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Creamy Lemon Dill Orzo with Seared Scallops Ingredients

Today we’re making a risotto-like Creamy Lemon Dill Orzo with Seared Scallops! If you have visited my blog or my social media before, you probably know I’m a sucker for orzo recipes. Particularly when those orzo recipes cook in one pan. This dish happens to be both of those things!

This dish is also:

Easy to make
Almost aggressively lemony
Herbaceous (thanks dill and parsley!)
Creamy

I have found many people are often intimidated by cooking scallops, but I promise there’s nothing to be afraid of! The key is to get the scallops patted nice and dry with paper towels and then cook over high heat. I usually cook my scallops in a stainless steel pan because the scallops will start to release themselves from the bottom of the pan when they are ready to flip. Scallops are one of my favorite proteins to cook with because they are:

Super quick to make – they only take around 3-4 minutes to cook
Nutritious – high in protein and low in fat
Simple – they are naturally sweet and only need simple seasoning such as salt and pepper
Versatile – they pair well with a variety of flavors
Frozen – it is common to buy frozen scallops so they are convenient to keep on hand when you need to add some protein to a dish

Recipe Instructions

Scallops

1 lb Scallops
1/2 tsp Salt or enough to sprinkle both sides of scallops
1 tbsp Avocado Oil or other neutral oil

Orzo

1/4 cup White Wine dry; or chicken broth
2 tbsp Butter
4 cloves Garlic minced
1 cup Orzo uncooked
2.5 cups Chicken Broth start with 2 and add more as needed
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
1/3 cup Heavy Cream
4 tbsp Lemon Juice add more or less as desired
1/4 cup Fresh Dill
2 tbsp Fresh Parsley chopped to serve

Scallops

Pat scallops very dry with paper towels. This will help them get a better sear. Generously sprinkle both sides with salt.
Heat avocado oil in a large high-rimmed sauté pan over high heat. Add the scallops and cook for about 2 minutes. If you’re cooking in a stainless steel pan, the scallops will release themselves from the pan when ready to flip. Flip and cook for another minute and set aside to a plate.

Orzo

Turn the heat to medium and in the same pan, pour in white wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release the stuck bits from the scallops. Simmer for 2 minutes until the liquid reduces by about half.
Add the butter and stir to melt. Then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the uncooked orzo, stir to combine, and toast for another minute.
Pour in about 2 cups of chicken broth and season with the black pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring often, so the orzo doesn’t stick together. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the orzo is cooked through. Add additional water or chicken broth throughout the cooking process as needed. You want some liquid in the pan once the orzo is cooked through.
Once the orzo is cooked, pour in the lemon juice and stir to combine. Next, add the parmesan cheese and stir until melted and combined.
Turn the heat to low and pour in the heavy cream and add the fresh dill. Stir to combine. Simmer for another 2 minutes to thicken up the sauce.
Divide evenly among bowls. Top each bowl with the seared scallops. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Did you try this Creamy Lemon Dill Orzo? Leave a Review!

This is a one-pan orzo dish that is both luxurious AND easy to make! It has a risotto-like consistency and is bursting with flavor from the lemon and dill. The perfectly seared scallops are sweet, savory, and add a nutritious boost of protein to this dinner.

If you try this recipe, feel free to rate/leave a review. You can also tag me on Instagram or TikTok!