Lemon butter orzo is a simple side dish thats deliciously buttery with fresh lemon flavor. In less than 15 minutes you can have a rice-like pasta side that goes well with nearly any main course.
Complete the meal with our Greek shrimp with tomatoes and feta and delicious roasted broccoli. And if you love orzo as much as we do, also check out our lemon chicken orzo soup!
While orzo looks a lot like rice, its actually a tiny, grain-shaped pasta. In Italian, the word orzo means barley as it resembled unhulled barley.
Just like other pasta shapes, orzo is made with semolina flour, so it is not gluten-free. If youre looking for gluten-free orzo, you can usually find a few options next to the regular orzo in the grocery store.
Orzo is often used in soup, like our lemon chicken orzo soup. But it also makes a fantastic rice-like side, which is how weve made this lemon butter orzo.
If youve never made orzo before, dont worry, its very easy. Cooking orzo is just like cooking rice!
Cooked orzo will keep well for 3-5 days if kept in a sealed container in your fridge.
Add about a tablespoon of water to the orzo then reheat it in a microwave or gently over low heat on the stovetop. The pieces will stick together so youll need to use a spoon to gently separate them.
Yes! Cooked orzo, like other pasta, freezes well. Make sure its completely cool then freeze it in freezer-safe containers. We love these reusable Stasher freezer bags to store just about everything, including this lemon butter orzo!
Lemon butter orzo is a versatile side dish that goes well with so many different mains. Here are a few that we love to serve with it:
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Lemon Butter Orzo
Lemon butter orzo is a simple side dish that’s deliciously buttery with fresh lemon flavor. In less than 15 minutes you can have a rice-like pasta side that goes well with nearly any main course.
Prep: 5min
Total: 15min
Yield: 4
Serving Size: 1 serving = ½ cup
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 serving = ½ cup, calories 171 kcal, Carbohydrate 30 g, Protein 5 g, Fat 3 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 8 mg, Sodium 671 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 2 g, unSaturated Fat 2 g
Ingredients:
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh is best!)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley (optional)
Instruction:
- Add the stock, orzo, salt, and pepper to a small pot over high heat and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook the orzo for 10-12 minutes, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, butter, and parsley.
Veggie Orzo Pasta | Jamie Oliver
FAQ
Is orzo pasta healthier than rice?
Is orzo better for you than pasta?
Why is orzo pasta not rice?
How many cups does 1 cup of dry orzo make?
