Brown Butter Corn and Feta Orzo with Crispy Prosciutto.
This quick and simple Brown Butter Corn and Feta Orzo with Crispy Prosciutto is the best any night of the week summer dinner. Quick-cooking orzo pasta is tossed in a browned butter pan sauce with sweet caramelized shallots, charred corn, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, and salty feta cheese. Every bite is layered with delicious summer flavors. Finish this pasta off with extra crispy prosciutto and creamy avocado slices. When in need of a quick and simple summer meal…that’s also bright and colorful…make this orzo!
Honest truth? I had a very different recipe planned for today that looked nothing like this summery bowl of orzo pasta. Some weeks I’ll have not one recipe that fails. Other weeks I’ll have recipe after recipe that’s either challenging or just not working out the way I had envisioned. This week has been a mix. After multiple rounds of recipe testing, I decided I was done with the recipe I had planned for today. I’d been working on it too long and I needed to move on. Sometimes recipes are worth the time and effort. And then other recipes are just not great and I have to move on from them.
So, at the eleventh hour (so typical of me), I switched gears completely, and that’s when this orzo recipe happened.
Was it planned or thought out? Nope, it sure wasn’t, but as I often say, my “spur of the moment of recipes” often end up being my most loved.
They tend to be quick and simple, but yet delicious, and exactly what I’m craving at that very moment in time. And that was clearly the case with this orzo. It’s kind of like a summery pasta salad, but with additions like browned butter and extra crispy prosciutto. They elevate the dish and make it so much more than a pasta salad.
Here are the details.
This is pretty quick. Start by boiling off the orzo. Once it’s done cooking I like to add it right back to the hot pot so that we can toss in all of the remaining ingredients and save on dishes.
While the orzo is cooking, crisp up plenty of prosciutto in a dry skillet. I’m currently loving crispy prosciutto and can’t stop using it. I love the layer of salty flavor it adds, and of course, the crunch too.
Once the prosciutto is crisp, remove it from the skillet. Then add butter, preferably salted cultured butter, to the same skillet. This is key to this pasta. You’ll brown the butter which gives it a nice nutty flavor that I find particularly delicious with the sweet grilled corn. As the butter browns, toss in the chopped shallot, a spicy jalapeño pepper, and some fresh thyme. The shallots become caramelized, the jalapeño adds a little heat, and the thyme adds a nice herby touch. And I love browned butter with thyme.
Now pour the browned butter over the orzo and toss. Add the fresh basil and chives and toss, toss, toss, I like to do this while everything is still pretty hot. The heat from the orzo and browned butter really help to infuse the herbs and mend the flavors into the pasta…adding yet another layer of deliciousness to this simple meal.
Now, add lots of grilled or roasted corn, fresh cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese…so much feta cheese.
Top the pasta with thin slices of creamy avocado and all that crispy prosciutto. Maybe add some fresh chives on top too. Again, SO GOOD. It’s kind of amazing how something so simple and fresh can taste so delicious.
How do you eat this orzo pasta? There are many ways.
Option 1: eat this just as directed, nice and hot with extra herbs and maybe even some extra browned butter on top. Easiest summer dinner you’ll make this week, and just mouth-watering.
Option 2: MEAL PREP! Make this on Sunday night, leave the prosciutto and avocado out, portion it out for lunch or dinner. Then simply toss and add the prosciutto and avocado in before serving. You’ll then have a very well seasoned pasta that’s so very delicious. Love a pasta that actually gets better over time. It’s very rare when a pasta that sits actually gets better, but this pasta is just extra special.
Option 4: serve this up chilled at your next summer BBQ. Of course. Personally, I love this warm, but even chilled this is just as delicious. It’s a great option for summer and even upcoming fall entertaining with the fam or small group of friends.
Either way, you serve this up, it’s going to be very well-loved!
And lastly, a family review….
The day I made this recipe, I sent the leftovers to my parents and later that night received the following from my mom…
“This food is DELICIOUS!!!!!!”
Copy pasted.
So there ya go. This one is DELICIOUS. Enjoy!! Enjoy!!
Looking for other simple 30 minute dinners? These few are always a favorite.
Sweet Potato Fry Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Butter
Mac and Cheese Stuffed Oven Fried Zucchini Bites
Lastly, if you make this brown butter corn and feta orzo salad with crispy prosciutto, 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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Brown Butter Corn and Feta Orzo with Crispy Prosciutto
When you’re in need of a quick and simple summer meal that's also bright and colorful, make this orzo!
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 3 ounces prosciutto, torn
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded if desired, and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons champagne or apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped chives
- 4 ears grilled or steamed corn, kernels removed from the cobb
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 2 avocados, sliced
Instructions
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1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and add the pasta right back to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, cook the prosciutto in a large skillet set over medium heat until crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the prosciutto from the skillet.
