When dinner needs to be quick, this lemony orzo is a useful one to keep in mind: it takes about 10 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook, and serves four. Frozen peas and baby spinach go straight into the pan, while lemon and Parmesan bring the finish into focus.
Ingredients
- 300 g orzo
- 750 ml vegetable stock
- 150 g frozen peas
- 100 g baby spinach
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 40 g finely grated Parmesan
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For a vegetarian version, check that your Parmesan is made with vegetarian rennet, or use a suitable hard cheese.
Cook the orzo gently
Warm the oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion for 4 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and orzo and stir for 1 minute, then pour in the stock and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Cook uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring often so the pasta doesn’t catch on the base of the pan. Add the peas for the final 3 minutes; the orzo is ready when tender but still has a little bite and most of the stock has been absorbed.
Finish and serve
Take the pan off the heat and fold in the spinach, lemon zest, lemon juice and Parmesan. Stir until the spinach wilts, then taste and adjust the pepper, salt or lemon. If the orzo thickens before you serve it, loosen it with a splash of hot water or stock.
Serve straight from the pan while creamy. As a rough estimate, each serving provides about 420 kcal, 16 g protein and 6 g fibre; the figures will vary with your stock and cheese.