One skillet salmon with lemon orzo | A fuss-free meal that’s quick and easy to make. And it’s definitely a winner for busy nights! Pan-seared salmon and orzo cooked together with spinach and Parmesan for a complete meal. With just a few steps, you’ll have a fantastic all-in-one dinner that everyone at your table will love!
If you’re looking for more one skillet dinners, have a look at my One Skillet Parmesan Chicken and Orzo, Salmon with Artichoke Orzo or maybe this Garlic Butter Gnocchi with Sausage.
Why you’ll love this salmon with lemon orzo recipe
Get ready to fall in love with this salmon and lemon orzo dish! When there’s smooth orzo, tender spinach and Parmesan cheese involved, you know it will feel like a hug in a bowl. The lemon juice adds a zesty kick that makes it extra special.
This one-pan wonder is perfect for quick weeknight dinners or a hearty family meal during the weekend. It’s even fancy enough to impress your friends at a dinner party. And guess what? It’s light, leaving plenty of room for dessert. Ready in just 30 minutes – easy and delicious!
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO or follow along on YouTube.
How to make salmon with lemon orzo
This one-pot wonder is a breeze to make and saves you from a pile of dishes to wash! The secret to its smoothness lies in cooking the orzo like risotto, minus the constant stirring. This creates a glossy texture by blending starch with broth.
Here’s the simple breakdown: we start by searing the salmon before cooking the orzo in the same pot. Add spinach, Parmesan and lemon juice to the orzo towards the end. As the flavors meld, the aroma from the salmon takes this dinner to the next level. When the orzo is done, return the salmon to the skillet, and you’re good to go!
There’s really no way to go wrong with this one! So, grab your ingredients, follow these easy steps, and treat yourself to a mouthwatering experience!
Ingredients for the salmon
- Salmon Fillets: Use salmon fillets of the same size and thickness so they can cook evenly. If you want to use skin-on salmon, no problem!
- Olive Oil and Unsalted Butter: By mixing those together, you can increase the smoke point and the flavor.
- Seasoning: A blend of salt, black pepper, sweet paprika and garlic powder, they complement the salmon deliciously.
Ingredients for the lemon orzo
- Garlic and Onion: Aromatics to lift up the flavor.
- Orzo: It will add a silky texture to this dish, which you’ll won’t get with any other pasta. But if you can’t find it, try to go for a pasta variety that’s as small as possible.
- Spinach: For a hit of green.
- Chicken Broth: You can also use vegetable broth.
- Parmesan: Best when freshly grated so your sauce isn’t grainy.
- Seasoning: Salt, black pepper and dried thyme.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a refreshing zest, elevating the overall flavor.
Helpful recipe tips
- Try this one skillet orzo with shrimp or chicken instead of salmon.
- Pair with a big leafy side salad.
- Not a fan of spinach? Pair the orzo with broccoli florets, kale or green peas.
- Add a splash of dry white wine to deglaze the skillet.
How to store leftovers salmon with orzo
- Fridge: Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
- Freezer: Leftovers can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Cooking video
One Skillet Salmon with Lemon Orzo
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets
- 1 tsp salt divided
- 1 tsp black pepper divided
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- juice from ½ lemon
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- freshly ground black pepper for servng
- chili flakes for serving
Instructions
- Get your prep done before you start cooking: Grate the Parmesan cheese, finely chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves. Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with garlic powder, sweet paprika and ½ teaspoon salt and pepper.
- Heat oil and butter over medium high in a large nonstick pan or skillet. Add salmon fillets and sear, 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and onion. Cook until soft and fragrant for about 2 minutes. Stir in thyme and the remaining salt and pepper. Add orzo and toast for 1 minute.
- Pour in broth and bring to a boil. To maintain a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered while stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking, until almost al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 8 minutes.
- Add spinach, stir and simmer until wilted for about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and Parmesan. Add more broth, if needed. Taste and adjust salt.
- Return salmon to the skillet and simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the salmon is heated through.
- Top with freshly ground black pepper and chili flakes. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
And …IF YOU LOVE THESE RECIPES … please consider supporting my work for just the cost of a cup of coffee.
Sign up for my NEWSLETTER to receive the latest recipes delivered straight to your inbox.
Delicious! Made this for my fiance and I last night and he raved about it! Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Delicious! Made this for my mom and I last night and he raved about it! Thank you for the recipe!
Yay! It makes me so happy to hear you both enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for giving it a try!
Great meal! Who makes the pan in your video? Looks perfect.
So glad you like it! Here’s a link to the pots and pans I use in my videos. Happy cooking!
I would use two cups of broth instead of three.
Or even better: a half cup more Oreo.
Great recipe, I paired it with a side of oven roasted green beans. Next time I make it, I would significantly reduce the amount of chicken broth. It was too soupy with 3 cups, and I had to drain it.
Glad you enjoyed Alexus! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try!
I made this tonight and it was fast and fabulous. I substituted chicken but kept the rest the same. I thought the broth was just the right amount, you just need to keep cooking if it isn’t all absorbed. The spinach absorbs some of the liquid as well. Thank you for sharing this!
Hi Amy! Amazing!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! x
Our family loved this. But I will need to double it if we want left overs!
So glad you all enjoyed Stephanie! Thanks for making!