3. To the skillet, add the butter. Allow the butter to brown until it smells toasted and is a deep golden color, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the olive oil, shallot, jalapeño, and thyme. Cook 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Pour the browned butter over the hot orzo. Toss to combine.
4. To the orzo, add the basil, chives, lemon juice, vinegar, and honey. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Stir in the corn, tomatoes, and feta. Top the pasta with crispy prosciutto and avocado. Serve warm or at room temp.
Our Favorite Recipes
Broccoli Cheese Quesadilla with Chipotle Sauce.
OMG Tieghan this looks amazing!!! I don’t have a grill and I don’t love steamed corn. Do you think it would work to roast the corn while caramelizing the shallots? I love all of your recipes!! 🙂
Hey Becca,
Yes that sounds like such a great idea! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can this be made with canned corn? If so, what is the best way to adapt the recipe for that?
Hey,
I would just drain the canned corn and follow the recipe as is! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Tieghan- I am loving some of your most recent recipe postings with corn! I made this recipe tonight with fresh farm corn- and it is delicious!
Every time I make dinner and it’s a hit, my daughters know it’s HBH 🙂
Just so you know- you’re part of our family dinner most nights of the week! Thank you!
Aw that is so amazing to hear! I am so glad you have been loving my recipes and I hope you continue to! Thank you Kristen! xTieghan
Another HBH home run! Next time I’ll half the recipe (for 2) but use the called for amount of prosciutto. It’s so good! Oh yeah, we added grilled shrimp. So; so good! I’ve got 2 more HBH recipes lined up for this weekend. Thank you!
Yes!! Love to hear that! Thank you for trying this one, Jile! I hope you love the other two this week! xTieghan
I had started cooking when i was 14 yrs old. i love to cook. one of the best thing about cooking is you can cook any recipe. Cooking on your own is an art. and i love that href=”https://menhealthblogs.com/5-crazy-myths-about-masturbation/”>Art
Thank you! xTieghan
Tieghan, this was a perfect summer night dinner outside. Didn’t fire up the grill so I roasted the corn on the cobb. I also added some roasted shrimp.
This was another fantastic recipe. Thank you!
Aw I am really happy to hear that, Jan!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! xTieghan
Delightful! Used this after we got our farm share with corn this week.
Thank you Bailey! xTieghan
crispy prosciutto is my secret weapon! i love to serve it with breakfast in place of bacon. much less fat and deliciously salty and light. once tomatoes and corn are ripe here (a few more weeks still) i WILL be making this! looks amazing.
Thank you Leanne!! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
EXCELLENT! Loved all the fresh herbs. I used my lemon basil from the garden.
Amazing!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I just made this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious. Can’t get enough of the thyme and butter combo and really loved the little kick from the jalapeño. I don’t like raw tomatoes so I roasted mines first and it was great – every recipe I’ve made of yours has turned out so well. Can’t wait for the leftovers!
I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Amy! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Delicious, as usual. Love the tomatoes, the sweet grilled corn and the salty prosciutto. Will definitely be making it again.
Love to hear that! Thank you Liz! xTieghan
Delicious! And very easy once everything is chopped! My kids (4 and 9) gobbled this up too 🙂
Love that! Thank you for trying this one, Emily! xTieghan
This recipe is beyond delish! Wonderful summertime side or main dish. Please only use fresh grilled corn, as it makes this dish. I added grilled shrimp and asparagus. Outstanding!
Thank you so much Karen!! xTieghan
Loved this beautiful bowl of deliciousness! Perfect for a summer meal on the deck…full of fresh seasonal corn and herbs from the garden! Love prosciutto but did not have any on hand so I used thick cut bacon…left overs were good cold the next day 😋
Love that!! Thank you so much Lisa!! xTieghan
So tasty and so beautiful! Love your recipes! (I did make it vegetarian)
I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Just made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS! I ate it as a meal and the hubby had it as a side with his salmon. We are it warm and I am so excited to have it cold tomorrow for lunch! Thanks again for another homerun recipe!
Thank you Sasha!! So happy to hear that! xTieghan
This is the first recipe I’ve made from your site and it was amazing!!! So much flavor! Thank so much!
Thank you so much Shari!! xTieghan
This was so different than most of the meals I’ve had in my life. I also BATE traditional pasta salads but THIS was amazing. It has a really cool pasta salad side potential or main course. We ate it the first night as the main course. The leftovers were paired with other dishes sans prosciutto. We left out the jalapeño because we forgot it but it was still wonderful. We talked about it on and off for days. You know a recipe was good when it makes it onto a recipe card in pen and added to my recipe box! Can’t wait to have this again!
