Shrimp scampi orzo is a quick and flavorful dinner made with juicy shrimp, garlic, lemon, and orzo pasta. It’s light, fresh, and comes together in one pan in about 30 minutes. Perfect for a weeknight meal that tastes restaurant-quality.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this easy recipe:
This shrimp scampi orzo is made with simple, flavorful ingredients. You can use peeled shrimp to save time, but I like to use shell-on shrimp for extra flavor — simmering the shells briefly in the broth adds a rich, briny depth that makes the dish even better. It’s totally optional, though, and the recipe works great either way.
Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta that cooks quickly and soaks up all the delicious sauce.
Chicken broth and white wine form the base, while garlic, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes give it that classic scampi flavor. Instead of wine, you can use more chicken broth with more lemon juice or a small amount of white wine vinegar.
A sprinkle of Parmesan and fresh parsley at the end ties everything together.
What you could also add: A handful of baby spinach stirred in at the end until wilted, a few sun-dried tomatoes for richness, or frozen peas for extra color and sweetness. Zest of 1/2 lemon would also be lovely.
To make it creamy, add a splash of cream at the end or stir in a dollop of cream cheese.
How to make it step-by-step
Prepare the ingredients:
STEP 1: If using peel-on shrimp, peel the shrimp and add the peels to the broth. Let the broth cook over very low heat while you are preparing the dish, then strain. Discard the peels.
(1 pound (450g) peeled and deveined shrimp, 2 cups (480ml) chicken broth)
STEP 2: Finely chop the garlic (chop the garlic listed for the shrimp and for the orzo so you don’t have to do this twice).
Dice the shallots/onion into small dice. Chop the parsley.
Shred Parmesan on the small holes of a grater and juice the lemon.
(6 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 5 teaspoons lemon juice, 2 shallots, or 1/2 medium onion, 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese)
Cook the shrimp:
STEP 3: Cook the shrimp in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. This is how I cook shrimp: Add the olive oil to a large frying pan and heat over medium-high to high heat. Place the shrimp in a circular pattern (clockwise) — this way, you’ll know which one to flip first. As soon as you place the last shrimp, start turning the first one over and continue in order.
Season the shrimp with salt and pepper right after placing them in the pan, and again after flipping. Once both sides are lightly browned and just cooked through, transfer the shrimp to a plate and repeat with the next batch.
STEP 4: After all the shrimp are cooked, return them all briefly to the pan, pushing them to the side.
Add the butter and garlic to the center of the pan and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
(1/2 tablespoon butter, 3 cloves garlic)
STEP 5: Stir everything together, then transfer the shrimp to a plate. Drizzle immediately with lemon juice and toss with chopped parsley. Set aside.
(2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 4 teaspoons lemon juice)
Cook the orzo:
STEP 6: Add the remaining butter and shallots/onions to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened, then add the remaining garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
(1 tablespoon butter, 2 shallots, or 1/2 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, pinch of red pepper flakes)
Add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes, until evaporated. Scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
(1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine)
STEP 7: Add the orzo and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cook according to the package instructions until soft (it’s 6 minutes for my pasta), stirring from time to time. The cooking time may vary depending on the brand, so if your orzo takes longer, for example 12 minutes, you will need about ½ cup more broth.
STEP 8: Add the Parmesan and stir until melted.
Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
(1 cup (180g) orzo pasta, 2 cups (480ml) chicken broth, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon lemon juice)
Assemble: Place the cooked shrimp on top of the orzo and cook for 10-20 seconds until warmed through.
Enjoy!
Storage
Shrimp scampi orzo is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The orzo will lose a bit of its bite as it continues to absorb the sauce and become softer. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of broth or water to loosen the orzo. Freezing is not recommended, as the texture of the shrimp and orzo may change.
More delicious shrimp recipes you may like
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Shrimp Scampi Orzo
składniki
for the shrimp:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound (450g) peeled and deveined shrimp I used 1 1/2 pounds of frozen peel-on shrimp, which yield 1 pound after thawing and peeling
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
for the orzo:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 shallots or 1/2 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine
- 1 cup (180g) orzo pasta
- 2 cups (480ml) chicken broth you may need more
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
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wykonanie
Prepare the ingredients:
- If using peel-on shrimp, peel the shrimp and add the peels to the broth. Let the broth cook over very low heat while you are preparing the dish, then strain. Discard the peels.
- Finely chop the garlic (chop the garlic listed for the shrimp and for the orzo so you don’t have to do this twice).
- Dice the shallots/onion into small dice. Chop the parsley.
- Shred Parmesan on the small holes of a grater and juice the lemon.
Cook the shrimp:
- Cook the shrimp in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. This is how I cook shrimp: Add the olive oil to a large frying pan and heat over medium-high to high heat. Place the shrimp in a circular pattern (clockwise) — this way, you’ll know which one to flip first. As soon as you place the last shrimp, start turning the first one over and continue in order.
- Season the shrimp with salt and pepper right after placing them in the pan, and again after flipping. Once both sides are lightly browned and just cooked through, transfer the shrimp to a plate and repeat with the next batch.
- After all the shrimp are cooked, return them all briefly to the pan, pushing them to the side. Add the butter and garlic to the center of the pan and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Stir everything together, then transfer the shrimp to a plate. Drizzle immediately with lemon juice and toss with chopped parsley. Set aside.
Cook the orzo:
- Add the butter and shallots/onions to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened, then add the remaining garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes, until evaporated. Scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the orzo and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cook according to the package instructions until soft (it's 6 minutes for my pasta), stirring from time to time. The cooking time may vary depending on the brand, so if your orzo takes longer, for example 12 minutes, you will need about ½ cup more broth.
- Add the Parmesan and stir until melted.
- Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble: Place the cooked shrimp on top of the orzo and cook for 10-20 seconds until warmed through.
- Enjoy!
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