We absolutely loved this recipe! I could only find salmon with skin, so I used it, and it worked out fine! We just skimmed the meat off the skin after it was done. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome Janey! Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
Love this recipe!! So versatile, I’ve made as is as well as substituting the salmon for shrimp or chicken cutlets. I season the chicken with the spices and then lightly flour before sautéing them. Always a hit.
Hi Christine! Amazing!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it’s a hit! x
do you have any tips on how to cook this in the oven instead of on a stove top? I have a bit of cooking anxiety and feel better using the oven and would just love to try this recipe out!
Hi Grace, I haven’t tried baking it yet, but it’s definitely doable! Here’s how you can prepare it in the oven:
Preheat your oven to 400°F/200°C.
In an ovenproof casserole dish, combine the orzo ingredients (onion, garlic, orzo, spinach, thyme, and lemon). Pour in the chicken broth, stir.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes. Check it after 15 minutes as you might need to adjust the time or add more broth if it’s looking dry.
Meanwhile, season the salmon and place it in a greased baking dish.
Put the salmon in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Please let me know if you have any more questions.
Happy cooking! I’d love to hear how everything turns out!
Just made it and it was a 10!!! Will definitely make again!!!!
It makes me so happy to hear that Carole! Thanks for making!
Plus, the ease and simplicity of the recipe make it perfect for busy weeknights when I want something tasty but don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen. Thank you for sharing this culinary masterpiece – it’s definitely become a staple in my meal rotation!
You’re welcome Andreas! So glad you enjoyed!
Culinary masterpiece for sure! Easy and quick to make. Top five favorite meals!
Thank you Laura! It makes me so happy to hear that!
This makes a great presentation and a delicious dish. Served it with sauteed asparagus to add another flavor and texture and it proved to be an excellent addition.
Thanks so much, Rick! I’m so glad to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for making it!
Wonderful recipe! I love that it uses ingredients that I already had in my pantry. I didn’t have dried thyme, but did have dried rosemary. The substitution worked great. Thanks for the fail-proof recipe for my dinner tonight 🙂
Thank you for your comment Sarah! SO happy you enjoyed!
Absolutely delicious! My husband couldn’t stop raving. A big WOW after every bite. Definitely going into the rotation. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome Gin! It makes me so happy to hear you both enjoyed this recipe!
I’ve never really found a salmon recipe that I liked before, but I saw this on tik Tok and decided to give it a try. This was everything I hoped it would be and more. Neither my husband or I had ever had orzo either but it was great paired with the salmon. This will now be one of my go to’s for dinner!
Yay! That’s so amazing to hear Alex!
I really enjoyed this! Easy to make but really delicious. And great as leftovers!
I am so happy to hear this recipe was a hit Madison!
Delicious and so easy!
So glad you enjoyed Kaela!
Thanks for your efforts in sharing this information in detail. This was very helpful to me. kindly keep continuing the great work.
I made the recipe with shrimp instead of salmon, and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome Kristin! So glad you enjoyed!
We love it! It was easy and delicious
Thank you Becky! Makes me so happy to hear that!
I thought this dish turned out really tasty- but my husband said it made him gag… My 4 year old son liked it too though, so I think the problem is my husband lol.
I followed the recipe pretty much exactly, although I did let the orzo cook longer than 8 minutes because I was using whole wheat orzo- it did soak up all the broth and I added a little more water at the end to get the consistency right. Well written, simple recipe and I love that it was all in one pan!
Thank you so much for your comment Julie! I’m happy to hear it turned out well for you!
Would use less broth and less onion. Maybe the onion I used was just much bigger than what was used here, but mine turned out to be watery inion flavor
Thank you so much for your comment and trying out the recipe!
This was a savory, delicious, easy to prepare filling dish…leftovers heated up nicely and will definitely be in the dinner rotation!
Thank you Lori! So glad you enjoyed!
My husband & I loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome Katherine! So glad you both enjoyed!
I’m not one to leave reviews for recipes (this is my first time), but I felt like I had to because this recipe was so easy and delicious. I followed the recipe exactly and everything turned out perfectly. Easy prep, easy to follow, only use one pan, nutritious, and so delicious. Thank you!
You’re welcome Lauren! It makes me so happy to hear that. Thank you for giving this recipe a try and your comment!
Lovely and lemony! I used monkfish as that was the fish I had. The whole fish went together so well! And easily. Thank you
You’re welcome Alyssa! Monkfish sounds like a great combo with the lemony orzo.
Looks delicious but watching sodium …. Why is the sodium amount so great.( no salt butter and low sodium chicken broth)
Hi Charlotte, it’s because of Parmesan cheese and low sodium chicken broth. Parmesan is quite high in sodium. For example, 50g of grated Parmesan can contribute around 700-900 mg of sodium depending on the brand. And even low sodium chicken broth can have around 140-500 mg of sodium per 700 ml, depending on the brand. I hope this helps! Happy cooking!
This one-skillet salmon with lemon orzo looks amazing—I’m excited to try it! I recently had a cabinet door replacement done in my kitchen, and it made the space look brand new. With the kitchen looking so fresh, I’m thrilled to cook up new recipes like this one. Thanks for sharing—this is going straight into my meal plan!