The first time I made this recipe, we could hardly wait to try it. It has everything going for it: tender greens cooked perfectly, creamy sauce with cheese, and those crunchy little pine nuts! Total yumminess. How long it takes: 35 minutes Equipment you’ll need: large skillet Servings: 4 And orzo! It’s one of my favorite pastas. It cuddles up to the greens so nicely and travels on a fork so politely. It’s really just a friendly little pasta and it cooks quickly, too. If you’re not familiar with orzo, it’s time to say hello! Orzo is my friend. So get your greens on with creamy lemon orzo with kale and spinach. Isn’t St. Patrick’s Day coming up? This would be a great recipe to serve on the holiday of green. It may remind you that spring is just around the corner. (If you’re looking for a salad instead of a hot dish, try spring orzo salad with arugula and asparagus.)
About Creamy Lemon Orzo
A versatile side dish. This recipe combines pasta with healthy greens. It goes really well with simply prepared chicken, fish, pork, or beef. Add a citrus fruit salad dressed with honey, lime and mint, and you’re good to go. You could also serve it as a meatless main. Creamed spinach on steroids. Creamy lemon orzo may remind you a bit of creamed spinach, only it’s better and a little more substantial. In addition to spinach, this recipe includes kale. Orzo adds a nice chewy texture and contrasts well with the greens. The flavor is more nuanced than creamed spinach with the addition of lemon, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Eat your greens (and love it!). This recipe includes lots of nutritious kale. And kale is so, so good for you, too. It’s a superfood with all sorts of goodies in there that keep your body healthy. Healthline makes the rather sweeping statement that kale is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Wow! A one pan recipe. You have to love that! The orzo cooks right in the sauce. That makes cleanup a snap. If you like the idea of one pot pasta recipes, be sure to try Rasta pasta or Mexican spaghetti, too.
What You’ll Need
How To Make Creamy Lemon Orzo
Assemble the ingredients. It’s good practice to assemble everything you need before you start cooking. You’ll find that you’re more relaxed if you’re prepared. You’ll be able to enjoy the cooking process rather than scurrying around, rummaging in the refrigerator, or hurriedly chopping onions on your cutting board. Prep the kale. So, before you get started, let’s pay attention to the kale. Wash the leaves well in cold water, changing the water a couple of times if the kale is particularly sandy or dirty. Shake the excess water from the leaves. Strip the leaves from the fibrous stems. Start at the bottom and run your hand along the stem, tearing the leaves off as you go. Another way to accomplish this is to fold the leave in half along one side of the stem and slice along the fold, removing the stem. Once you have removed the tough stems, chop the kale into small pieces. Roll the leaves together, slice them into ¼ inch strips, then cut across the strips. This short YouTube video from A Couple Cooks demonstrates how to remove the stems and cut kale. Prep the remaining ingredients. Peel and slice the shallot, mince the garlic, and measure out the broth and cream. Zest the lemon and juice it, in that order. It’s so much easier to zest before juicing. Grate the cheese and roughly chop the spinach. There! You’re ready to get cooking! Sauté. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the kale and shallot; stir well. Cook the kale for a few minutes or until it begins to soften and turn dark green, stirring constantly. It’s such a pretty color, isn’t it? Add the garlic, salt, and pepper, and keep stirring for another minute. Doesn’t that smell good? Pour in the broth, then the heavy cream. Stir well. Add the orzo and reduce the heat. Simmer. Let the orzo simmer in the sauce until it’s al dente, 9 or 10 minutes. Give it a stir occasionally to make sure that it cooks evenly and isn’t sticking to the bottom. If it’s sticking, lower the heat a bit. Stir in spinach. Your creamy lemon orzo is almost ready. Stir in the spinach and turn the heat off. The tender spinach leaves will wilt almost instantly once they hit the steaming hot sauce. Add the Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes; stir gently until everything is combined. Serve. Dinner is ready to be served! Garnish the pasta with toasted pine nuts, if you like. This creamy pasta with greens is a hearty side dish or it can be a meatless main dish. Serve it alongside easy baked lemon salmon with dill, grilled chicken, or air fryer pork chops.
More Kale Recipes
This creamy lemon orzo recipe may get you thinking that you’d like to eat more kale. Here are a few of my favorites: slow cooker chicken kale soup (with an impressive 6 cups of kale, along with lots of other veggies), kale and pear salad with yogurt dressing, and gnocchi with kale & sun-dried tomatoes (another one pan recipe). I actually have lots more recipes with kale.
Make-Ahead Ideas
To get a head start on this recipe, you can prep the kale up to a couple days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Refrigerate: Creamy lemon orzo is best eaten immediately but leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. The orzo will continue to absorb liquid so you may need to add additional broth or cream when you reheat it. I don’t recommend freezing it. Reheat: Microwave individual portions in 1 minute increments, stirring each time, until warm. Larger amounts can be reheated in a skillet. Use low heat and try not to overheat it because high heat may cause the sauce to separate or curdle.
