The freshness of lemon and in-season asparagus make this lemon orzo with asparagus the perfect side dish for spring or summer!
Lemon orzo with asparagus encompasses everything I love about the spring season. The brightness of the lemon zest and the crunch of the asparagus scream freshness, sunshine, and singing in the rain. Anyone else jump through puddles come March and April? Plus, this recipe is toddler friendly— even though I cringe when I find a few orzo scattered under my dining room table.
50 degree temps, birds chirping at dawn, walks and runs outside, and my favorite green vegetable, asparagus, means one thing: winter is OVER. I hope I didn’t just jinx myself fellow Michiganders….
Make a Meal of Lemon Orzo with Asparagus
Light, lemony and fresh, lemon orzo with asparagus screams healthy (and spring). It’s the perfect dish to bring to a potluck or spring BBQ because it can be kept at room temperature. Add chicken or steak slices and you’ve got a complete meal. The orzo soaks up the lemon dressing, so the longer it sits the better it tastes! Feel free to swap out the asparagus for any other vegetable in season. Trust me- you’ll love this!
- Dressing:
- 2 lemons, juiced and zested
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- ½ cup of olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- Orzo Salad:
- 1 bunch of asparagus (about a pound), cut into ½ inch pieces
- 4 cups of water
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 2 cups of orzo pasta
- ½ cup of green onion, sliced (whites and greens)
- 1 lemon, sliced
- To make the dressing, whisk together all of the ingredients. Set aside.
- Combine the water and chicken stock in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Add the asparagus to the pot. Continue cooking the asparagus and orzo for another 5 minutes. Drain, but do not rinse.
- Add warm orzo + asparagus to a heat resistant bowl. Add green onions and lemon dressing (mix again if needed). Garnish with lemon slices.
- Serve immediately or let rest at room temperature until you're ready to eat!
Do you “think spring” with lemon and asparagus like I do?!
