creamy orzo

This easy Creamy Lemon Orzo is a rich, creamy dish with bright lemon and fresh basil. This one-pan creamy lemon orzo is made in only 20 minutes! It is the perfect side dish or served alongside grilled chicken or steak.

Creamy Lemon Orzo

Tablespoons Salted Butter

Onion ((diced))

Orzo

Garlic Cloves ((minced))

Chicken Broth

Parmesan Cheese ((good-quality))

Heavy Cream

Lemon

Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice ((add more for more lemon flavor))

Tablespoons Fresh Basil ((chopped))

Salt and Pepper ((to taste))

Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and add butter. Add onions and cook for about 5-6 minutes or until onions are tender and translucent.

Add the orzo and toast for 2 minutes. Add garlic. Add in chicken broth and reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the orzo is tender and most of the chicken broth has been absorbed.

Remove from the heat and add parmesan cheese until it is melted. Stir in heavy cream, fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, and basil. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.

For extra creaminess, stir in some salted butter right before serving and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the orzo. For extra lemon flavor, garnish with lemon zest.

This one-pan creamy spinach lemon orzo comes together in just 20 minutes! With fresh spinach, lemon zest, and basil in a creamy sauce, it can be a light, weeknight dinner on it&#39;s own or a super easy side dish!

Creamy Spinach Lemon Orzo

unsalted butter

shallot (finely chopped)

garlic (finely chopped)

orzo

white cooking wine (optional)

vegetable stock

thyme

heavy cream

spinach

parmesan cheese

lemon juice

lemon zest

basil (sliced)

salt and pepper (to taste)

In a large skillet or cast iron, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add in the shallot and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and aromatic.

Then add in the dry orzo and toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Then add in the white wine to de-glaze the pan and make sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.

Stir in the fresh thyme and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Then cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until the orzo is fully cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Then stir in the heavy cream, parmesan, spinach, basil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Garnish with more lemon zest and an extra sprinkle of parmesan!

This delicious, creamy orzo pasta dish with asparagus and peas is fresh, bright, and lemony – the perfect spring dinner. Plus, it’s vegan and dairy-free.

Creamy Orzo with Asparagus and Peas

olive oil

leeks

salt

dry white wine

garlic

orzo pasta

vegetable broth

lemon

asparagus

peas

lemon juice (plus wedges for serving)

herbs

Microgreens (for garnish (optional))

black pepper

extra virgin olive oil

microgreen

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the leeks, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and several grinds of pepper and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the wine and let it cook down for 30 seconds.

Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, orzo, and 3 cups of the broth. Stir, cover, and let cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Uncover and stir in the lemon zest and another 1/2 cup of the broth. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the mixture is creamy and the orzo is cooked through.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the asparagus and peas into the boiling water and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes, or until tender but still bright green. Drain, transfer to a kitchen towel, and pat dry.

Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, the lemon juice, and several grinds of pepper.

Before serving, check the orzo’s consistency. If it has thickened too much, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup broth.

Portion the orzo into bowls and top with the vegetable mixture. Garnish with fresh herbs, lemon zest, and microgreens, if using. Season to taste and serve with lemon wedges.

Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Orzo is a quick and easy pasta dish made in just 30 minutes entirely in one pan! It&#39;s just like risotto but so much simpler! Serve it as a meatless main dish or a side dish with chicken or shrimp.

Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Orzo (30 Minutes, ONE-PAN)

oz baby bella mushrooms (or crimini)

salt and pepper

orzo (uncooked)

chicken broth (or stock)

garlic (minced)

Italian seasoning (or Herbs from Provence)

paprika (or more)

salt (or more, to taste)

red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet. Cook sliced mushrooms, generously seasoned with salt and pepper, on medium-high heat for about 1 or 2 minutes until lightly browned and softened. Remove half of the cooked mushrooms from the skillet to a plate.

Cook mushrooms

To the same skillet with the half of cooked mushrooms, add uncooked orzo, chicken broth, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer (medium-low) and cook for about 5 or 10 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the orzo is cooked through.

Add fresh spinach during the last 5 minutes of cooking the orzo.

Add 1/2 cup of cream. Stir everything on low-medium - do not bring the sauce to a boil.

Season with salt and more smoked paprika, if desired. Stir in the remaining half of the cooked mushrooms.

When serving, sprinkle a small amount of red pepper flakes over the creamy orzo.

