Lemony Orzo With Asparagus and Garlic Bread Crumbs

By Ali Slagle

Updated March 13, 2025

Lemony Orzo With Asparagus and Garlic Bread Crumbs
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(13,662)
Comments
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Every spoonful of this pasta has a happy jumble of lemony orzo, grassy asparagus, garlicky bread crumbs, fresh herbs and salty Parmesan. The pasta and thinly sliced asparagus cook together in the same pot, then rest in a lemony dressing while the garlic bread crumbs are toasted, so the pasta has time to absorb as much flavor as possible.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1cup orzo
  • 1pound asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal (about ¼-inch thick)
  • 5tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1teaspoon lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more as needed (from about 1 large lemon)
  • ½cup panko or homemade bread crumbs
  • 1small garlic clove, finely grated
  • ¼cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • ½cup fresh dill, mint or parsley leaves (or any combination), torn if large
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

362 calories; 20 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 425 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente according to package directions. Two minutes before the orzo is done, add the asparagus. Drain the orzo and asparagus. Wipe out and reserve the pot.

  2. Step 2

    While the orzo and asparagus cook, make the dressing: In a large bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons oil and the lemon zest and juice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the drained orzo and asparagus and toss to coat. Set aside while you toast the bread crumbs.

  3. Step 3

    In the reserved pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in the garlic and season with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    Stir the Parmesan and herbs into the orzo, taste, then season with salt, pepper and additional lemon juice, if desired. Top with the toasted bread crumbs and more Parmesan if you like. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ratings

5 out of 5
13,662 user ratings
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Comments

Erin

Maybe I’m stoned but this was incredible. Added some mushrooms too.

Ryan

This was surprisingly really good for how simple it is. Cements my opinion that orzo is the best pasta, it soaks up all that lemony dressing soooo well. I boiled the asparagus because I'm depressed and that's all I deserve.

Saracm16

We loved this! I sautéed the asparagus in olive oil, salt, and pepper and a tad bit of the minced garlic. I just prefer this way of preparing asparagus rather than boiling. I used a very large lemon, which produced lots of zest, and I felt it was needed. I only had a bit of fresh parsley, so that was all I used and it was still good. Be generous with the salt and fresh ground pepper. I would use a large garlic clove. Also sprinkled on feta and fresh tomatoes with extra lemon squeeze. Yum!!

Alison

I only found this recipe a couple of weeks ago - I've made it three times already and about to make it again to take as a side to a dinner party. It really is fabulous. Like other people, I oven roasted some cherry tomatoes and added them, and also used fresh basil instead of the other herbs. Soooo good!

LM

I've made this 5 times, it's very versatile and you can easily make changes to suit your needs. The first time I made it I thought it was a little lacking - good but needed something. From reading other reviews I make the following revisions. Add a bullion cube to the orzo water, frozen peas along with the asparagus. Sauté the garlic along with the breadcrumbs and topped when serving. Use parsley and basil. Add a tablespoon of sherry vinegar to the dressing. Add shredded chicken breast.

Jo

This is a very adaptable delicious recipe. The first time I made it, I followed the instructions and ingredients (I used dill) as written. The second time I made it, I used brown rice and since the asparagus was fresh and delicious, I didn't cook the asparagus. If the asparagus was thick and woody, I would have peeled the woody part (which I learned from Sara Moulton.) My go to panko for this type of recipe is - Pereg Italian Seasoned Panko.

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