Lemon Orzo
Updated Feb 16, 2026
This easy lemon orzo recipe is cooked in one pot with vegetable stock, garlic, spinach, peas, and plenty of fresh lemon flavor.
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This Lemon Orzo is soo Good and Soo Cheesy!
This Cheesy Lemon Orzo is the kind of recipe I’ll happily eat a whole bowl of and call it a meal. It’s lemony, creamy, and is full of veggies… and my kids love it, too. If I can get away with using just one pot to cook dinner on a weeknight, I will. That’s part of the reason I love this lemon orzo: it only requires a Dutch oven. First, garlic and shallots are sautéed, then the orzo is added and toasted, which adds so much flavor, and then the pasta is cooked with lemon juice and zest and stock until everything is soft and creamy. And that’s before the cheeses are stirred in! I will often just eat it on its own, but this Lemon Orzo is also delicious served with roast chicken or salmon.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Lemon Orzo Ingredients
- Orzo: This is a short, chewy type of pasta that looks a lot like rice. Try not to sub in a different shape of pasta, or you’ll throw off the texture of the dish!
- Olive oil: I love the flavor of olive oil in this orzo recipe, but any type of cooking oil will do.
- Aromatics: You’ll need diced shallots and minced garlic for this recipe. Go for fresh garlic (rather than powdered) if you can. It’s so much more flavorful!
- Seasoning: I like to use salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to flavor this lemon orzo recipe, but feel free to get creative with your spice blend.
- Stock: Using stock instead of water to cook the pasta adds a ton of flavor! You can use chicken or vegetable stock (or broth, if that’s what you have on hand).
- Lemon: You’ll use both the lemon zest and the juice in this recipe, so make sure to look for a fresh, ripe lemon.
- Baby spinach: A whole container of baby spinach might seem like a lot, but it will shrink down a ton when it’s stirred in (trust me!).
- Peas: I almost always have frozen peas on hand, but if you have fresh peas available, you can use those, too!
- Cheese: I like to use both ricotta and Parmesan cheese in this orzo for flavor and texture. Feel free to swap in Pecorino Romano, if you like!
How to Make Lemon Orzo
Lemon Orzo Recipe
Creamy one pot lemon orzo made with fresh lemon juice, baby spinach, peas, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ cups orzo pasta
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 3 ½ cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 small lemon juice and zest
- 1 5 ounce container baby spinach (about 5 cups packed)
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a medium Dutch oven and set over low heat. Add shallots and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add orzo and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it smells nutty. Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, stock, lemon zest and juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Once the orzo is tender, uncover and add spinach and peas. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often, or until the spinach is wilted and the peas are bright green and tender.
- Remove from heat and add ricotta and parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and well blended and serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
My Top Tip: For this lemon orzo, you’ll need to use a pot with a lid! Covering the pot will allow the pasta to absorb all of the stock without the liquid evaporating.
Storage: Your lemon orzo will last in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. You can reheat it in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. If you’re using the stovetop, stir the orzo frequently, add a little more liquid, and cover the pot with a lid so it doesn’t burn before it reheats.
Freezing: You can freeze your cooled ricotta orzo in an airtight container for up to six months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating—just note that I’ve found orzo’s texture is mushier after freezing and thawing!
Nutrition
Calories: 281kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 349mg, Potassium: 438mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 2464IU, Vitamin C: 22mg, Calcium: 128mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Tips
- Look for plump lemons. I always find it disappointing when I only get a tablespoon or two of juice out of a too-dry lemon! The juiciest lemons should feel smoother, thin skinned, and a little soft.
- Use a microplane to zest your lemons. I think the easiest way to zest a lemon is to use a microplane (a rasp-style grater). You want to remove just the top layer of lemon zest, not the bitter, white pith underneath.
- Use a lidded pot. For this lemon orzo, you’ll need to use a pot with a lid! Covering the pot will allow the pasta to absorb all of the stock without the liquid evaporating.
Serving Ideas
- Add protein. I love serving this lemon orzo as a side with some protein, like my whole roasted chicken, my lemon pepper salmon, or my garlic butter steak bites.
- Make a side salad. For something fresh to go alongside this creamy orzo, try making a fresh garden salad, a kale Caesar salad, or a crunchy broccoli salad.
- Serve with a veggie dish. If you’re not in the mood for a salad, try it with baked asparagus, roasted zucchini, or grilled carrots.
Comments
This was my first time on this site. The dish was quick and easy to cook and was nice. The kids thought it was a little too cheesy so would cut this back a little next time. We added the dill as suggested and that was a great addition. I also added some toasted slithered almonds which we liked the texture of.
Love the tweaks you made and so happy you liked the recipe! Thank you, Belinda!!
So good!!! Made it tonight as written and served it with oven roasted chicken shawarma ๐ I’ll be keeping this in my rotation!
Yay, so happy to hear it!! Thanks, Nancy!
Another super tasty recipe! I followed the recipe exactly, and it has the perfect amount of lemon flavor and spice.
Yay, so happy you like it!!
Could you use cottage cheese instead of ricotta?
Great question, Linda! Yes, cottage cheese should work. Let me know how it turns out!