Thank you so much Nicole!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made the enchiladas last night!!
What a hit, Everyone loved them❤️
My daughter who doesn’t like spicy, gobbled them up with extra sour cream.
I love the heat but may use 2 Chipotle’s next time around for the rest of the family.
Wow that is so amazing!! Thank you so much for trying these Lauren! xTieghan
So good! As I was making and looking at the pictures I was thinking: “Why is Tieghan not telling us about the sun-dried tomatoes? They’re right there in the photo!”…. it was the crisped prosciutto. So I put in some sun dried tomato with the fresh tomato, too. What a great recipe! So easy and fresh and delicious!
Hey Katie,
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!! xTieghan
I’ve made this 2 times since it was published 4 days ago. It is absolutely incredible. The flavors are amazing, combine so well and leave you wanting more. This will be a go to forever for me!
Wow that is amazing!! I am so happy you have been loving this recipe, Sarah! Thank you! xTieghan
Made this recipe as a side last week and it was excellent! All the flavors meshed together so perfectly, and the ingredients are so uniquely paired I wouldn’t have thought to put them together on my own. We loved it
Amazing!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Anna! xTieghan
This looks lovely. If you don’t have orzo, and don’t feel like going to the store for just this one item but have everything else, what would your second choice of pasta be?
Hey Kelly,
I would just use another short cut noodle or couscous! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this for my boyfriend last night and he ate two whole bowls! It was absolutely delicious and this recipe will definitely be going in our recipe binder.
Thank you so much! I am really glad this turned out well for you! xTieghan
Finally made this and I have to say I was worried how all the ingredients would come together, but I tried it anyway bc why not, you have never disappointed me with any of yours recipes! It was an out of the ballpark dish! We usually have leftovers but not this time!! Will def be part of our summer rotation!! So so delicious😋😋
I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Kathy! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
I made this with tempeh marinated in soy sauce and a bit of honey instead of prosciutto, and it was AMAZING 🙂
Yum! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Arlie! xTieghan
I made this last night and it was amazing. The crispy prosciutto just topped it off. I am planning on making it again but as a side pasta dish for potlucks or cookouts.
Thank you so much Amber!! xTieghan
This was delicious! Orzo is my new favorite! I diced everything earlier in the day and then made the orzo on the stove and did the rest outside in a cast iro pan on my grill! I used goat cheese instead because I served your delicious honey, red pepper feta and fresh toasted pita as an app! I served the orzo with a simple salmon. Always a great meal when I use your recipes!
Aw you are too kind! I am so glad you have been loving my recipes, Jill! Thank you! xTieghan
I love all HBH recipes but THIS was SO easy SO delicious and SO satisfying to make! I also love the feature on all your recipes that allows you to change the serving size! 3 servings was just perfect for my hungry man and I!
Thank you so much Kylie!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This is absolutely delicious! The fresh ingredients give such depth of flavor, and I will definitely make this again. I would recommend prepping as many ingredients as you can in advance, since there are so many. It took me closer to an hour to make this meal by the time it was ready to eat (washing and chopping herbs, crisping prosciutto, grilling and cutting corn, etc.) As an added bonus I was able to deconstruct some of it to feed to my 1 and 4 year old and the leftovers tasted great served cold as my lunch today!
Love to hear that!! Thank you so much for trying this one, Adrienne! xTieghan
Hi! Looks amazing! Planning on making for dinner tomorrow but was wondering – do you have any dishes you recommend serving alongside this one? Thanks!
Hey Lilli,
I would serve this as a meal on it’s own or with a salad on the side. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was so
So good I love your recipes I just started making your dishes a few weeks And posting them on Facebook I have so many asking where to find them So far have not had one bad meal I was looking for new fresh ideas. And I have found them My husband has enjoyed them all as well.
Hi Marie! I am so happy to hear that you have been enjoying my recipes! That is so amazing to hear! I would love to check them out on Facebook if you are able to tag me! I hope you both continue to love all of the recipes you try!! xTieghan
This is SO good! Added a ton of fresh spinach and some fresh lemon & basil dressing. Simple, delicious summer salad! It’s a keeper!
Thank you so much Kelly!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
SO GOOD! Super easy, summer and a nice mix of sweet and salty. I was worried the honey and apple cider viengar were going to be too sweet but it is perfectly balanced out by the jalapeno and the saltiness from the proscuitto and feta
Love that!! Thank you so much for trying this Kasey! xTieghan
Wow! I made this tonight and it was delicious, but for me the cripsy prosciutto really next-leveled it!
