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Natalie Robinson

One Pot Lemon Orzo Pasta

Lemon Orzo pasta is a bright, beautiful pasta dish that's ideal for celebrating the spring and summer seasons! Perfectly cooked tender orzo is all dressed up with fresh lemon juice, garlic, parmesan, and just the right amount of heavy cream to really send it over the top.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1½ cups uncooked orzo pasta about 278 grams
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 2½ cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
  • ⅓ cup cream any kind — heavy cream will give richer flavor light cream will be a bit thinner
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Method
 

  1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the orzo and garlic and toast 1-2 minutes.
  2. Stir in the broth, salt and pepper.
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring often. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked to your preference (about 10 minutes). (If you want to cook the pasta further but the liquid is gone, just add a splash more broth).
  4. Stir in cream, Parmesan and parsley. Add lemon juice gradually, tasting as you go, until the flavor is to your preference. Serve.

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:
  • Orzo: you could use another pasta here, but stick to the very small varieties for best results: alphabet, ditalini, etc. 
  • Cream: any kind of cream will work here. The heavier the cream, the richer and thicker the sauce. You can also omit the cream for a non-creamy version of this lemon pasta, but you will likely need to add additional broth to compensate.
  • Lemon: If you are looking for more lemony flavor, feel free to add some lemon zest to this recipe as well!
Storage:
Fridge: you can store this recipe in the fridge up to 4 days. To reheat, add a splash of broth, cream or water to keep it saucy.
Freezer: this recipe can be frozen. but keep in mind that pasta will have a softer texture after thawing that may not appeal to everyone. 
Nutrition
Serving: 194grams | Calories: 277cal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 372mg | Potassium: 272mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg