Creamy Lemon Orzo Pasta

A silky, bright, and comforting pasta dish made with simple pantry ingredients—this creamy lemon orzo pasta comes together in under 30 minutes for a weeknight-friendly meal that feels restaurant-worthy.

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Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Keyword: Creamy lemon orzo pasta healthy, Creamy lemon orzo pasta recipes, Creamy lemon orzo pasta with cream cheese, Creamy lemon parmesan orzo, Easy creamy lemon orzo pasta

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 17

Finish & Garnish: 3

Total Time: 25

Servings:

Calories: 410kcal

Cost: $10

Equipment

1 Large pot
1 Fine-mesh strainer
1 Wooden spoon
1 Microplane zester

Ingredients

Pasta Base

1 cup orzo pasta uncooked
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
½ cup dry white wine chicken broth substitute

Lemon Cream Sauce

½ cup heavy cream or use half-and-half
0.33 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
2 lemons zest only
¼ cup lemon juice fresh juice from about 2 lemons
2 tablespoon butter cold
¼ cup parsley chopped
salt to taste
black pepper freshly ground, to taste

Optional Add-ins

½ cup frozen peas
2 tablespoon fresh dill
red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

Boil orzo until al dente
Sauté garlic and deglaze with wine
Add cream, butter, and parmesan
Mix in lemon juice and zest
Combine orzo with sauce and herbs
Finish with cold butter for gloss

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Nutrition