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This is the best lemon orzo recipe with parmesan and peas! It is about to become your new weeknight hero! Bright, zesty, and oh-so-easy. With tender orzo, fresh peas, tangy lemon, and delicious parmesan, this quick and flavorful dinner comes together in no time and tastes like a million bucks.
Perfect for busy nights when you want something fresh and totally fuss-free.
There’s truly nothing better than fresh garden produce. I didn’t understand this as a child and I don’t know that many people have experienced true farm to table even today. Mom and Dad would harvest the garden with all of us kids at the end of summer, but for me it was the excitement of fresh corn, homemade raspberry jam, and making boats to float in our mudroom sink made out of hollowed out cucumbers, while Mom and Dad were anxious to cut open a juicy tomato, sprinkle it with a little salt and savor every bite.
I’m not kidding. I did not get that. I still don’t eat a tomato like an apple. Do you?
I have gained such an appreciation for food that you’ve labored over. It’s a fact: fresh picked tastes better. As winter melts away, we’re all about bright, fresh flavors like this quick and easy lemon orzo with Parmesan and peas.
Why I Love Orzo
Orzo may look like a grain, but it’s actually a rice-shaped pasta that’s perfect as a main with ham, as a side, or in soups and salads. This recipe brings all the freshness of garden produce to your table, even if it’s just the start of the season.
Although orzo can be cooked like rice and has similar nutritional information, it cooks up in about half the time. This is the number one reason why I love cooking with orzo. Well, that and the fact that I like the shape. And it tastes really good, especially when you toast it first. Okay, there are a lot of reasons why I love orzo.
Ingredients For This Lemon Orzo Recipe
This lemon orzo recipe with Parmesan and peas is a one-pan wonder that’s about to become your new favorite comfort food! Quick, easy, and packed with bright, fresh flavors, it’s a recipe you’ll love keeping the ingredients on hand in your pantry for those busy weeknights. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Orzo: A small rice-shaped pasta that cooks quickly and creates a creamy, comforting base.
- Olive Oil: Used to sauté and add rich flavor to the orzo.
- Chicken Broth: A healthy splash of broth adds depth and keeps the orzo tender and flavorful as it cooks.
- Fresh Thyme: Brings a light, earthy herb flavor that pairs perfectly with lemon.
- Fresh Lemon: Both the zest and juice are used for bright, fresh citrus flavor.
- Peas: Add a pop of sweetness and color.
- Parmesan Cheese: Melts into the orzo for a salty, savory finish. Be sure to buy good-quality Parmesan cheese! This is such a simple recipe, so the quality of your ingredients matter!
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors in the dish.
- Black Pepper: Adds a subtle bite and warmth.
Broth Pro Tip
It’s so important that you add in the chicken broth a little at a time. You need to give the orzo pasta a little time between pours to soak up some of the broth (it’s a bit like risotto in that way).
If you dump all the broth in at once, it’ll take much longer for the orzo to absorb all the liquid.
Substitutions and Fun Additions
This lemon orzo recipe with Parmesan and peas is super versatile, so feel free to mix it up to suit your tastes! Add extra vegetables like carrots, green beans, red bell pepper, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, kale, spinach, or even red onions and shallots.
Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth to make it vegetarian, or toss in some chicken shrimp, or another protein to make it a heartier main dish.
For extra flavor, try adding feta cheese, fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or oregano, white beans like chickpeas or Great Northern, a pat of butter or a splash of heavy cream, red pepper flakes, or even a drizzle of basil pesto. Customize to your heart’s content.
How to Make This Lemon Orzo Recipe
The basic steps for this lemon orzo recipe are similar to the tips we shared above. To make this easy dinner, you must do the following:
- Toast: Heat olive oil in a skillet and toast the orzo until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Build: Stir in the garlic and fresh thyme, then pour in the chicken broth.
- Simmer: Let the orzo gently simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is tender.
- Brighten: Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and peas, cooking just until the peas are vibrant and warmed through.
- Finish: Add the parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper, stirring until creamy and well combined.
Keep Your Orzo Bright!
