsp dried
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 cinnamon sticks , broken in half
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 1.2l hot chicken or vegetable stock
  • 400g orzo (see know-how below)
  • freshly grated parmesan , to serve
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Per serving

696 kcalories, protein 40.0g, carbohydrate 58.0g, fat 36.0 g, saturated fat 16.0g, fibre 4.0g, sugar 7.0g, salt 0.68 g

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