Lemon Orzo
A quick, bright lemon orzo side dish: tender orzo cooked in broth until creamy, then finished with fresh lemon, butter, and herbs. Simple, savory, and ready in 25 minutes, it pairs with almost any main.
Equipment
- Pot
- Vegetable peeler
Ingredients
- 1 lemon for juice and zesting
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp chopped fresh mint or 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Zest the Lemon: Using a vegetable peeler, peel off two large strips of lemon zest.
- Cook the Orzo: Bring the orzo, broth, oregano, and lemon zest strips to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered 13 to 15 minutes, until the orzo is tender, stirring occasionally.
- Rest: Remove from the heat and discard the lemon peel. Stir in the butter and let the orzo rest uncovered 5 minutes.
- Finish: Juice half of the lemon over the orzo, add the mint or parsley, and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Cook the orzo uncovered so the broth reduces and concentrates, stirring occasionally. Add the lemon juice and herbs at the end, off the heat, to keep them bright. Taste before salting, since broth can be salty. Use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian. Optional add-ins: 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or crumbled feta, or 2 sliced green onions. For asparagus, saute 8 oz chopped asparagus with garlic and butter and serve over the orzo. Keeps 4 days refrigerated or 2 months frozen; loosen with broth when reheating.