Parmesan lemon orzo is an easy and delicious addition to any meal. Ready in just 20 minutes, this side dish is fresh, creamy, and great with everything!
Orzo is one of my favorite things ever. It can be used for orzo pasta salad, orzo pilaf, just about anything. It is perfect next to Greek lemon chicken, Peruvian chicken, or even on its own as a quick lunch or snack!
What’s In Parmesan Lemon Orzo?
Here’s what I add:
- Orzo
- Butter
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Parmesan cheese
Let’s Make It
To make this orzo:
- SAUTE: saute the orzo in butter until browned. Add garlic, and cook for another minute.
- SIMMER: add the chicken broth or water, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until cooked.
- SERVE: add the parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Serve garnished with parsley
Reheating Orzo
Orzo tends to stick when cooled, as the starches bind the orzo together. When reheating, make sure you add a tablespoon of liquid per cup and stir it.
I like to reheat it in the microwave, but the stovetop works well too!
Other Delicious Side Dishes
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Rice Pilaf with Orzo
- Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint
- Ramen Noodle Salad
- The Best Bruschetta Recipe
Lemon Parmesan Orzo
Servings: 4 servings
This simple Greek side is fresh, easy, and delicious!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups water or chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice fresh, about 1 lemon
- zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese shaved or grated
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped, garnish
Instructions
- Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add orzo, and cook for 3-5 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, and cook for an additional minute or until garlic is fragrant.
- Add water. Cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until orzo is cooked.
- Fluff with a fork. Stir in parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Garnish with parsley.
Tried this recipe?Please leave a rating and review!
Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 392IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Let me know how you liked it below!
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41 thoughts on “Parmesan Lemon Orzo”
I make this all the time!!
Kids and grandkids all love it ! I always have the ingredients on hand so its so easy and quick to whip up !! Makes great leftovers also ! Don’t think I’ve ever made smaller than a double batch !!
So happy it’s a hit Margaret! It’s one of our favorites during the summer!
Hello Bailey, made this last night to serve with grilled salmon and shrimp. What a wonderful dish! Simple to put together. The lemon adds such a fresh touch. I added green peas for color, since I didn’t have any parsley. Will definitely make again! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe.
So happy it was a hit Jakalyn! Green peas sound like a great addition.
We were getting really tired of rice night after night. Needed a change. Sooo good!! Perfect side dish to my air fryer salmon. Thank you for this easy yummy recipe!
So happy you love it Laura!
Made this tonight with greek lamb meatballs and a drizzle of tzatziki sauce. It was amazing
So happy you loved it!
Easy to make and I served it with pork Osso Bucco and it made a great side dish. Very Mediterranean in taste, would probably go great with seafood or chicken. Will make again.
Sounds amazing, so glad you love it!
Made this for myself and my husband, who….says he really doesn’t like pasta.
He ate two helpings and loved it. I added a bit more lemon juice and it was perfect
Thank you for sharing .
So glad it was delicious Mari!
I’m making this again tonight for about the 10th time in a few months. I absolutely love this recipe. The chew of the pasta, the brightness of the lemon, the savoryness of the parmesan…… It goes well with so many meat dishes. I’m tempted to add peas to it tonight…hmmm !
So happy to hear Jane! It’s definitely a go-to for us. Peas sound delicious!
This was very scrumptious and had been the perfect pair for my Garlic Butter Chicken with a side of baked beets and cream of mushroom soup!! 😋 🍽
I’ve made this exact recipe several times in the last month and I absolutely love it as a nice bright / savory/ satisfying side dish. The other day I had some left over so I chopped and sauteed a container of baby bella’s, onion garlic, and a little bit of chicken broth at the end with a teeny bit of flour just to thicken it a teeny tiny bit and added it to the leftover lemon orzo pasta and it made like the most wonderful mushroom risotto with that kind of bright lemon flavor at the end. I think orzo is my new rice lol.
This is the second time in a week I’m making this recipe and I really love it! I love that zing of the lemon juice and zest, & that savory parmesan flavor, that softer bite of the orzo is compared to brown rice which I usually use. The only thing that I’ve altered in the original recipe is to add a tad more butter when stirring in everything else at the end just because butter makes everything better LOL !!
So happy you love it Jane!
It’s a mainstay. Easy to make, easy to add to. Thanks for this great recipe!
So happy you love it Dorothea!
I paired this side dish with Grilled lemon pepper salmon, and sautéed Spinach and cherry tomatoes in garlic and olive oil. The wife wants me to do all the cooking now. Absolutely a great side dish. Than you.
Sounds like a perfect dinner, so glad you loved it Ronald!
Love the recipe! We add sautéed broccoli and shrimp to make it a one pot meal. Delish! Thanks for sharing!!!
So glad you loved it! Sounds like a delicious meal!
My go to Orzo recipe, it’s a family favorite- Thank you!
So glad it’s a hit Julie!
What a great recipe! So simple and fresh – perfect for the summer! It was an instant hit at my house. I’d like to try adding some sautéed onions the next time I make it too. Thanks so much for sharing!
Glad you loved it Michelle! Sauteed onions sound like a delicious addition!
This was the PERFECT side dish to chicken Milanese! Thank you so much for sharing it, certainly will be a staple from now on. ?
So glad you loved it Jess, sounds like it would be perfect with chicken milanese!
This was REALLY GOOD! I used whole wheat orzo and added asparagus… yummy! Thanks for your delish recipe!
I am so glad you loved it Valeigh!
This was fabulous!! My husband loved it. He already asked me to put it in regular rotation. I doubled the recipe and it was perfect. Thank you for posting!
So glad you guys loved it Diana! It’s definitely a great go-to side!
This was fantastic. It’s a perfect side dish. The lemon makes all the difference.
Thanks Rachel, it’s one of our favorites too!
Made this for the family. Everyone loved it!
So glad it was a hit Christina!
thanks for the delicious receipe. havent tried it yet but can tell with all the ingredence
Let me know how you like it Dolores!
Such a fab recipe, both easy and very flavourful. Especially like browning the orzo in butter before adding the liquid. Excellent, my guest go back for seconds.