Note that the cooking rule for acid is to add it last, which is why the zest and lemon juice go in at the very end along with the cheese and peas. That way everything is fresh and bright and the flavor isn’t diluted by the time you’re ready to serve this lemon orzo.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers For This Lemon Orzo Recipe
This Lemon Orzo Recipe will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. When reheating, you can warm it in a skillet with a splash of water or chicken broth to keep the pasta from drying out or getting gummy. You can also microwave single servings, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, keeping the orzo al dente.
Leftovers are also delicious cold, tossed into a green salad for a nutty, chewy texture. Since the orzo soaks up lemon juice and seasoning over time, you may want to taste and add a little extra lemon, salt, or pepper before serving to refresh the flavors.
Sometimes a good side dish is the hardest part of the meal. Let us come to the rescue with this light and bright lemon orzo pasta with peas and parmesan! It is quick and easy and the whole family will love it!
Looking for More Delicious ORZO RECIPES?
- Ham Lemon Orzo with Parmesan and Peas
- Zupas Copycat Tomato Basil Orzo Soup
- Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
- All our Pasta Recipes here!
Watch How This Recipe is Made…
Quick Lemon Orzo Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 ½ Cups Orzo Pasta, dry
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 3 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Lemon, zested
- ½ Lemon, juiced
- 1 ½ Cups Peas
- 1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves, fresh
- ⅓ Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated, plus more for garnish
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and pasta.1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 ½ Cups Orzo Pasta
- Cook, stirring occasionally until toasted, about 30-60 seconds.
- Add garlic and stir it in followed by thyme.2 Cloves Garlic, 1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves
- Add the broth, a small amount at a time.3 Cups Chicken Broth
- Bring to a boil, cover the skillet with a lid and turn down to a simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the pasta has absorbed most of the water and is tender.
- Remove the lid and add the lemon zest, juice, and peas and stir until the peas are bright and cooked.1 Lemon, 1 ½ Cups Peas, ½ Lemon
- Add the cheese and salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.⅓ Cup Parmesan Cheese, Salt and Pepper
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was lovely! The flavours were great–I’m vegetarian, so I used a veggie stock pot rather than chicken stock, but it still got that nice, salty umami note–and the texture of the orzo was a wonderful surprise–so chewy! This may be my new default way of cooking orzo. Thank you for the recipe!
Orzo is one of my favorites! I feel like it is a forgotten pasta sometimes! So happy you enjoyed this recipe!
DELICIOUS!!!
Thank you!!
Commenting only because your website is unreadable! I have never seen a website more broken by ads in my life. Pretty desperate and pathetic.
Hey Bob, I’m just going to be totally transparent, we HATE having ads with all of our heart. I wish we could get rid of them completely, but this is literally our full time job, which means as a full time food blogger you have two options- 1. make it a paid subscription site like cooks illustrated etc, or have ads. I know they can be a hassle and for that we are so sorry. We are always trying to find ways around it so please know we analyze the heck out of our site and pull ads, move ads etc based on what we can get away with deleting so it’s a better experience but in the end we cannot keep running the site without it paying our bills. 😞 Hope you can forgive us and see past them and I’ll look into if any are performing low and we can delete. Xoxo!”
Are you sure this isn’t way too much liquid??? I have simmered for 10 min and it’s like chicken soup! I should have trusted my cooking instincts and gone with half the amount- after all orzo may look like rice, but it’s not. It’s pasta and pasta gets drained, rice soaks all the liqud in. Yikes! I’m trying to reduce so I can salvage- wish me luck.
Yes, that amount is correct. Gradually adding the broth is key as you need the pasta to start absorbing the liquid. Not all of the liquid will be gone as some will act as a little dressing.
Can this be served cold?
It can be served warm, room temp or cold.
Sounds lovely
Can this recipe be made a day ahead? Will I need to make any adjustments to the recipe?
Yes, however you will want to re-season
Made this for a ladies Dinner Club. Followed directions exactly and it was DELICIOUS. You could taste the lemon but it was subtle. I will make it again.
So happy to hear that.
Made this for a potluck and everyone loved it! I grilled chicken and added it cubed to the dish, and broiled the dish at the end with extra parmesan on top to crisp it up a little. Great quick and easy dish!
Ohhhh I love it with grilled chicken, thanks for the reminder!
A pasta spoon (the claw shaped thing) has a hole in the middle that is a measurement for one portion of spaghetti.
No. Way. Haha, how did I never know that?!!