Lemon Garlic Orzo with Roasted Vegetables is packed with texture and flavor. Like my Creamy Mushroom Orzo and Creamy One Pot Pasta with Tomato and Mascarpone Sauce, this delicious and easy orzo pasta recipe makes fabulous leftovers! It can be shared warm or as a chilled salad. It’s a Vanilla And Bean community favorite! This recipe is vegetarian and easily vegan.
Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
With spring in bloom, so are our favorite fruits and veggies. I took a drive out to one of the farms yesterday, not only because I’m anxious to get my hands on fresh strawberries but also, the freshest asparagus I can find for this recipe.
If the asparagus stalks seem too woody, I use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer skin of the stalk. I find, though, the freshest asparagus is pretty tender, so very little of the stem needs to be trimmed.
To keep asparagus fresh, I store it with the base of the stems wrapped in a damp paper towel and try to enjoy them within 48 hours of purchasing.
What Else to Pick-up at the Market
Aside from fresh asparagus, stock up on cremini mushrooms, a mix of orange, yellow or red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, shallots, and fresh herbs and you are ready for this recipe. Zucchini and or eggplant can be substituted for the asparagus when in season.
For a boost of flavor, a drizzle of pesto is delicious with this recipe!
At a Glance: How to Make Lemon Orzo and Roasted Vegetables
This orzo pasta recipe is a family favorite and comes together quick after the chopping is done.
- First, roast the red or yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes, asparagus and shallot in olive oil using.
- Next, a separate baking sheet, roast the pine nuts or almonds.
- While the veggies are roasting and pine nuts are toasting (hehe), cook the orzo in a large skillet.
- Finally, whip up the lemony dressing.
Combine everything together, sprinkle with a bit of feta cheese or parmesan cheese and share!
What to Serve with this Veggie Orzo Recipe
Simplicity is key. To keep this orzo pasta recipe vegetarian, all it needs is a good loaf of Sourdough Bread, a salad like my Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad and a bottle of your favorite wine.
A dollop or drizzle of pesto is delicious with this dish. Try Spinach Basil Pesto, or Lemon Basil Pesto for a simple boost of flavor and color!
Traci’s Tips
- Regarding roasting, see recipe notes notes on oven temperatures and roasting times. Also, consider your taste when it comes to roasted veggies. More charring (this is what I like) = more time in the oven. Less charring and tender crisp = less time in the oven. Roast to your taste!
- Dairy Free? Yes Please! This orzo recipe is easily made vegan by omitting the feta.
- For an Orzo Pasta Salad, share this recipe chilled by placing in a lidded container and chill for at least one hour before sharing.
Makers Notes
Thank you all so much for sharing and tagging your 100s of mouthwatering pictures and tips on this recipe on Pinterest, Instagram and in the comments below! I love seeing and hearing your results! Here are some of your notes:
- Barbara said: “I’m not a zucchini fan, so I used eggplant.”
- Laurel said: “We add a can of white beans to protein it up a bit” Be sure to drain the beans prior to adding to the recipe.
- Vanessa said: “I doubled everything and had it for lunch for the week!” and “I threw a couple of big handfuls of spinach on the roasting vegetables for the last 5 min.”
- Joy said: “I used zucchini instead of asparagus & penne pasta instead of orzo.”
- Victoria said: “Used sun dried tomatoes in replace of olives as suggested. Absolutely delicious!”
- Katrina said: “I just used eggplant instead of asparagus and slivered almonds instead of pine nuts.”
Lemon Garlic Orzo with Roasted Vegetables Recipe
Ingredients
For the Orzo and Veggies:
- 1/3 C (64g) Pine Nuts* (see note)
- 1 1/2 C (116g) Crimini Mushrooms destemmed and sliced
- 1 C (126g) Mix of Red Yellow, or Orange Bell Peppers, deseeded and diced (I used baby bells here, but you'll need about 1 whole bell pepper if using the larger variety)
- 1 lb (425g) Asparagus (sub zucchini or eggplant when in season!) cut into 1" pieces with woody ends discarded
- 12 oz (340g) Cherry Tomatoes sliced in 1/2
- 2 tsp Garlic minced
- 1/2 C (116g) Shallot chopped
- 3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil divided
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Ground
- 1 C (200g) Orzo
- 1 1/2 C (355g) Vegetable Broth
- 1/2 C (84g) Garlic and Herb Feta crumbled - or plain vegan feta
For the Dressing:
- 2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tbs Lemon Juice
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper ground
For the Garnish:
- 2-3 Tbs Chopped Fresh Basil
- 2-3 Tbs Chopped Fresh Parsley
Instructions
Toast the Pine Nuts:
- Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and toast pine nuts for 6-7 minutes, or until toasty and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Roast the Veggies:
- Turn oven up to 425F (218C). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Place the mushrooms, bell peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, garlic and shallot on one pan. Sprinkle with 2 Tbs of olive oil. Using a spatula, mix all the veggies together with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then stir again. Move 1/2 the veggie mixture to the other sheet pan. Spread the veggies in one layer, making sure there's no overlapping on both pans. Roast in a 425F oven for 35-40 minutes (due to oven variations, keep an eye on your veggies and start checking your veggies at 25 minutes; a bit of charring is good!** see notes!). Rotate pans 1/2 way through roasting.
