Greek Lemon-Rice Pilaf with Fresh Dill and Toasted Orzo
A fragrant rice pilaf cooked with toasted orzo pasta, bright lemon juice, and fresh dill for a classic Greek side. This Greek recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs long grain white rice, orzo pasta, butter for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1/4 cup orzo pasta
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp, chopped fresh dill
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup orzo pasta and toast, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes until golden and fragrant.
- Step 2: Add 1 cup long grain white rice to the pan and stir to coat with butter, cooking for 1 minute.
- Step 3: Pour in 2 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- Step 4: Remove the saucepan from heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.
- Step 5: Stir in 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill. Adjust seasoning if needed and serve warm.
