Delicious and well-balanced, this lemon orzo pasta is easy and quick to prep on a busy weeknight!
This recipe uses orzo, a small rice-shaped, short-cut pasta that's made from durum wheat. A fun fact – orzo originates from Italy and its name means "barley" in Italian as it bears similarity to unprocessed barley grain. Generally, orzo is high in protein, iron, zinc and various B vitamins. Orzo is also high in carbs so if you're looking for a healthier alternative, look for whole wheat orzo to increase your nutrient and fibre intake.
This lemon orzo recipe features a mix of buttery, tangy and garlicky flavours combined with crunchy asparagus for the perfect combination of flavours and textures. Using the Anyday Medium Shallow Dish, you can cook this meal in under 15 minutes! All you need to do is add the ingredients below to your Anyday dish, put it into the microwave for cooking, and you're done! This lemon orzo pasta also makes a great side dish or a main meal for vegetarians to prep for an easy weeknight dinner. It's the perfect dish for all pasta lovers, and we guarantee it will be on your regular meal rotation.
Lemon Orzo with Asparagus Recipe
Serves: 1-2 | Prep time: 5-7 minutes | Cook time: 13-14 minutes | Ingredients:- 1x tablespoon olive oil
- ⅔ cup (115g) orzo pasta
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper (to taste)
- ½ cup (50 g) asparagus, cut into 2.5cm pieces (about 6 spears)
- 1x tablespoon lemon zest
- 1½ cup (350ml) chicken or vegetable stock
- 2x tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2x tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- Add olive oil, orzo, garlic powder, salt and pepper, asparagus, lemon zest and chicken stock to the Anyday dish and stir well.
- Cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated and the pasta is cooked.
- Add the butter and parmesan and stir well. Serve immediately.
- Most microwaves in Australia are 1100W. The higher your wattage, the faster your food will cook. The lower the wattage, the slower the time to cook. When in doubt, start with less time — you can always add more.
- If asparagus is unavailable, use green beans, sugar or snap peas, or zucchini.
- Add some sour cream, greek yogurt or goat cheese for added richness.
- Add some chilli flakes for an extra kick.
Next Read: Lemon Vegetarian Linguine