Cook the Orzo:
- In a large saute pan, heat 1 Tbs of Olive Oil on medium heat until shimmering. Add the orzo and stir, coating the orzo thoroughly. Stir occasionally for about 3 minutes or until the orzo is toasty and golden. Add the vegetable broth. Be careful here because the broth will spit and sputter. Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
Make the Dressing:
- In a small bowl add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk until all the ingredients are emulsified.
Putting it all Together:
- In the large saute pan, to the orzo, add the roasted veggies and all their juices, stir in the dressing, feta, and pine nuts. Garnish generously with basil and parsley. Serve immediately.
To Store:
- Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Enjoy chilled or gently rewarmed. I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
I feel like I did something wrong by how good the comments are. Maybe I don’t like toasted pasta?
Hi – the recipe doesn’t say how much orzo to cook? Please advise!
Hi Cristy! 1 C Orzo (198g). I hope this helps and you enjoy the recipe!
Made this a few months ago and it was great! Very comforting and made with whatever veggies I had in the fridge. Would definitely make again!
Hi Jessica! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! So happy to hear it’ll be on the menu again!
This looks so good! Does it keep long?
Hi Vanessa! For about three days in the fridge. I don’t recommend freezing it. I hope this helps!
This looks so good! What a great healthy and filling combination of flavors!
This dish is incredible! It was a huge hit with the entire family, which rarely happens. Thank you so much, big fan of your blog😊
Hi K! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! SO happy to hear it was a big hit!! (Thank you too for your kind words :D ) …. traci
This was SO good! So simple and a great way to use up extra veggies. My husband was skeptical as he is with most vegetarian dishes but a couple of bites in, he said it was delicious and proceeded to finish the whole thing! Huge win! Thanks for the great recipe, definitely getting added to the rotation.
I don’t know if I’ve ever commented on a recipe, but I had to comment on this one. I made this and skipped out on the pine nuts and basil and substituted zucchini for asparagus. I also used chicken instead of veggie broth. 10/10. So good, so refreshing. I want to eat pounds of this.
Hi Hannah! SO happy to hear your enjoying the recipe! I truly appreciate your note and sharing your subs :D
Love this dish. I doubled the quantities to feed our large family. I used courgettes as suggested and pan fried the rounds as I always feel they cook better that way. As we have a vegan, it was very easy to separate some orzo and add all the other ingredients including vegan feta to finish it off.
I love recipes that can satisfy everyone! Thank you for your note, Mags! Hooray!
Ended up having to turn this into a risotto when I couldn’t find orzo where I live (unsurprisingly, it doesn’t seem to be a lockdown essential) but this was incredible anyway. The roasted veg is so good – even the veg-hating members of my household left a clean plate. Thanks for a great recipe!
Oh hey now… risotto sounds sooo good! Hooray for clean plates!
I’ve been making this recipe for a couple of years. It’s my absolute favorite. I usually crave it weekly a d usually use sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts. Thanks for this recipe. ❤
Thank you for your note Kristy! SO happy to hear… sunflower seeds? What a fabulous idea!
I made these a few weeks ago – fantastic! Made again t0day, but “doubled” the recipe. They are too dry. What did I
do wrong?
Colleen
HI Colleen! Thank you for your note… Ohh I’m sorry to hear. What was too dry? The orzo, roasted veggies or after you put it all together?
Wow, This was delicious! So much more savory than I was expecting!
SO happy to hear Sara. Thank you for your note!
I’m not sure what happened, but the orzo came out terribly underdone. I used whole wheat orzo, maybe that makes a difference. Check the box of orzo and see if you need more water when making this yourself. Otherwise, it’s very tasty! The flavors are great. I left out the feta and subbed sunflower seeds for pine nuts.
Hi Lauren! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! And, you said it – whole wheat orzo will require more water than regular orzo. Thank you for your note!
This is our new family favorite. We are vegetarians and enjoy roasting whatever veggies we have on hand. So simple and delicious!
SO happy to hear, Nancy! Thank you for your note, rating and giving the recipe a go! Hooray!
Sooooo delicious!! I will be making this again! Subbed gluten free chickpea shells for the orzo and the layers of flavor just keep going.
This was sooo good. Made it today with some shrimp for my family.
