Why Was My Greek Squid And Orzo Very Wet?

Asked by 2the1Ilove. Answered on 13th July 2026

Full question

Oh no, my experience in making the Greek Squid And Orzo recipe was nothing like Nigella‘s in her video. When I took the pan out of the oven after an hour and 20 minutes it was so wet and liquidy. I was beside myself. I ended up adding a lot more orzo, plus the dill, salt and pepper, and put it back in the oven and turned it up to 500°. After 10 minutes it came out and it was thick and delicious, but why did I need to add the extra orzo?

Greek Squid And Orzo

By Nigella

Our answer

NIgella's Greek Squid And Orzo (from SIMPLY NIGELLA) is very simple to make. After starting the dish on the hob or stove top, everything is transferred to the oven to bake until the squid is tender and the orzo swollen and plump.

We have not encountered the dish being too runny before, but we do wonder if frozen squid rings were used. Frozen seafood tends to have a thin coating of ice on the outside to help protect the seafood from freezer burn (dehydration and oxidisation). However, if you use frozen squid then this ice glaze will melt and add extra liquid to the dish. This could be the reason for the dish seeming a little runny. If you are using frozen squid, thaw it overnight in the fridge (or follow the package instructions for defrosting) and drain away any liquid before adding the squid to the pan.