Lemon Orzo Recipe

This lemon orzo pasta is a quick and easy one-pot dinner or side dish! Perfect for weeknights, it's lightly creamy and full of bright lemon flavor. Feel free to add your favorite protein or veggies!

Prep time: PT5M

Cook time: PT15M

Total time: PT20M

Rating

4.89 stars (18 reviews)

Keywords

lemon orzo, lemon orzo pasta, lemon orzo recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil
1½ cups orzo pasta
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
2 garlic cloves (grated)
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (plus more to taste)
Zest of 1 lemon
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (basil, and/or dill)

Cuisine

American

Steps

Melt the butter in a large saucepan or medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes to toast it.
Add 3 cups of the broth, the garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the broth is absorbed. Add the peas and cook for another 2 minutes, or until heated through.
Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and zest, Parmesan, and half the herbs, stirring until the cheese is melted. Season to taste, stirring in more broth as needed to keep the orzo lightly creamy.
Serve topped with the remaining herbs and more cheese, if desired.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 321 kcal
Carbohydrates: 50 g
Protein: 12 g
Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 11 mg
Sodium: 1221 mg
Sugar: 4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 4 g

Reviews

SJR on 2026-08-01 19:51:36 (5 stars):
I just made this tonight for dinner - DELICIOUS!!! I followed the recipe with minor modifications: -I made my own broth with Better Than Bullion Chicken (taste to my preference). I used 3 cups total because I did not want the dish to be saucy.. No extra salt was needed. -3 large garlic cloves -3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice; and the lemon I zested was huge -Over 1 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese (used a larger sized grate) -Fresh basil for the herb This is one of those recipes that is almost "too" good. Thank you!
Larry on 2026-08-01 19:45:47 (5 stars):
Fantastically delicious!
Anne on 2026-07-01 10:06:28 (5 stars):
Made this to go alongside some grilled salmon. It got rave reviews!
Linda on 2026-05-30 17:45:13 (5 stars):
Just made this exactly as written. Absolutely delicious and so simple! So creamy and lemony--the zest makes all the difference. 🍋🪤
Cheryl on 2026-05-24 16:13:44 (5 stars):
Can this be made ahead of time
Sarah on 2026-05-06 16:21:44 (5 stars):
Simple and delicious! Sauteed onion in the butter before adding the orzo, deglazed with 1/2 cup vermouth before adding the broth.
lili on 2026-04-26 12:16:47 (5 stars):
This was absolutely delicious, made it in the instant pot (1 min high pressure, release release immediately. Gonna keep this one in my rotation!
Genna on 2026-04-22 09:38:29 (5 stars):
This was delicious, kid friendly, and so easy to make. I just used my large skillet to do it rather than pulling out my dutch oven and it came out perfectly.
Carole Getz on 2026-04-21 11:57:17 (5 stars):
This orzo is the bomb! What an explosion of flavor! Thank you for sharing!
MajorTom on 2026-04-20 20:26:49 (5 stars):
Omg this was so good and easy that it's all done in a saucepan. I have to stop myself from eating even more. Doubled the peas and served with roasted broccoli. Can't wait to make again.