SO happy to hear Amanda! Thank you so much for your note! :D
I’m always looking for healthier sides and dishes for dinner. I just made this recipe for the first time and it was absolutely delicious. Even the kids loved it! I did add zucchini instead of adding an additional bell pepper. I would definitely make this recipe again.
Woooo! SO happy to hear Jaime! So happy to hear it’s a win-win!
Hi there, sorry if this sounds stupid, but do you boil the orzo pasta before roasting in the pan? I keep thinking if I just throw it in the pan with some olive oil that it will be hard?? Not sure though bc I don’t ever cook with it. This is my first time. Thank you.
Hi Brittney… no worries. The orzo will be hard at first. The purpose of putting it in the pan with a bit of oil is to toast it before you cook it. After it’s toasted, you add the broth. That’s when it will soften. I hope this helps!
Delicious recipe, so full of flavor. I followed the recipe except I eliminated the feta and subbed the zucchini in place of the asparagus. I couldn’t find pine nuts at my local grocery story, so I used almonds as suggested. Both substitutions work wonderfully.
This was a winner, I loved everything about the dish. The leftovers the next day were even better, thanks for the fantastic recipe!
Just made this tonight without the feta, but still so good! Doubled the recipe because I wanted to make sure I had enough for lunches this week and…holy, that’s a lot of food! Very excited to try it cold for lunch tomorrow, and I’m so glad I won’t have to worry about cooking for a few days. Makes eating healthy so much easier.
Hii Terrie! SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe! Hooray for having lunch ready for the next few days! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note ;D
This is my go-to weeknight dinner! I added
Sautéed shrimp for a complete one pan meal!
Love this recipe! It is so versatile!
Hi Helene! Love it! Thank you for your note!
SUCH a great go to meal anytime of year. I love veggies so I used peppers and zucchini! Can’t wait to make it again!!
So happy to hear Missmaj! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note!
My favorite meal to cook! I love how hearty and filling this is; I find it’s good hot or cool, and I added a bit of tahini to the dressing for more richness.
So happy to hear Serena! Thank you for your note! The tahini sounds lovely.
Loved this! I was going to leave off the cheese but decided to use vegan feta instead and so happy I kept it in there! Yum yum yum made mommy,daddy, and baby all happy
Thank you for your note and rating Caitlyn! So happy to hear. Thank you too for your tip on the vegan feta!
Delicious 😋
SO happy to hear Janet! Thank you for your note and rating!
This took a lot of time to prepare but well worth the effort. I made it hot, not cold. Would definitely make it again. Didn’t use asparagus and subbed 2 large zucchini’s. Delish!
Love the zucchini sub! Thank you for your note and rating Tanis!
Tried this last night and loved it! Used some different veggies. Was wondering if there was something else that could be added to give it more of a spice zing. Not super spicy, but just a little something. So good, but it was a little flat for some reason. Love how healthy it is too!
Hiii Libby! Thank you for coming back, leaving a note and for your rating! So happy to hear you love the recipe! Ooooh yes, I SO get it! How about a pinch of red pepper flakes? That would be delicious! I’d start with 1/4 tsp. Add it to the dressing or stir it into the orzo towards the end of cooking. Adjust up if you need a bit more of a kick!
This is one of our family’s favourite meals! I usually do 1.5 to 2x the orzo and broth so that it’s enough for the four of us. I like to add the lemon zest and I will try it with beans like some others have mentioned. I don’t use the cheese since we are vegan.
Hiii Karinne! Oh my, I love your addition of lemon zest! And yes to beans! Thank you for your note, rating and tips! So happy you’re enjoying the recipe.
when I was toasting the orzo I decided to zest the lemon and add it, and a little garlic, to the orzo just before I added the vegetable stock.
Oh my… the fragrances wafting from that pan! 👌🏻
This dish is SO GOOD and packed full of veggies!! It’s one of my all-time favorite recipes to cook!
Thank you for your note, Maddie and your five star review! I’m SO happy to hear you’re enjoying this veggie packed recipe! :D
Absolutely delish! I’m not a zucchini fan, so I used eggplant and also kept it vegan.
Hi Barbara! Thank you for your note and sharing your eggplant addition! I love it!
This is one of our very favorite meals in our fam! We add a can of white beans to protein it up a bit and don’t use mushrooms (just add more of the other veggies). It is SOOOO good, I always make a double batch because I’m ready to eat more the next day 😆
Hi Laurel! Thank you for coming back, leaving a note and your five star review! SO happy to hear and thank you for sharing your tip about the beans! I love it!
Hi Laurel. Just wondering- do you do anything to the beans or just add them to the mix? Sounds like a great way to add some extra nutrients!
I don’t do anything but drain and rinse! The flavor of everything else totally covers the beans well enough.
Such a great recipe to keep in the rotation. Works so well through the seasons with whatever veggies are available to roast. Right now it’s time for sun golds, zucchini and corn to take their turn!
