Orzo with Roasted Summer Vegetables

This orzo with roasted summer vegetables recipe is a delicious side dish filled with a lot of tasty veggies, fresh lemon juice & parmesan cheese. Delicious and always a winning dish with my entire family. This orzo with roasted summer vegetables paired nicely with crispy chicken parmesan and freshly baked bread.

Orzo with Roasted Summer Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1 ear of corn, husk removed & cleaned
• 5-6 button mushrooms, diced
• ½ small yellow onion, diced
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 5 asparagus spears, wooden ends removed and chopped
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes
• ½ cup sun gold tomatoes
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
• 8 oz orzo, cooked in salted water, per package instructions  *Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid
• 2 tbsp good butter
• Juice & zest from 1 lemon, plus more for serving
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus more for serving

How to Make Orzo with Roasted Summer Vegetables

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Boil a pan of salted water and place the cleaned ear of corn into the water. Cook for 3 minutes, then remove the corn from the boiling water. Set aside to allow the corn to cool completely. Once cool, cut the kernels off the cob with a knife into a bowl. Set aside.

Place the mushrooms and onions together on the baking sheet, then drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil and season with crushed red pepper, sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste; toss to coat evenly. Roast for 10 minutes.

Add the asparagus, tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, and drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and toss the veggies.

Roast for another 5 minutes, then add the corn and chopped baby spinach, toss the veggies, then continue to roast for 1-2 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Cook the orzo in salted water until al dente, per package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.

Add the butter, lemon juice, and zest to the orzo and toss to coat evenly. Next, add the parmesan cheese and some reserved pasta water, as needed, then toss to coat evenly. Finally, add the roasted veggies, then toss until well mixed. Taste, then season with sea salt and lots of freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Serve with additional lemon and parmesan on the side. Enjoy.