This lemon orzo recipe includes bright, summer corn to turn up the sunshine. With only 7 main ingredients, it’s a refreshingly light and easy side dish that takes only 30 minutes to make! It can be served hot or cold, it can be made a whole day ahead of serving, and it easily serves a crowd!
I served this recipe with a fresh fennel salad, dill chickpea salad, lemon butter shrimp and pretty pesto ricotta crostini at my spring family lunch this month! It was such a bright, light, spring lunch menu!
Just a note: If you intend to serve this recipe cold, place it in a sealed, refrigerated container. After about an hour of cooling, add another teaspoon of olive oil and fluff with a spoon.
As the orzo cools, it may start to stick together or clump, even with the original tablespoon of olive oil. An extra teaspoon of oil and fluffing an hour later keeps it perfectly textured, even until the next day!
Ingredient notes
Corn – I used fresh, shucked corn on the cob because it browns nicer than corn you’ll find in a can. But if you want to make this recipe with canned corn, or without sautéing at all, it will still be tasty with cold, un-sautéd corn too.
Chicken Broth – you can also use vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian.
Parmesan – You can substitute with pecorino Romano, crumbled feta or cotija
Lemon – Use only fresh squeezed lemon juice for this recipe.
How to Make This Recipe – Step by Step
1. Slice 1½ cups of corn kernels from 3 ears of corn. I find it’s easiest to slice them off the cob into a bowl.
2. Zest 1 whole lemon. Set aside.
3. Sauté corn over a high flame in 2 tbsp. butter until starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Once done, remove into a mixing bowl.
4. While corn sautés, bring 4 cups chicken broth to a low boil. Add 2 cups orzo, and reduce to a low simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until orzo is perfectly al dente.
5. Once orzo is done, pour into a colander to drain any remaining broth.
6. In a mixing bowl, add cooked orzo, lemon zest, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ½ cup grated parmesan, 1 tbsp. olive oil, a nice sprinkle of fresh pepper and serve. Top with optional chopped parsley.
Recipe Notes
- You may want to use a spatter screen when sautéing corn over a high flame. Some may start to pop, and they’ll be very hot!
- Use a lid when cooking orzo, or too much broth may evaporate. If it appears there isn’t enough moisture in the orzo before it’s done, simply add another ¼ cup chicken broth or water.
- This recipe will stay fresh in a sealed, refrigerated container for up to 3 days.
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A Few Recipes to Serve with Lemon Orzo
Lemon Orzo
Equipment
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 lemon zester
- 1 sauté pan
- 1 4 quart pot
- 1 collander
Ingredients
- 2 cups orzo pasta
- 1½ cups uncooked corn – from 3 ears (or canned corn)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup parmesan – grated
- 2 tbsp. butter – salted
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice – about 2 lemons
- lemon zest – from 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- fresh pepper – just a sprinkle
- parsley – for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Slice 1½ cups of corn kernels from 3 ears of corn. I find it’s easiest to slice them off the cob into a bowl.
- Zest 1 whole lemon. Set aside.
- Sauté corn over a high flame in 2 tbsp. butter until starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Once done, remove into a mixing bowl.
- While corn sautés, bring 4 cups chicken broth to a low boil. Add 2 cups orzo, and reduce to a low simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until orzo is perfectly al dente. Once orzo is done, pour into a colander to drain any remaining broth.
- In a mixing bowl, add cooked orzo, lemon zest, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ½ cup parmesan, 1 tbsp. olive oil, a nice sprinkle of fresh pepper, and serve. Top with chopped parsley (optional).
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