Agreed Jean! Ahhh sun golds and zucchini… what a delicious combination!
A fabulous addition to a picnic and I like this orzo chilled for leftovers.
I’m so with you Koneko! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note!
This was amazing and really easy! I doubled everything and had it for lunch for the week!
Hooray! Thank you for your note, Vanessa… and yes to lunch all week!
So delicious! I made it earlier in the week as a side dish and all the kids loved it! I cooked chicken thighs as well and just doubled the dressing recipe and basted the chicken thighs in that same dressing. They complemented each other well. Today I’m making it again as a vegetarian lunch for my mom who is kosher. I know she’s going to love it! And the best part is, my kids are excited to have it again!
Thank you for your note Tami! So happy to hear! Ya a win-win! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Made this last night-loved it! Added zucchini and squash in place of tomatoes and can’t wait to have leftovers for lunch today!
Hi April! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and you have leftovers to look forward to… Hooray!
Were the leftovers good? Thinking of using for meal prep.
It tastes really good as left overs! All the juices soaked into the orzo and it was fantastic!
Hi Jennifer! I like this orzo best chilled for leftovers. It makes fabulous weekday lunches or to take on a picnic!
Made this tonight and my picky eaters LOVED IT!!!
It’s a WIN-WIN! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note, Amanda!
Now a weekly ‘go-to’ recipe in our house. The kids simply love it and I find it can be altered at the drop of a hat. Tonight we finally had some asparagus in so followed the recipe for the first time! Usually roasted peppers, onions, courgette and aubergine but whatever veggies we have laying about work just as well. Dressing was superb as usual and it gets the kids eating without complain! Love it :)
Thank you for coming back and leaving a note, Eleanor! Hooray for a fabulous rotation, and I’m so happy to hear the kiddos loved it. Isn’t it SO versatile? I absolutely love aubergine in it too!
We made this tonight & it’s awesome. I used zucchini instead of asparagus & penne past instead of orzo, we are on vacation & it was easier to find than the orzo. Had grilled garlic, lemon chicken kabobs with this-YUM. Thanks for such a great recipe.
Hi Joy! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note. So happy to hear and I love the subs! Ahhh, vacation :D
This is SO GOOD! I couldn’t stop eating it! I misread the recipe & bought plain feta instead of garlic & herb but still so yummy. I added shredded chicken & a little drizzle of olive oil once plated. I did use almonds instead of pine nuts. I could eat this every day! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Teressa! Thank you so much for your note and sharing your tips! I love the almonds instead of pine nuts too :D
Made this tonight and it is a keeper. Used sun dried tomatoes in replace of olives as suggested. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for a yummy summer supper salad.
Ohhh yesss, those sun dried tomatoes! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note, Victoria! So happy you enjoyed the recipe.
WOW! ANOTHER WINNER FOR THE AULTS!
Wooo! Love hearing this Margaret! Thank youuuu!
I am looking for some good meal prep options for lunches and am wondering how many days would this be good for after cooking?
Bar
Hi Natasha! Thank you for your note. This recipe is best enjoyed right away when warm, but it’s fabulous too chilled, as a salad. It will last about three days in the refrigerator. I hope this helps!
Made this for dinner tonight with some grilled chicken. Everyone loved it.
I trew a couple of big handfuls of spinach on the roasting vegetables for the last 5 min.
This one is going into the regular rotation! So Good!!!!
Hi Vanessa! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note and sharing your spinach tip! So happy to hear y’al are enjoying the recipe!
Amazing. I have even converted my vegetable hating boss to a veggie believer with this recipe. I make it with toasted brown rice for a gluten free version.
Hooray! Loved reading your note, Lynn! Thank you for your brown rice tip! :D
My husband and I love this dish and make it often! In an attempt at making this dish even more nutritious I recently tried substituting quinoa for the orzo and was pleased that I hardly noticed a difference!
Hi Tam! SO happy to hear you and your hubs are enjoying the recipe! Thank you for your quinoa tip too!
Great, thanks for this as I’m just about to make this as I’m not a pasta fan and have quinoa ready to go :-)
Wonderful, healthy recipe! This is actually our 2nd time making it and it won’t be our last. We make it exactly as stated except with almonds instead of pine nuts. It’s perfect!
Hi Jocelyn! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a note. I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe!
This recipe has become a family favorite!!! I use the zucchini instead of asparagus, everything else I keep the same, delicious!!!! Thank you!!
Hi Devon! I love reading this! Thank you for your note!!
Absolutely loved this! Used leftover beef stock, forgot to put the pine nuts, but came out just as delicious. I’ve been trying to cook more healthy meals lately and this was just perfect. Thank you for sharing.
You got it Karen! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note! SO happy to hear.