Lemon & Parmesan Orzo
I debated whether to name this one a “risotto.” It really has that kind of texture to it. But of course orzo is pasta not rice. If you aren’t familiar with it orzo pasta is almost rice shaped. It’s really versatile and is great cold in salads, or added to soups. I like to cook my orzo like I cook rice. I toast it in some olive oil first, then add my liquid. In this case, I cook my pasta in chicken broth. I don’t drain it, but let the liquid absorb into the pasta, just like I would with rice. It really adds some nice depth. The end result is a dish bursting with lemon freshness. It has a velvet creaminess from lots of butter and Parmesan cheese. Are you hungry yet?
Sometimes when I’m trying to come up with those great ideas, I forget about the tired and trues. I’ve been making this for a long time. It’s when I’m scrambling to get dinner done, the oldies but goodies pop into my head.
Its hard not to like this one! It’s just a handful of ingredients with a an awesome result! It’s the perfect side dish to please everyone in the house! Kid-friendly and adult-friendly too!
You could add all kind of things to this dish. Peas, shrimp, spinach, you name it! Get creative!
Lemon & Parmesan Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 pound orzo pasta
- 1 carton chicken broth
- 1 lemon zest & juice
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan heat olive oil over medium heat, add the pasta and saute until the rice is toasted-about five minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper ( I zest and juice my lemon right over the post for this recipe -watch out for seeds). Stir. Bring to a boil.
- Once the pasta has soaked up most of the liquid, drop the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Cook until most of the broth has been absorbed, but the pasta is still creamy.
- Remove the pasta to a serving bowl and add the butter and Parmesan cheese. Stir until well combined. Add salt & pepper if needed.
- Enjoy!
