Creamy Lemon Orzo

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This one-pan Creamy Lemon Orzo features simple ingredients like lemon, garlic, and thyme that, together, pack a real punch. It's an easy weeknight side dish that can be made in less than 30 minutes!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 422kcal

Author: Alicia S.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup shallots finely diced
6 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup dry white wine or light beer optional, see notes
1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
lemon zest from 1 lemon, see notes
1/4 cup lemon juice from 1 to 2 lemons
2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped, see notes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Sauté the shallots until translucent and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
Pour in the wine or beer to deglaze the bottom of the pan scraping up any brown bits as you stir. Simmer for 30 seconds or until most of the liquid has cooked off.
Add the orzo and cook, stirring often, for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly toasted.
Add the broth, heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Increase the heat to high and bring everything to a boil, stirring often to avoid sticking. Then, reduce the heat to medium to maintain a rapid simmer. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo is cooked through. The sauce will thicken as it cools (see notes).

Notes

White Wine or Light Beer: Use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or a light wheat beer. If you don't want to use alcohol, use 1/4 cup of chicken or vegetable broth instead.

Lemon Zest: Be sure to zest one of the lemons before juicing it.

Thyme: Tender thyme stems can be chopped and used along with the leaves. Remove any thick woody stems.

Sauce: How quickly the sauce thickens and cooks off will depend on how rapid your simmer is. If you notice that there is still a lot of cooking time left and not much liquid, add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time, to maintain creaminess.

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