Rosemary Lemon Orzo with Mushrooms

Rosemary Lemon Orzo brings a light and bright burst of spring to your dinner table. 

All About Rosemary

Rosemary is widely used and recognized for its strong fragrance and hearty growing ability. But did you know that this perennial, evergreen herb has some unique health benefits as well?

This native Mediterranean herb has been prized for it’s medicinal properties for ages.

One thought of antiquity was the it helped strengthen memory. Students in Greece would place rosemary sprigs in their hair while studying for exams.

In modern times, it has been found to be effective in stimulating the immune system through the presence of antioxidants, and improving digestion.

It contains anti-inflammatory compounds that are particularly helpful for asthma attacks. And, when applied topically, rosemary oil is used to treat muscle pain and arthritis, and improve circulation.

Our Rosemary Lemon Orzo Recipe

Rosemary pairs particularly well with eggs, chicken, and tomatoes.

But, even though none of those ingredients are present in this rosemary lemon orzo dish, the rosemary pairs beautifully with the bright lemon and earthy mushrooms in this dish, creating a bright and summery orzo that pairs perfectly with chicken!

Rosé of Pinot Noir and Lemon Orzo Wine Pairing

We paired our rosemary lemon orzo dish with Baletto Vineyards 2016 Rosé of Pinot Noir. It is made from their estate grown Pinot Noir grapes, but is lighter than the classic Pinot Noir, because it is made in the style of a rosé wine.

The Rosé of Pinot Noir has a bright and crisp acidity that pairs perfectly with the lemon in the orzo, bringing forward the juicy fruit notes in the wine. It is a dry rosé, which we particularly like, giving the wine a lightness while still bringing a robust, dry wine flavor.

Print This Recipe

Rosemray Lemon Orzo

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

Rosemary Lemon Orzo brings a light and bright burst of spring to your dinner table. 

Yield: 2 1/2 cups 

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4 people

Author: Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere

---

Ingredients

• ½ Tbsp salted butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 oz button mushrooms, sliced
• ½ c chicken broth (we prefer low sodium)
• ¾ c water
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced (roughly 3 Tbsp juice)
• 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 tsp dry rosemary)
• 2/3 c orzo
• Salt (to taste)

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat butter until melted over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, until soft and golden.
2. Add the chicken broth, water, lemon juice and zest, and rosemary. Bring to a boil.
3. Add orzo. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, uncovered stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
4. Taste the orzo and adjust the salt, if desired.
5. Serve warm.

---

Recipe Notes

This recipe from 2013 was updated in March 2017. We made the orzo even better. Enjoy!

This is one of the recipes from the early days of Curious Cuisiniere. We’ve updated our pictures since we first made it, but we’ve left the original images here as a fun throwback and shout out to how far we’ve come. Enjoy!