Lemon butter orzo is a simple side dish that's deliciously buttery with fresh lemon flavor. In less than 15 minutes you can have a rice-like pasta side that goes well with nearly any main course. While orzo looks a lot like rice, it's actually a tiny, grain-shaped pasta. In Italian, the word orzo means barley as it resembled unhulled barley.
Just like other pasta shapes, orzo is made with semolina flour, so it is not gluten-free. If you're looking for gluten-free orzo, you can usually find a few options next to the regular orzo in the grocery store.
Ingredients1 cup orzo
1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh is best!
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced parsley, optional
Method* Add the stock, orzo, salt, and pepper to a small pot over high heat and bring it to a boil.
* Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook the orzo for 10-12 minutes, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
* Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, butter, and parsley.