Roasted Broccoli Orzo

Ready in 20 minutes, this roasted broccoli orzo has plenty of lemon, garlic, parsley, scallions and almonds. It can be served as a vegan side or main.

In my ever-changing strategy for buying groceries, I tried out curbside pick-up at a small grocery/ restaurant supplier.

It’s been really important to me to find these local sources. I think it’s safe to say that Whole Foods and Target we still be in business after all this.

But things will be very different for small businesses. If you can, support your community and seek out these local retailers and producers.

Pick-up was easy.  

When I got home and unpacked and wiped off everything, I was missing some of what I had clicked and put into my cart.

The store is totally overwhelmed, so I wasn’t upset that they didn’t let me know they were out-of-stock on certain items. 

I am grateful they had so much of what I needed.

Like I know most everyone I’ve talked to, I feel overwhelmed with homeschooling, working from home, meal prep and so much more.

That means I’ve been getting behind on my usual blog planning. And it’s ok.

Some days feel like a contestant on Chopped.

I’m enjoying that challenge digging into the back of the pantry and fridge to use every last bit.

What I was most excited about in that grocery pick-up was all the produce. 

I’ve been low on greens for a while sautéing some questionably wilted kale into eggs because it’s probably a bit iffy to eat raw.

Seeing a head of broccoli gave me such joy!

I ended up making roasted broccoli orzo with a partial bag of whole wheat orzo that I found on a shelf in one of my cabinets.

Then I just added a few more ingredients.

How To Make Roasted Broccoli Orzo

To start, I preheated the oven to 425 degrees F. 

When I cut the broccoli into florets, I made sure they were small. That meant it took just under 10 minutes for them to roast, so only a few of their edges were browned.

I wanted the broccoli to stay bright green. While it was in the oven, I made the orzo. 

Then I quickly sautéed olive oil and minced garlic and stirred in the orzo.

I squeezed in a lemon and watched the orzo absorb the juice.

With a wooden spoon, I folded in the broccoli, scallions and plenty of chopped fresh parsley.  

For a little crunch, I finished off my roasted broccoli orzo with chopped almonds.

You can serve it warm, at room temperature or even cold.

I mixed leftovers with whatever leafy greens I had in my fridge.

Roasted Broccoli Orzo

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4 1x

Ready in 20 minutes, this roasted broccoli orzo has plenty of lemon, garlic, parsley, scallions and almonds. It can be served as a vegan side or main.

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teapsoon kosher salt plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more for serving
• 1 cup orzo
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Toss the broccoli with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper on a sheet pan. Spread into a single layer. Roast for 8-10 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green with only a few of the edges browned.
3. While the broccoli is roasting, cook the orzo until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water in a colander or strainer.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the garlic for 30 seconds letting it get fragrant. Stir in the orzo and the lemon juice. Give the orzo a minute to absorb the juice.
5. Fold in the broccoli, scallions, parsley and almonds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4 1x