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Souper Creamy Lemon Butter Cheesy Zucchini Orzo!! Kind of like risotto, kind of like soup, kind of DELICIOUS…the ultimate bowl of summer comfort. This simple zucchini orzo is made in under 30 minutes, uses just one skillet, and is a great way to use up that summertime zucchini. It’s creamy, garlicky, packed with zucchini, and finished with fresh herbs and parmesan cheese. Perfect cozy, summer dinner or easy side, any night of the week. Everyone in the house will enjoy this dish, veggies and all!
If I could describe this dish in just a few words, I’d tell you that it’s a cross between risotto and soup. It’s not quite as thick or heavy as risotto, but not nearly as soupy as soup. It’s somewhere in between the two, and most importantly?
It. Is. SO GOOD.
It’s comfort in a bowl and clearly I love this recipe. Before I dive into all the details, some background info for you all. Growing up, my mom would make what she called “souper rice”. Basically, it was cream of chicken soup plus a whole lot of rice. So much rice that you really couldn’t call it soup anymore…enter “souper rice”. I can’t fully remember how she made it, but I know it involved minute rice and cream of chicken broth. That might have been it actually. Either way, it was incredibly basic…and yet she loved it. She would eat it with homemade air-popped popcorn on top. Yes, that’s my mom, carb-loving, and all about comfort. And I love her for it.
To this day, “souper rice” is still a food she would happily enjoy if someone were to make just make it a bit healthier.
I actually made my take on “souper rice” a few years back and it’s kind of what inspired today’s recipe. Honestly, I was sitting outside pondering in my head about what I wanted to make. Zucchini was on my mind and so was orzo. I put the two together and this is what I came up with. Then I remembered mom’s “souper rice” and that’s when I decided I was making “souper zucchini orzo”. I knew even before I made it that I was going to love it.
This is SIMPLE. So SUPER SIMPLE, but my gosh, it’s good. It’s what everyone needs a little dish of in their life today.
Also? I sent these photos to my mom, who at the time was driving back to Colorado from California. And immediately her response was…
Yum! ? LOVE❣️
Yep, I copy-pasted that. And when I told her that I gave some of the dish away, she almost panicked that she wouldn’t have any to eat upon getting in at 12 am. I assured her that I saved her plenty. I knew this was her kind of recipe. She literally gave a sigh of relief. Dramatic, but it’s all true.
OK, moving along here.
The details.
As I said, this dish is quick and easy. Start by cooking the butter and garlic together until your kitchen smells amazing, so a minute or so. Add the orzo and plenty of fresh thyme. The garlic and thyme are the big flavors here, so don’t be shy.
Allow the orzo to get a little toasty, then toss in lots of shredded zucchini and a bit of kale too. If you hate kale, not a problem, simply use spinach. If you hate greens, not a problem, leave them out. Next, slowly pour in the chicken broth. For anyone who’s a vegetarian, just go with vegetable broth instead.
Cook the orzo risotto-style, stirring every few minutes until it’s al dente and creamy. This only takes a few minutes, so don’t worry, no standing at the stove for an hour.
Once the orzo is al dente, stir in a splash of milk (I like using canned full coconut milk, it’s delicious, dairy-free, so creamy, and no, you do not taste any coconut) and plenty of fresh parmesan cheese. As you are stirring, smells of garlic, thyme, and parmesan will quickly hit your nose.
It’s wonderful.
Remove from the heat, and simply finish off with fresh thyme. And please, eat immediately. This is meant to be on the soupy side, meaning there should still be broth around the orzo. The orzo will soak the broth up if it sits too long. So enjoy it right away it will be just perfect.
And that’s it. Enjoy a bowl topped with fresh thyme and settle into a cozy summer meal. Yes, meal, I know this might be considered more of a side dish, but around here, this is dinner.
If you’d like to make this a little heartier, try adding a fried or soft boiled egg.
Alternately, if you’d like to serve this as a side, that works great too. I’d recommend my favorite creamed corn chicken, this colorful creamed spinach salmon, a simple roasted chicken, or even a grilled steak. Any of these would be delicious paired with this orzo.
What I love most? Even though this is best right off the stove, the leftovers are still so good. The orzo becomes more like risotto and when heated up, it makes the perfect lunch the next day. Love a dish that you can enjoy for dinner one night and lunch the following day!
OH, and of course, how could I forget. This is a great way to get in your vegetables and use up all the zucchini you have growing in the garden.
Or maybe you just picked up a few too many zucchini at the market, this is your dish. Biggest bonus? Your kids will love this too, just tell them the green specs are herbs. Or maybe double the parmesan, in my book adding more cheese is always a good idea…whether you’re a kid or an adult.
