Creamy Zucchini Orzotto
with Toasted Panko & Lemony Arugula Salad
- Wheat
- Milk
- Tree Nuts
What’s orzotto? Glad you asked! You’ll cook rice-shaped orzo pasta like risotto by adding liquid to a pan and stirring over heat. Stir savory roasted zucchini into that creamy, comforting orzotto, shower with buttery toasted panko breadcrumbs and serve with a crisp arugula and almond salad and squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a bright finish.
Ingredients
1 unit
Zucchini
1 unit
Lemon
1 teaspoon
Garlic Powder
8 ounce
Orzo Pasta
(Contains: Wheat)
½ ounce
Vidalia Onion Paste
4 ounce
Cream Sauce Base
(Contains: Milk)
¼ cup
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains: Wheat)
2 ounce
Arugula
½ ounce
Sliced Almonds
(Contains: Tree Nuts)
Not included in your delivery
Salt
Pepper
Cooking Oil
Olive Oil
Sugar
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry produce. • Trim and quarter zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into 1⁄2-inch-thick pieces. Zest and quarter lemon.
• Toss zucchini on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, half the garlic powder (you’ll use the rest later), a pinch of salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until tender and lightly browned, 14-16 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) in a large pan over medium heat. Add panko and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 2-4 minutes. • Turn off heat; transfer to a small bowl and stir in a pinch of salt, pepper, and as much lemon zest as you like. Wipe out pan.
• Heat a drizzle of olive oil in pan used for panko over medium heat. Add orzo and cook, stirring, until orzo is toasted and golden, 1-2 minutes. • Stir in Vidalia onion paste, remaining garlic powder, and 2 cups water (4 cups for 4 servings). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until orzo is al dente, 8-10 minutes. • Stir in cream sauce base and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced and orzotto is creamy, 2-3 minutes. • Remove from heat; stir in half the roasted zucchini and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4). Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. TIP: Orzotto should be the consistency of risotto! If it seems too thick, stir in a splash of water.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1 TBSP olive oil, 1⁄2 tsp sugar, juice from one lemon wedge, a pinch of salt, and pepper (for 4 servings, use 2 TBSP olive oil, 1 tsp sugar, and juice from two lemon wedges). • Add arugula and almonds; toss to coat.
• Divide orzotto between shallow bowls; divide salad between separate bowls. Top orzotto with remaining roasted zucchini and panko. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Feb 2026- Flavor: Many loved the creamy, lemony taste; some found it a bit bland and suggested adding herbs or Parmesan for more depth 🍋
- Ease of prep: Quick and simple to make, though some noted the orzo cooking time and liquid ratio needed adjusting
- Suggestions: Consider adding protein like chicken or shrimp; increase zucchini and tomatoes for better veggie-to-pasta ratio
- Leftovers: Reheats well for some; others found it lost creaminess when stored
- Texture: Panko adds nice crunch, but a few wished for more textural variety in the dish
Reviews from our home cooks
This was excellent, all the ingredients went together well, including the lemon zest and panko on top of the orzo. Filling and tasty. Adequate amount of food, specifically the vegetables. I hope to see more meals like this one. Thank you.
We don't usually like raw arugula, but your salad dressing recipe transformed it, and we enjoyed very much. Also, the orzotto preparation resulted in great texture.
This is the second orzotto recipe we've tried. Both have been outstanding. This one was extra tasty due to the contrast of the lemony arugula salad.
This was delicious! I would definitely order this again. My only feedback is I could have used a few more bites of the arugula salad. It was a good balance with the orzotto and there wasn't quite enough of it.
The flavor is amazing overall and I really like the rice and the sauce made for it. The meal feels very clean and healthy also and is pretty simple. I like the lemon sauce for the greens. I like the panko...the almonds...fantastic texture. Great job! <3
Very yummy orzotto, it's nice to get a different pasta option! Tasty and creamy like risotto with nowhere near as much effort required. :)))
One of the best, if not the best, meals I have tried. Please consider more orzotto meals. Easy to prepare and absolutely delicious.
This was really good. Liked the ease of making the orzotto instead of risotto.
Really nice dish! Personal preference here, but arugula does not work in this dish (I personally also strongly dislike arugula). I think either a spinach or even kale would have worked much better with the creaminess of the orzotto.
1. Orzotto was a bit bland, would recommend adding in more seasoning or something to up the flavor. 2. Salad felt boring, recommend adding a cheese or something to help it. 3. More veggies (more zucchini and tomatoes) would improve ratio in the orzotto
