Lemon Parmesan Orzo

As a child, I loved orzo for its sleek texture, and that love has never faded. The cute rice-shaped pasta is glorious in warm sauces, cold salads or with soup ladled over it. Because it is one of the smaller pasta shapes and cooks quickly, dishes like this lemon Parmesan orzo are a super fast way to get noodles on the table.

Flavored with olive oil, a hint of lemon zest and a scattering of grated cheese, the side dish is truly flexible. The recipe calls for zest only, but to give the pasta some extra zing, all you need to do is spritz in some of the juice as well. Recipe contributor Leslie Palmer of Swampscott, Massachusetts, says lemon Parm orzo perfect with any seafood, poultry or pork main dish. Let it play a part in any easy weeknight dinner lineup, or save it for the guests at your next gathering—it’s perfect for any season.

Ingredients for Lemon Parmesan Orzo

• Whole wheat orzo: Thanks to its shape, many people think orzo is rice, but it’s a wheat pasta just like spaghetti, rigatoni and penne. Whole wheat pasta is more nutritious than white pasta, but you can make this side dish with either one.
• Olive oil: Reach for extra virgin olive oil rather than regular when it’s time to dress the orzo. Because the recipe’s ingredients are simple, the additional flavor will be noticeable.
• Parmesan cheese: Real Italian Parmesan cheese tastes nutty and savory with hints of sweetness.
• Parsley: Flat-leaf parsley is a classic garnish for noodle dishes, but any kind of parsley will work fine. The curly version can be a little more fibrous but may also have a milder flavor.
• Lemon zest: Use a zester or a microplane grater to remove the yellow lemon skin, leaving most of the bitter white pith behind. Then, squeeze the lemon and add some of the juice to the pasta, or save it for another use.
• Salt: I like to use sea salt on this dish, as it adds a bit of extra crunch. Reach for whatever salt you enjoy, and season to taste.
• Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper is much more pungent and punchy than the pre-ground stuff, so if you have a grinder, go ahead and put it to use.

Directions

Step 1: Make and dress the pasta

Cook the orzo according to the package directions, and drain. Transfer the pasta to a small bowl, and drizzle with oil. Stir in the Parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper.

Lemon Parmesan Orzo Variations

• Add veggies: This is a gloriously flexible side dish and can be dolled up with leftover veggies from the fridge. Think roasted broccoli or cauliflower, zucchini or yellow squash, or wilted greens. If you don’t have any prepared veg at hand, you could cook some while you’re making the pasta. Some sauteed spinach would be just perfect.
• Dress up the dressing: The original dish calls for a drizzle of olive oil and some lemon zest, but no acidity. I like to add a little spritz of lemon juice or vinegar, or add a zippy lemon vinaigrette.
• Make it a pasta salad: Instead of serving the orzo hot, let it cool and turn it into a pasta salad. Mix in Greek salad dressing, creamy Italian dressing, creamy dill dressing or even ranch dressing, and add any vegetables you’d like. You could also throw in cubes of turkey or ham, along with some cheddar, provolone or crumbled feta.
• Create an antipasto salad: Stick with your favorite Italian-style dressing and add chopped olives, roasted red peppers, salami and fresh mozzarella.

How to Store Lemon Parmesan Orzo

You’ll want to scoop any extra orzo into a glass storage container with a snap-top lid and refrigerate it. Lemon Parm orzo will last up to four days in the fridge.

How should you reheat lemon Parm orzo?

This side dish is good cold or warm and can serve as the base for a pasta salad if desired. If you’d like the pasta reheated, simmer a little liquid in a pan over medium heat, add the orzo and cook, stirring, until heated through. You can also reheat it in a microwave by mixing the pasta with a smidgen of liquid, covering it loosely and heating it in 30-second increments until hot, stirring in between.

Lemon Parmesan Orzo Tips

Can you use other types of orzo for this recipe?

You can use white orzo instead of whole wheat orzo if you like, though you’ll lose a little fiber and some micronutrients. The refined version cooks a little more quickly than the whole wheat version, but otherwise nothing needs to change. Tricolor orzo, tinted with spinach and tomato, can be treated the same way. Want to switch pasta shapes altogether? That’s fine too! Make this dish with any type of small pasta shape you like, such as ditalini or pastina.

What should you serve alongside lemon Parmesan orzo?

Lemon Parmesan orzo pairs well with almost any main course. Try serving it with Greek or Italian classics such as meatball Parmigiana, artichoke chicken, Greek pork chops, Mediterranean roasted salmon or garlic butter shrimp. For a vegetarian meal, try the orzo with eggplant Parmesan or chickpea chicken salad. If you decide not to mix veggies into the pasta, you may also want to consider adding some marvelous Mediterranean vegetables, garlic roasted broccoli or a big salad to the spread.