If you make this souper creamy lemon butter cheesy zucchini orzo be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch The How To Video:
Souper Creamy Lemon Butter Cheesy Zucchini Orzo
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 1211 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta (use gluten-free, if needed)
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 medium zucchini and or yellow summer squash grated
- 1/2 bunch kale, finely shredded
- 3 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup whole milk or canned full fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)
Instructions
- 1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and garlic, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the orzo, and thyme, and cook until golden and toasted, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and kale, cooking another 2-3 minutes, until wilted. Add the 1/2 cup broth and de-glaze the pan. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, onion powder and season with salt and pepper. Slowly continue to pour in the remaining 2 1/2 cups broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer 8-10 minutes until the orzo is al dente, stirring often. It should become very creamy. 2. Stir in the milk, parmesan, and parsley, cook another few minutes until warmed through. As the orzo thickens up on you, add additional broth to thin. It should be creamy, but with just a touch of liquid. 3. Divide the orzo among bowls and top with fresh thyme...add additional butter...and parmesan, if desired. Hint? It's very desirable...
Notes
Gluten Free Orzo: I love DeLallo brand gluten free orzo.
I love this recipe! I have made it several times now and always is delicious, as a side or as an easy lunch or dinner! Thanks so much for sharing.
Hey Stephanie,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
We made this last night and I’ll be honest I was scared the broth wasn’t going to cook out before the orzo over cooked!
I added chicken and toasted pine nuts and it was superb!
Hey Kristin,
Happy Friday! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Excellent! Made 1/2 recipe for two people. Also used whole wheat orzo.
Hey CJ,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful day:) xTieghan
I made this as a side for our Memorial Day cook out and it was soooo good! I received so many compliments. I did not use kale (didn’t have it) and still turned out great. I love that it is one pot too!
Hey Natalie,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! ☀️xTieghan
I love this recipe so so so so much. My flatmates and I make this at LEAST once a month and I’ve cooked it for other friends and family who have also loved it. It has easily turned into all of our favourite foods and we’re all picky people.
Love love love, would recommend to anyone. THANK YOU for creating it (along with every other recipe you create!)
Hey Sophie,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xxTieghan
Soooooo good thank you for sharing!! I didn’t have kale so I doubled the zucchini and added some leftover leeks and it was delicious! It goes to show how versatile the base recipe is, it can be modified into anything and still be so good.
Hey Ada,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Have a great Sunday:) xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
Love your recipes and the new website, but would you be able to include how many servings per recipe? I usually need to halve them and I don’t seem to see the number of servings anymore! Thank you so much
Hey Amanda,
Thanks so much for your kind message! Yes, I will add this to the list of items that need adjusting. Thanks for bringing this to my attention! xTieghan
Super easy and super yummy! I used Spinach instead of Kale but overall delicious!
Hey Renee,
Fantastic! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I have made this dish several times for my family and for friends over for dinner. This is an amazing upscale taste but super easy to make. My teens love it and so has everyone else that has tasted it! Just wanted to let others know, I never add kale, onion powder, milk or parsley and it still turns out creamy and amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Hey Anna,
Happy Friday!! I am so excited that this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you giving it a try!! xTieghan
I was wondering if you could make this ahead of time and reheat? I know with a lot of cream sauces they seperate.
Thanks- Heather
Hey Heather,
I think that would be fine to do, just reheat on the stove top. I hope you enjoy the recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I LOVED this recipe!! I made it completely vegan with earth balance vegan butter, vegetable broth, follow your heart vegan parm, and coconut milk. It was insanely good! Will be on regular rotation! Served with crab cakes for my meat eating husband. He also loved!! Thank you!
Hey Kristen,
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a go! I am thrilled it was enjoyed. xTieghan
Hello! I have frozen zucchini noodles. Could I substitute that into this recipe for fresh zucchini? And if yes, how? Would I cook it first? Thanks!
Hey Kim,
Sorry I have never worked with frozen zucchini noodles, I am not sure how you would use them in this recipe. xTieghan
I’ve made this recipe multiple times and it never disappointes! It’s one of my partners favourites. I love your content, and your recipes. What I love most is they inspire me to create delicious meals, even if I don’t make your full recipe, I love to take parts and create from there! You’re a wonderful human ♥️
Hey Jaimie,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have a great week! xTieghan
Hello! Can’t wait to try this! I was wondering if Basmati rice works for this too? Or should I stick to Orzo
Hey Maria,
Basmati rice will work well here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Could this possibly be made in an instant pot or crock pot? Similar to how crockpot risottos are done? Can’t wait to try it!!
Hey Meridith,
You could try adding all ingredients to the instant pot and cooking on high pressure for 6-8 minutes. I actually think that could be really good! Please let me know if you have any other questions and how this comes out for…I am curious! I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan