Get ready to spoil your Valentine this year with a restaurant worthy meal made right at home. Cheesy Lobster Orzo is one part risotto, one part mac and cheese, and equal parts delicious.

We typically don’t go out on Valentine’s Day for dinner. The restaurants are always too crowded and the prix fix menus are too pricey. Instead, we pick a recipe, like this cheesy lobster orzo, that feels like a restaurant meal but is easy to make at home.

This dish was inspired by a visit to a restaurant in Philadelphia a few years ago. We were at a party and they were passing around little spoons of orzo macaroni and cheese. I fell in love instantly and knew I needed to make it at home.

This version has large chunks of lobster added in. You can easily substitute crab, shrimp, or leave out the protein all together. Either way, this dish will be delicious.

The best combination for a cheesy orzo recipe, in my opinion, is a mix of white cheddar, Parmesan, and shredded Gruyere. I’ve also made this with Jarlsberg in place of the cheddar and it was equally yummy.

If you like this cheesy lobster orzo recipe, you should also check out these other great date night recipes:

• Braised Short Ribs
• Roasted Beet and Blue Cheese Tart
• Walnut Crusted Pork Tenderloin
• Braised Balsamic Beef
• Maryland Crab Cakes

Of course, no Valentine’s dinner or date night meal is complete without some delicious desserts to end the meal. Be sure to check out some of these super yummy options:

• Raspberry Lava Cake
• Red Velvet Truffle Oreo Hearts
• Chocolate Strawberry Hearts
• Strawberry Prosecco Cupcakes
• No Bake Turtle Cheesecake

If you make this cheesy orzo mac and cheese or any other recipe from the blog, I’d love to hear about your experience. Let me know in the comments or snap a photo and tag it #MySuburbanKitchen on Instagram or Twitter.

Yield: 6 Servings

Cheesy Lobster Orzo

Print

Cheesy lobster orzo is a delicious, restaurant worthy meal that you can easily make at home.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup orzo
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 3/4 cups broth or stock
• 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded white cheddar
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
• 3/4 lb cooked lobster meat, broken into chunks

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute or until fragrant.
3. Add orzo and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
4. Stir in wine and broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
5. Remove from heat and stir in all three cheeses and lobster. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 279Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 417mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 24g

Pasta Carbonara is a super easy but indulgent meal that comes together in under 20 minutes. Learn how to make authentic carbonara with easy to follow recipe. 

When we visited Rome last year, I was so excited for authentic carbonara. I ordered it at practically every restaurant we visited. Learn how to make this Roman pasta at home with just a few simple ingredients.

…

Read More »