Make creamy orzo

This simple, hearty dish is so delicious. Think pan-seared salmon with buttery artichokes and the addition of smooth orzo swirled in a rich creamy sauce. 

Salmon with Artichoke Orzo

salmon

salt (divided)

tsp black pepper (divided)

garlic powder

½ tsp sweet paprika

onion

chicken broth

artichoke hearts

Parmesan

parsley (for serving)

chili flakes (for serving)

seasoning

Get your prep done before you start cooking. Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with garlic powder, paprika and ½ teaspoon salt and pepper.

chopping

Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic and halve the artichokes.

searing

Heat oil and butter over medium high in a large nonstick pan or skillet. Add salmon fillets and cook 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet onto a clean plate and set aside.

sautéing

Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and onion. Cook until soft and fragrant for about 2 minutes. Stir in thyme, and the remaining salt and pepper. Next add orzo and cook for 1 minute.

simmering

Pour in broth and bring to a boil. To maintain a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered until almost al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently to keep the orzo from sticking to the bottom of you skillet and to release its starch.

cooking

Stir in Parmesan. Add artichokes and lemon juice. Pour in cream and simmer for 2 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken. Return salmon to the skillet and simmer everything for 3 more minutes or until the salmon is heated through.

serving

Top with chili flakes, freshly ground black pepper and parsley. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

A delicious one-pot orzo dish served with roasted spiced chickpeas.

chickpeas

paprika

Italian seasoning

white wine

orzo (dry)

lemon (juiced)

coconut milk

spinach (chopped)

Preheat the oven to 400F and prepare a baking sheet. 

Add the chickpeas to the sheet pan, along with the olive oil, paprika, salt &amp; pepper. Toss, and bake for 20 minutes, until crispy.

In the meantime, in a pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, garlic, onion and asparagus spears. Saute until the asparagus is bright green and the onions are translucent.

Add the white one to deglaze the pan, followed by the orzo. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes to “toast” the orzo. Now add the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, and then lower heat and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. 

Add the coconut milk, spinach and lemon juice. Stir until combined and simmer for an additional two minutes. 

Top the dish with roasted chickpeas and enjoy. Alternatively, mix half of the chickpeas in, and save the rest for the topping.

Need another epic 30 minute dinner - this Lemon Pepper Chicken with Creamy Orzo is max flavor with minimum effort and will satisfy even the pickiest eater.

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Creamy Orzo

boneless skinless chicken thighs

Dalkin&Co Lemon Pepper Seasoning

dry orzo

mascarpone cheese

Kosher salt, parmesan cheese and basil

Liberally season chicken on both sides with Dalkin&amp;Co Lemon Pepper seasoning.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large dutch oven or braiser and cook the chicken until really golden on both sides, about 5-6 minutes on each side. Remove and let rest. Once juices have redistributed, slice again the grain and set aside.

For the Chicken

Combine the parmesan cheese, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice and zest. Taste and season with salt as needed. Set aside.

To make the Sauce

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and toss with mascarpone cheese until melted. Season with salt, lemon zest and juice, parmesan, and basil. Adjust seasoning to your liking.

To make the Orzo

Serve the sliced chicken over the orzo with a all of the sauce drizzled on top.

To Serve

This dish is indeed perfection--I never gravitate towards lemon chicken, but Gaby's lemon pepper spice is a game changer--along with imparting a great flavor, it put a terrific "crust" on the chicken and the orzo/lemon garlic sauce put this dish over the top.  
I did add some wilted baby spinach too.  Will go into the rotation. Highly recommend

Super, super flavorful stuff…almost too much for our taste and we’re not whimps! The Dalkin lemon pepper and raw garlic packs a punch so I’ll tweak a few things when I make it again. 2 tbs of the lemon pepper is more than enough, I’ll leave the lemon out of the orzo so it’s a different flavor and a relief, and I’ll find a way to cook the garlic some. But these aren’t complaints, just small tweaks we’ll make next time to suit our taste…it’s a great dish!

This recipe is fantastic!! Great with chicken or shrimp. I also added roasted cauliflower to the orzo to get some veggie in the dish and it was perfect. Gaby has done it again! Another recipe I will repeat!

The PERFECT 30 minute meal!!! Love lemon pepper seasoning!

