This one pan orzo pasta with lemon recipe is made with a handful of ingredients and is the perfect family meal for busy weeknights! It’s a fragrant and very flavorful side dish
Somedays, you just want pasta without all the frills and thrills!
Ok, this recipe has all the taste thrills and it takes no time to make.
One-pot meals don’t get any easier than this, especially on busy nights!
The only thing I can warn you is that it is very addictive. Don’t be surprised if this little pasta meal will be on a weekly rotation at your dinner table.
Top Tips for making this one pan orzo recipe
- Use a large saucepan where the bottom of the pan is heavy, so the orzo doesn’t stick. Or, cook them in a Dutch oven.
- Don’t rinse your orzo before adding to the pan. Water and melted butter tend to not get along and the pasta doesn’t get al dente.
- I used vegan butter (Earth Balance butter sticks) for this recipe. Grass-fed unsalted butter will work too.
- If you have coconut milk on hand, add about 2 Tbsp at the end when the water has dissipated.
- Go with fresh herbs like curly parsley or fresh basil for garnish.
- If you don’t have fresh garlic, use garlic powder instead.
- I didn’t have vegetable broth on hand, so I used water. Use broth, if you have it on hand.
Why I love this pasta
Pasta dishes are the ultimate comfort food. I like using this pasta because orzo cooks faster and it’s a tender pasta. Plus, it isn’t as carb-heavy as the fusily type of pasta.
It’s also easy to make and flavor with minimal ingredients and perfect for pasta night. I put orzo in pasta salads and makes it so tasty.
This recipe is super easy because I just put the ingredients in a skillet and let it cook by itself. While it’s cooking, I can do something else.
Want to make it a little more fancy for date night? Make it with this healthy white wine sauce. It has a little of an aphrodisiac effect.
Other ingredients to add to this orzo pasta
This orzo recipe is made with the bare essentials. If this is all you have in your pantry, you should still be able to make a meal.
To make it a complete meal, you can also add more ingredients like:
- Broccoli (fresh or frozen).
- Fresh spinach – I like baby spinach.
- Sun-dried tomatoes (or is it sundried tomatoes?).
- Basil pesto or any pesto recipe.
- Organic produce like squash, red onions, bell peppers, grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, or even sugar snap peas.
- Heavy cream or a creamy sauce like vegan Alfredo.
- Red pepper flakes and kalamata olives will add a tangy spice to this one-pot orzo dinner.
- Cheese like mozzarella cheeses or parmesan cheese.
- Extra protein like tofu tempeh crumbles.
- Seasonings like za’atar or Italian seasoning.
Answering Common Questions
– Avocado oil
– Coconut oil
– Extra virgin olive oil
– Go oil-free
Yes, you can cook the pasta separately and then add it to the butter and garlic mixture. Make sure your pasta is al dente.
The reason I cooked everything together is because the flavors infuse into every molecule of the orzo as it cooks. The orzo also turns so soft and practically melts in your mouth.
Plus, this is a one-pot pasta dinner. That means only one pan to clean!
Sadly, orzo falls in the pasta category, so it’s not gluten-free. Mostly made from durum wheat, this pasta is not good for those with celiac troubles. The good news is that Barilla has a huge line of celiac-friendly pasta, which includes gluten-free orzo.
How to make this lemon and orzo pasta
Heat a large pan for 30 seconds on medium heat and then add 3 Tbsp of vegan butter (I used Earth Balance butter sticks).
Once the butter is golden brown, add 2 medium-sized garlic cloves to the pan. I grated them before adding to the vegan butter.
Add 1 cup of orzo (use dry orzo) to the pan.
Mix for a couple of minutes. Let the butter coat every orzo. You will be tempted to use high heat, but ignore that temptation.
Let it saute for about 1 minute, then add a little water at a time. The minimal amount of water should be 3 cups.
Next, add 1 tsp of salt to the pan.
Mix well with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula.
Set the heat to medium and let it cook on its own. The cooking time will be about 20-25 min or until all the water has dissipated.
Be sure to stir occasionally so that the pasta doesn’t stick at the bottom.
When the water is gone, drizzle the juice from ¼ of a lemon (about 1 Tbsp). You can add more lemon juice if desired.
Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon zest. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
Orzo can be subbed with casarecce, penne, farfalle pasta, angel hair pasta, spaghetti, linguine or even frozen ravioli. Full recipe below.
How to store leftovers
Sadly, cooked lemon orzo doesn’t freeze well. You can refrigerate it and use it within a week or less.
Cooked orzo doesn’t do well when frozen. It gets clumpy and dry.
So, place the leftovers in a glass airtight container and drizzle some water on top. Close the lid and place in the refrigerator. Use it up in 7 days or less.
What to serve with it
Simple dinners like this one pot dinner can be served by itself. To make it a complete dinner, serve with a side salad like a spinach salad or kale salad.
This pasta dinner is not complete without homemade garlic bread. Even vegan dinner rolls make the pasta taste better.
More Orzo Recipes
Orzo is a family favorite! I have quite a few recipes where I use orzo because it’s so delicious. Orzo is great in so many meals.
Stuffed poblanos casserole
Poblanos are stuffed with orzo and lentils. Then, I top it with a sinful amount of cheese!
Roasted cauliflower salad
Cauliflower and orzo can make for a great combination. The flavors are so good and you won’t have to work too hard to make it.
Orzo soup
This is hearty and quick soup to make with other nutritious ingredients like spinach.
Comment below if you would like to see more one-pan dinners.
Sharing is caring
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Lemon Orzo Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat a stainless steel pan for 30 seconds and then add vegan butter
- Once the butter has melted, add garlic cloves to the pan
- Add orzo to the pan and mix well. Let the butter coat every orzo
- Let it saute for about 1 minute
- Add water
- Next, add salt to the pan and mix well
- Cook on medium heat for 20-25 min or until all the water is gone (see notes)
- Be sure to stir occasionally so that the pasta doesn’t stick at the bottom.
- When the water is gone, drizzle the lemon juice
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately
I need to double this recipe, can I do this? This is a favorite recipe of my family.
Hello Donna, sure you can double this recipe easily. You may have to adjust some of the salt and lemon, but it will work perfectly. Thank you for your compliment. I am so glad to hear that your family likes it.