Name: The 20-Minute Dinner I’ll Be Making All Summer Long
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 small or 1/2 medium white or yellow onion, finely diced; 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth; 1 1/4 cups orzo; 1 cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk (about half a 13-ounce can); Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 medium lemon; 3 cups baby spinach (half a 5-ounce container); 1 cup frozen peas

The 20-Minute Dinner I’ll Be Making All Summer Long

This lemony orzotto is similar to risotto, but is made with orzo pasta instead of rice. This means the recipe cooks in a fraction of the time—just 20 minutes—with minimal stirring, resulting in a creamy, bright, quick, and easy side dish.

25 min total 5 min prep 20 min cook 4 269 cal

Instructions

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1 Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. (If the onions are starting to brown, lower the heat.) Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2 Add the broth, orzo, coconut milk, and black pepper and cover the pan with a lid. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the orzo is just shy of al dente, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir the orzo occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. While the orzo is cooking, zest the lemon, then squeeze it and measure 2 tablespoons of juice. Set aside.
3 Add the spinach and peas to the orzo and stir until incorporated. Cook until the peas are warmed through and the spinach is fully wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
4 Off the heat, add the lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as desired. Serve immediately. This orzotto is best served right away as it tends to dry out a bit as it cools. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat with a splash of water in the microwave. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!