This one pan Mushroom Orzo makes the perfect easy dinner, made in 20 minutes. Its creamy and delicious, full of umami flavor, and made healthier without any heavy cream

Mushroom Orzo

cremini mushrooms

shiitake mushrooms

milk soy milk

baby spinach

Salt and black pepper

If using dried shiitake mushrooms, rinse them to wash off any dust then place them in a bowl and cover with water to hydrate them. Ensure they’re submerged and place another bowl or plate on top which will stop them floating out of the waterSoak for at least 1 hour - you can also prepare these earlier. If any of the mushrooms have large stems, cut these off which will help them hydrate a lot faster

Finely dice the onion and garlic, chop up the spinach and slice the mushrooms

In a large saucepan or deep skillet, saute the onion in olive oil over medium heat

Once translucent, add the garlic and all the mushrooms. Saute together for 3-5 minutes

Once the mushrooms have browned, season with salt and black pepper and remove half the mushrooms and leave on the side for now

Add the orzo pasta and toast for 1 minute, then add the vegetable broth, season with salt and pepper and simmer with the lid on over low heat until al dente (approx 7 minutes)

Add the spinach, reserved mushrooms, milk and grated parmesan. Stir through until the spinach has wilted and and you have a creamy consistencyServe up your creamy Mushroom Orzo and enjoy!

I had some baby spinach that needed using and came across this gem of a recipe. So easy and the final result was just divine.  This will be on repeat for sure. Thank you so much :)

Made this risotto dish today. I doubled the recipe and I'm so happy I did. 
Followed steps to the letter and oh my goodness it was so delicious! The flavour is amazing, it reminds me a little of mushroom risotto only much easier and quicker to make. Thanks Ayeh, this is a keeper ♥️

This recipe is incredible! It was delicious, fast and easy to prepare. I am saving this recipe. Mainstay ingredients; I used canned coconut milk for the milk and I can't stop eating it!

This creamy garlic spinach orzo is a comforting and easy to make side dish that comes together fast and will have everyone asking for seconds! It&#039;s ready in 30 minutes.

Creamy Garlic Spinach Orzo

butter

broth

heavy/whipping cream

(packed) fresh baby spinach

Salt & pepper (to taste)

Add the oil, butter, and onion to a pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and orzo. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often (this infuses the orzo with more flavor and toasts it a bit).

Stir in the chicken broth and cream. Once it starts to bubble, continue cooking for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring fairly often. You will likely need to turn the heat down a bit (to medium or even medium-low). You want it to gently bubble vs. furiously boil, and you don&#39;t want the liquid to reduce too much before the pasta has cooked.

Take the pot off the heat, stir in the parmesan and spinach, and cover the pot for 3-5 minutes or until it has thickened up to your liking. The orzo will absorb the liquid quickly, so if it still seems like there&#039;s too much liquid, just wait a little bit longer. Season with salt &amp; pepper as needed.

I found this recipe on a whim while trying to feed a crowd of 13 people. Everyone raved about it! I served it with seared scallops. Yes I know.. right? I made over 50 seared fresh scallops. It all turned out amazing!  Oh and we’ve made the orzo a dozen times since then. So yummy!

I make this dish frequently.  I add a protein (something pre-cooked) to make it a one pot meal. It is a dish my picky daughter will eat!

I love this recipe, I make it often. I have made it with broccoli and it is delicious this way as well, I’m not a big spinach person, but I do like it that way as well so thank you for sharing your recipe

Very delicious! Added chopped mushrooms to this recipe.

I've made this several times now, and its delicious. I like to had a couple of shakes of cayenne. It gives it a nice depth.

I made this for 12 people along with seared scallops and it was such a hit!! Super easy to make for a crowd. And much easier than making something like risotto but you get the risotto feel without all the hard work! Everyone raved about it.

Hi Natasha, I'm so glad I found your website! This recipe looks scrumptious. I have not made it yet because I need to use a substitutions. I was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Pasta is no longer in my diet. I am just starting to learn about cooking with low carbs etc. I am thinking that this could also be wonderful with riced cauliflower instead of the oriso. I do know that pasta absorbs moisture when it is cooking. Can you suggest how I can alter this to make it diabetic friendly? I'm thinking that reducing moisture, the chicken broth, would probably work fine. 

Thanks so much, Sheri

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Top 9 creamy orzo recipes from across the web

The most viewed creamy orzo recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Creamy Lemon Orzo

Creamy Spinach Lemon Orzo

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Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Orzo (3...

Salmon with Artichoke Orzo

Creamy Lemon Orzo

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The most viewed creamy orzo recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine