Creamy Lemon-Spinach Orzo
The creaminess from the sauce and the tang from the lemon make this an addictive side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, (lemon-infused if you can find it)
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken stock, lower sodiumf
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh if possible
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 16 ounces orzo pasta
- freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1 1/4 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
- 6 -ounces bag of spinach hardy stems removed, see Notes
- 1 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest, or to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a large shallow skillet or pot. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Turn the heat down to low as needed so not to burn the garlic. It should become very fragrant.
- And the stock, lemon juice, heavy cream, and orzo. Stir and turn down the heat to low, a gentle simmer.
- Taste for salt and pepper, adjust as desired. (Don’t add too much salt, because your Parmesan cheese has its own salt content.)
- Simmer gently on low, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed, approximately 9 to 11 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Add the Parmesan and stir to melt. Add the spinach and stir to wilt. Taste for salt and pepper and add as needed.
- Add the lemon zest and stir.
- Serve immediately. (The longer the pasta sits and cools, the less creamy it will be.)
Notes
Grate your own Parmesan cheese from a block. Don’t use the green canister, please. Freshly grated Parmesan will melt better than pre-shredded.
I used a microplane to zest my lemon. It grates much finer than a grater.
Squeeze the lemon juice over a sieve to catch pulp and seeds.
It is not necessary to remove the stems of the spinach, especially if they are tender, but it’s my personal preference how the finished dish looks. Especially if we have guests, I would rather serve the dish with soft, wilted spinach leaves, instead of squared chunks of stem. I know that may sound extreme for some people, but again, it’s not a necessary step, just my personal preference.
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Lemon-Spinach Orzo
Amount per Serving
Calories
626.79
% Daily Value*
Fat
39.85
g
61
%
Saturated Fat
24.12
g
151
%
Trans Fat
0.98
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1.52
g
Monounsaturated Fat
9.55
g
Cholesterol
116.83
mg
39
%
Sodium
459.75
mg
20
%
Potassium
270.41
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
50.34
g
17
%
Fiber
9.68
g
40
%
Sugar
7.86
g
9
%
Protein
20.23
g
40
%
Vitamin C
13.22
mg
16
%
Calcium
464.64
mg
46
%
Iron
2.67
mg
15
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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