I didn’t have fresh corn because it didn’t look good when i went to the store, but I used frozen sweet white corn and cherry tomatoes fresh from the garden and it was still incredible. Will definitely make this a few more times before summer is over!
Amazing!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Heidi! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Aaaaamazing! (As usual, HBH never fails!)
I made this with “olive leaf” shaped pasta (bigger than orzo) and with green onions instead of shallots + chives. Also did have basil so swapped for raspberry sorrel.
Absolutely delish.
We used pasture raised meats and dairy and I swear there’s such a huge difference in flavour.
As you’d say – SO good 🤣
Amazing!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Tanya! xTieghan
This was an amazing meal, it came together quickly and tasted delicious. My husband doesn’t often ask for recipes to be repeated, but this one made the cut.
Wow that is so amazing! Thank you Ellen! xTieghan
Not that you need another glowing review on this recipe…but I’ll add one anyway! Really good flavors going on here. I live in Texas and my choices for orzo were either southwest flavor or cuban so I went with southwest which added another level of flavor! I’m the odd duck who doesn’t like prosciutto but I do love pancetta so that was crispy, salty, and delicious. Wish I would have doubled it. Next time. I also took another reviewers idea and added the fresh corn to the shallot and cooked them together. Lastly, added grilled shrimp and fresh mango. Yumm-o!!!!
They mean the world to me though! I am so happy you loved this recipe so much! Thank you! xTieghan
Made this for my mom, brother, husband and I. My mom (who is an amazing cook in her own right) said, “Wow! This many be one of the best meals I’ve ever had.” It was delicious. Replaced the Proscuitto with bacon because it’s not my mom fav. Worked great and was just as delicious!
Love to hear that! Thank you so much for trying this Brianna! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan
Hello from Spain…well I’m a convert now. I’ve hated any form of pasta salad for most of my life but this is simply delicious. Well done with your ‘brand’ my family and I adore your style of cooking. I can honestly say I have tried many many of your recipes and we’ve yet to find one that we haven’t loved.
Please keep the books coming
Lesley
Aw that is really amazing to hear! I hope you continue to love my recipes, Lesley! Thank you! xTieghan
Wow!!! I used farro instead of orzo for extra nutrition. Delicious!
Amazing! Thank you Marie! xTieghan
Wow! I used farro instead of orzo for extra nutrition. Delicious!
This was fantastic!! Love the combination of ingredients; great flavors and textures!
Thank you Amy! xTieghan
Wow, just wkw. I made this with farro, but would be lighter with orzo. A keeper in my Mediterranean diet repertoire.
Thank you so much Marie! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this last night. My husband was looking at it like he wasn’t sure. Then he tried it. It was delicious. Later he asked if there was anything left. He declared it just as good cold! Thank you for another great recipe. Keep up the testing 💕
Thank you so much Alice! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Absolutely amazing, we added chicken and corn bread and devoured this dish!
That is so great! Thank you so much for trying this Annie! xTieghan
Most amazing side dish there ever was. I highly recommend!
Thank you so much!! xTieghan
Delicious flavor combination! Our family loved this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Hayley!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I am OBSESSED with this recipe, I made it twice in a span of three weeks and sent some extra to my parents as well. This might be my new favorite dish from you. Works with frozen roasted corn as well. Can see myself making it all year round. Bravo!
Thank you so much!! That is so great to hear! xTieghan
Thanks for this truly mind-blowing delicious recipe! I sautéed the fresh corn with the shallots and omitted the jalapeño for my spice-averse kiddos. This was a huge hit with our family and a definite keeper. One caveat though, with all the prep work this recipe took a little over an hour to pull together, so not really a speedy weeknight meal. But SO worth the effort!
Love to hear that! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
Delish! We all loved this one.
Thank you so much Courtney! xTieghan
Another delicious Half Baked Harvest recipe! I made this last night and my husband and I LOVED all the different flavors throughout the dish. There wasn’t too much or too little of anything. I made it exactly as written. So good!
Thank you Leslie! xTieghan
So delicious and so easy, as usual. I’ve never been disappointed by a single recipe!!
Thank you so much Caitlin! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Absolutely a favourite of mine! Flavours are superb and it comes together within an hour. Makes great leftovers also, win win win!
Hey Carly,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I love this recipe! I’ve made it several times and it’s a family favourite. It feels so light and fresh, but so flavourful!
Hey Erin,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was a hit for our Easter BBQ. I will definitely be making it again, and several people asked me for the recipe! I agree with some of the comments that with all of the chopping for the ingredients it takes around an hour all together, but nothing too difficult.
Hey Katherine,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
This is amazing! I used canned corn and it worked perfectly. Also makes yummy leftovers 🙂
Hey Brianna,
So great to hear! Love that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Have a great week🌟 xTieghan