Lemon Orzo with Spinach and Toasted Pine Nuts
A bright, Italian-inspired pasta dish combining tender orzo with wilted spinach, radicchio, and toasted pine nuts finished with lemon juice, zest, and a shower of parmesan. The sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and nicoise olives add briny depth and complexity. Serve warm as a main course or chill for a composed salad. This version balances Romano's Macaroni Grill's rich comfort with fresh, vibrant flavors and multiple serving formats including spirals with herbed cream cheese or reimagined as ribollita.
Ingredients
- 4 ounce fresh spinach, julienne-shredded
- ½ small radicchio, julienne-cut
- ¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomato, in oil, julienne cutfresh cherry tomato, halved1:1 by volumevegetarian
taste first, less oil
- 2 tablespoon capers
- 3 tablespoon nicoise olives, slicedkalamata olive1:1 by weightvegetarian
stronger flavor
- 4 ounce orzo pasta, cooked al dente, drained
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ¼ cup lemon, juice and zest
- ¼ cup olive oil, not extra virgin
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- fresh cracked pepper
- fresh parsley, for garnish(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil over medium heat.
- 2
Add garlic and toss briefly without browning.
- 3
Add lemon zest and juice to the pan.
- 4
Add spinach and radicchio, cook until just wilted.
- 5
Remove from heat and add cooked orzo, pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and olives.
- 6
Toss and fluff to combine.
- 7
Taste and adjust salt as needed, accounting for cheese salt.
- 8
Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the dish.
- 9
Garnish with fresh cracked pepper and parsley sweep.
- 10
Serve warm with crusty bread and extra parmesan bowls.
Tips
Don't brown the garlic when blooming in oil; it should remain pale and fragrant for subtle sweetness rather than bitter harshness.
Taste before adding cheese since capers, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes contribute significant salt; parmesan adds more.
Meyer lemon juice is sweeter; use less than regular lemons to prevent oversweetening the dish.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container up to 3 days. Reheats gently over low heat with splash of lemon juice or broth. Also serves cold as salad.
Prep all components (spinach, radicchio, nuts, sun-dried tomatoes) and store separately up to 1 day. Cook orzo same day. Assemble just before serving for best texture.
Warm as a main course with crusty bread and extra parmesan. Chill and serve as a composed salad. Repurpose as filling for herbed cream cheese spirals, hollowed rolls layered with cheese and cured meats, or simmer with broth and beans for ribollita variation.
Common Mistakes
Brown garlic to avoid bitter, acrid flavor in the oil.
Overcook spinach to avoid losing its bright color and texture.
Undersalt to avoid needing adjustment after parmesan is added, which compounds saltiness.
Skip the lemon zest to avoid losing bright citrus perfume that defines the dish.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
taste first, less oil
stronger flavor
FAQ
Can I add protein to this dish?
Yes, shrimp or julienned chicken breast work well. Add cooked protein when tossing in the orzo so it warms through without overcooking. Roughly 4 ounces adds substantial protein without overwhelming other flavors.
What if I don't have Meyer lemon?
Regular lemon juice is more acidic, so use about 1 tablespoon juice initially, then taste and add more if needed. Add zest from both regular and Meyer lemons for complexity if using only regular lemon.
How long will this keep chilled and can it be frozen?
Refrigerate in airtight container for 3 days maximum. Do not freeze; the texture of spinach and delicate pasta deteriorates significantly. Enjoy within 2 days for best color and flavor.