Lemony Orzo With Asparagus and Garlic Bread Crumbs
Updated March 13, 2025
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Salt and black pepper
- 1cup orzo
- 1pound asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal (about ¼-inch thick)
- 5tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1teaspoon lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more as needed (from about 1 large lemon)
- ½cup panko or homemade bread crumbs
- 1small garlic clove, finely grated
- ¼cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- ½cup fresh dill, mint or parsley leaves (or any combination), torn if large
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
362 calories; 20 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 425 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente according to package directions. Two minutes before the orzo is done, add the asparagus. Drain the orzo and asparagus. Wipe out and reserve the pot.
- Step 2
While the orzo and asparagus cook, make the dressing: In a large bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons oil and the lemon zest and juice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the drained orzo and asparagus and toss to coat. Set aside while you toast the bread crumbs.
- Step 3
In the reserved pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in the garlic and season with salt and pepper.
- Step 4
Stir the Parmesan and herbs into the orzo, taste, then season with salt, pepper and additional lemon juice, if desired. Top with the toasted bread crumbs and more Parmesan if you like. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Private Notes
Comments
Maybe I’m stoned but this was incredible. Added some mushrooms too.
This was surprisingly really good for how simple it is. Cements my opinion that orzo is the best pasta, it soaks up all that lemony dressing soooo well. I boiled the asparagus because I'm depressed and that's all I deserve.
We loved this! I sautéed the asparagus in olive oil, salt, and pepper and a tad bit of the minced garlic. I just prefer this way of preparing asparagus rather than boiling. I used a very large lemon, which produced lots of zest, and I felt it was needed. I only had a bit of fresh parsley, so that was all I used and it was still good. Be generous with the salt and fresh ground pepper. I would use a large garlic clove. Also sprinkled on feta and fresh tomatoes with extra lemon squeeze. Yum!!
Used a whole pound box of orzo and whole bunch of asparagus and it worked out well. Delicious, simple summer supper! Needs lots of salt and pepper. More breadcrumbs wouldn’t hurt. Enjoyed by my five-year-old too
This is on our weekly rotation - as some have commented above, we double the orzo (2 cups) for a lb of asparagus. We had half the garlic to the dressing and the other half during panko toasting. Because we eat this often I’ve been doing different variations - swap parm for feta! YUM! Lime instead of lemon and even done peas once :)
I love this recipe, and have fixed it several times. I reduced the lemon a bit, and added more garlic, and this has become a part of my regular rotation!