If you're looking for a dinner recipe that's quick, satisfying, and full of flavor, this Italian Salmon and Orzo is exactly what you need! It’s a fresh, easy meal that feels fancy without requiring hours in the kitchen. The salmon comes out perfectly tender, the orzo is creamy and bright with lemon and parmesan, and the addition of cherry tomatoes and zucchini turns it into a well-rounded meal. It's everything you could want in a weeknight dinner!
How to Make Italian Salmon and Orzo
Keep in mind that while I have separate instructions for making the orzo and salmon, you can make them simultaneously. Just make sure to chop all the vegetables and prep the salmon with the butter and seasoning before starting the orzo. Then you can cook the orzo either while the oven is preheating or while the salmon is baking.
The Orzo
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and sliced zucchini, then sauté for about 4-5 minutes, until the zucchini has started to soften.
Next, stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and orzo, letting it all cook together for about 2 minutes. Then add the vegetable broth, turn the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Let it boil for around 8 minutes until the orzo has cooked through. The orzo will have absorbed most of the liquid. Be sure to stir frequently so the orzo doesn’t stick or burn on the bottom of the pan.
Once the orzo has cooked through, turn the heat down and stir in the fresh lemon juice and heavy cream. Finish it off by adding in the parmesan cheese and the halved cherry tomatoes. Then let the tomatoes soften as they simmer with the rest of the ingredients.
The Salmon
Preheat your oven to 400° Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, ground black pepper, minced garlic, and fresh lemon juice. This mixture will be the glaze for the salmon and will add lots of flavor.
Put a large piece of tin foil on a baking sheet and place the fresh salmon on top. You can either us one large 1 lb piece of salmon, or four 4 oz salmon fillets. Spoon the seasoned butter mixture over the salmon, completely coating the top. Place the lemon slices on top, then fold up the tin foil around the salmon, creating a little packet and sealing it with some room for air to circulate.
Bake the salmon in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. If you like your salmon with a crispy crust, open the tin foil for the last 2 minutes and broil it. Be careful not to overcook it though! Only broil the salmon if it's close to done baking, but not if it's completely cooked. Otherwise it will overcook quickly. The salmon should be opaque and flake easily with a fork when it has finished baking. Once it’s cooked, remove the lemon slices and serve the salmon alongside the orzo.
Tips for Cooking the Salmon
- Use Fresh, Skinless Salmon: Fresh salmon (especially Atlantic salmon) has a milder, less "fishy" taste. Make sure to use skinless fillets or a skinless piece of salmon for easy eating.
- Check the Temperature: If you have a meat thermometer, the salmon should reach an internal temperature of 145°F. If you don’t have one, check by gently flaking the salmon with a fork. It should easily come apart. Keep in mind that the baking time might vary depending on the thickness of the fish, so check on it a few minutes before you think it will be done and adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Broil for Crispness: If you love a crispy salmon crust, broil the salmon for the last 2 minutes of baking, but only if it’s close to done. Don’t broil the salmon if it’s already done cooking.
Substitutions
- Heavy Cream: For a lighter version, you can substitute the heavy cream with half-and-half or even leave it out if you'd like.
- Vegetables: I like using cherry tomatoes and zucchini in this recipe, but you could swap them out for other vegetables like spinach (added at the end) or yellow squash.
- Seasoning: I like to keep this recipe simple by using Italian seasoning, but if you'd prefer, you could create your own blend using spices like oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary.
Other Salmon Recipes
If you loved this Italian Salmon and Orzo, here are some other salmon recipes on my blog that you’ll want to try:
Teriyaki Salmon Bowl with Creamy Sriracha
Creamy Salmon Picatta and Pasta
Creamy Tuscan Salmon and Pasta
If you try out this Italian salmon and orzo, or any of my other recipes, I’d LOVE to hear about it. You can leave a comment below the recipe, or if you post a picture on Instagram, be sure to tag me! Getting any feedback on my recipes is both rewarding AND helpful as I write and edit recipes in the future.
Now get cooking, and enjoy!
Equipment
- large sauce pan
- tin foil
- baking sheet
Ingredients
Orzo
- 2 tablespoon butter *
- 1 large shallot minced
- 1 zucchini sliced and quartered
- 1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 ¾ cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese **
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
Lemon Italian Salmon
- 3 tablespoon melted butter *
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 lb fresh skinless Atlantic salmon (use 4 filets or 1 piece)
- 4 lemon slices
Instructions
Orzo
- In a large sauce pan, melt the butter on medium heat, then add the minced shallot and chopped zucchini and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.2 tablespoon butter, 1 large shallot, 1 zucchini
- Then add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and orzo. Stir all together for about 2 minutes.1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 cup orzo
- Add the vegetable broth, turn the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Boil for about 8 minutes, until the liquid has mostly cooked out and the orzo is cooked through. Make sure to stir frequently so that the orzo doesn't burn at the bottom of the pan.1 ¾ cup vegetable broth
- Turn the heat down to low, and stir in the lemon juice and heavy cream. Then stir in the parmesan cheese and halved cherry tomatoes, cover with a lid and let simmer for a few minutes until the tomatoes have softened, stirring frequently.2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup heavy cream, ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 1 pint cherry tomatoes
Lemon Italian Salmon
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Whisk together the melted butter, salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, ground black pepper, minced garlic, and lemon juice.3 tablespoon melted butter, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Place a large piece of tin foil on a baking sheet, and place the salmon on it.*** Spoon the melted butter and seasoning mixture over the salmon, covering the top completely. Spread the lemon slices over the salmon, then pull up the edges of the tin foil, and fold them together, fully enclosing the salmon but still leaving some room for air to circulate.1 lb fresh skinless Atlantic salmon (use 4 filets or 1 piece), 4 lemon slices
- Place the tinfoil-covered salmon (leaving it on the baking sheet) on the middle rack of the oven, and bake it for about 12-15 minutes. Check it right at 12 minutes--you can always reseal the tin foil and cook it for a few more minutes. The salmon is done once it reaches an internal temperature of 145° F. Keep in mind that thicker salmon cuts will need a longer cook time and vice versa.If you don't have a meat thermometer, you'll know the salmon is done once its color has changed from a translucent to opaque pink, and it easily flakes with a fork. If you'd like the salmon to have a crispier crust, broil it for the last 2 minutes of baking, with the tinfoil open. I wouldn't recommend broiling if the salmon is already done baking because it will quickly overcook. But if the salmon is almost cooked through, feel free to broil it for the last few minutes.
- Remove the lemon slices from the salmon and serve it with the cooked orzo.Enjoy!
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