This super easy Shrimp and Orzo dish is savory and full of great flavor. Plenty of fresh herbs, tomatoes and red pepper for a fantastic flavor explosion! 

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Why We Think This Shrimp and Orzo is the BEST!

  • It’s an easy to make recipe, full of flavor that makes a GREAT jumping off point to make it your own.
  • This is the type of dish that you can make for an easy weeknight dinner, however it also makes an insanely beautiful elegant meal as well.
  • When you want something a little less budget friendly but you don’t want to break the bank to do it, this meal is incredibly satisfying for that.

Recipe Ingredients

  • uncooked orzo – you can find this in your pasta aisle
  • olive oil
  • salt and black pepper
  • shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • onion – we prefer white but you can use whatever you have
  • minced garlic
  • crushed red pepper
  • cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (you can quarter them if you’d like as well)
  • grated fresh Asiago Romano cheese
  • chopped fresh basil

This is an especially good recipe to use if you grow tomatoes and only have a handful or so for the meal.

Shrimp and Orzo

How to Make Shrimp and Orzo Step by Step

Step 1: Cook the orzo according to the package directions. Mine was 9 minutes. Don’t add anything to it. Drain and set aside.

Step 2: While the orzo is cooking, over medium high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet.

Step 3: In a small bowl, toss the shrimp with ½ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper.

Step 4: Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Step 5: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add your chopped onion, garlic and red pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the onions begin to look just a bit translucent. Stir frequently.

Step 6: Add the sliced tomatoes and cook for an additional 3 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.

Step 7: Add the orzo and shrimp to the skillet. Add the other ¼ teaspoon of salt, ⅛ teaspoon of pepper, the Romano cheese and the chopped basil. Cook everything together for another minute or so to heat through.

Remove from heat and serve!

Storage for this recipe

Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply drizzle a little water on top and microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes or until hot.

Additions & Substitutions

Additions: This orzo dish stands very well on it’s own but here are a few fun additions!

  • spinach
  • parmesan cheese or shredded mozzarella
  • lemon juice

Substitutions:

Shrimp – Feel free to change the shrimp to chicken or pork or something else that fits your needs.

Basil – Fresh Rosemary is also incredible in this dish.

Cheese – Instead of the Asiago Romano, use parmesan or reach for a finely shredded pepper jack or even kick it up a bit with feta or another flavorful cheese you enjoy!

Shrimp and Orzo

More Orzo Recipes We Like

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Shrimp and Orzo

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See these great shrimp recipes!

Shrimp and Orzo Recipe

Shrimp and Orzo

Shrimp and Orzo

Nicole Cook
Perfect for a busy, summer weeknight, but pretty and flavorful enough to serve at a grand event.
4.92 from 12 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Seafood Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 365 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup orzo uncooked
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • ¾ teaspoon salt divided
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper divided
  • 1 pounds shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup onion we used white but any will do
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half
  • cup Asiago Romano cheese grated
  • cup fresh basil chopped

Instructions
 

  • Cook the orzo according to the package directions. Mine was 9 minutes. Don’t add anything to it. Drain and set aside.
  • While the orzo is cooking, over medium high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet.
  • In a small bowl, toss the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.
  • Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from skillet and set aside.
  • Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add your chopped onion, garlic and red pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the onions begin to look just a bit translucent. Stir frequently.
  • Add the sliced tomatoes and cook for an additional 3 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.
  • Add the orzo and shrimp to the skillet. Add the other 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, the Romano cheese and the chopped basil.
  • Cook everything together for another minute or so to heat through.
  • Remove from heat and serve!

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 31gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 190mgSodium: 730mgPotassium: 604mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 490IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 181mgIron: 2mg
Keyword easy seafood recipes
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22 Comments

  1. You could post a shrimp recipe every week, I wouldn’t mind. I only have access to frozen or previously frozen shrimp here. You do what you gotta do.

  2. I made this recipe for dinner tonight. I loved how easy this was to make and had all the ingredients without having to make another trip to the store.

    I felt something was missing and would consider making some adjustments the next time to increase the flavor:
    -Add more basil
    -Cook the orzo in chicken broth
    -Add the juice of a half lemon or to taste

    I did adjust this time:
    -Added a little pasta water to the final 1-2 of heating before serving ( improve moistness)
    -Reduced the red pepper to 1/8 tsp

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