Weekend Recipe Cookbook

15-Minute Shrimp and Orzo

Prep: 5 min | Cook: 10 min | Total: 15 min | Serves: 2 | Difficulty: Easy.

Introduction

This 15-minute shrimp and orzo skillet is built for tender shrimp and creamy pasta texture-without a pot of boiling water and a second pan. The trick is cooking orzo directly in the same skillet as the shrimp, so the pasta absorbs seasoned juices while the shrimp stays juicy.

You’ll end up with orzo that’s silky and lightly thickened (not dry), plus shrimp that are just cooked through-pink, curled, and springy. Ask yourself as you cook: do you see a gentle simmer and a glossy sauce clinging to the spoon? That’s the sign you’re on track.

Pro tip: use a wide skillet (12-inch if you have it). It spreads the orzo into a thin layer, so it cooks evenly and faster. Your cleanup stays minimal because everything happens in one pan.

Ingredients

• Protein: 1 lb (450 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on or off)
• Produce: 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Produce: 1/2 lemon (zest + 2 Tbsp juice), plus wedges for serving
• Produce: 2 Tbsp chopped parsley (or 1 Tbsp dried, if needed)
• Pantry: 1 cup orzo (about 6 oz / 170 g)
• Pantry: 2 1/4 cups chicken broth (or water + bouillon)
• Pantry: 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Pantry: 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• Spices: 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Spices: 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Spices: 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• Dairy/Flavor: 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (optional but highly recommended)
• Optional add-on: 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels (this helps them sear instead of steam). Season shrimp with 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper, and half the garlic.

2. Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1 minute, until they start to turn pink on the edges.

3. Stir in orzo and cook 30 seconds, coating it in the oil. Add broth and bring to a quick simmer.

4. Reduce to medium. Cook, stirring often, until orzo is tender and the liquid looks creamy, 7-9 minutes. If it’s getting too thick before the orzo is tender, splash in 1-2 Tbsp broth or water.

5. Pro Tip: Don’t overcook the shrimp-after the first simmer starts, they’ll finish cooking in 1-2 minutes. When they’re fully pink and curled, they’re done.

6. Turn off heat. Stir in butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining garlic, and parsley. Taste and adjust salt. If using Parmesan, add it now and stir until glossy.

7. If you’re adding cherry tomatoes, stir them in during the last 2 minutes so they warm through without splitting too much.

8. Serve right away with extra lemon wedges. The sauce thickens as it sits, so it’s best hot and fresh.

Chef Notes & Variations

For storage, keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water, because orzo drinks up liquid fast. When plating, aim for a glossy, spoon-coating texture-if it looks dry, loosen it with a tablespoon at a time.

Note: shrimp sizes vary. If yours are very large, expect closer to 2 minutes of shrimp time during the simmer; if they’re small, they may be ready sooner. The easiest way to check is color: fully pink with an opaque center.

Swap It: no shrimp on hand? Use bay scallops or chopped cooked chicken. For scallops, reduce the shrimp sear time to about 30 seconds and watch closely during simmer. For cooked chicken, skip the initial sear and add chicken after the orzo is tender, then heat through with lemon and butter.

Quick Version

Sear seasoned shrimp 1 min, sauté orzo 30 sec, simmer in broth 7-9 min until creamy, then finish off-heat with butter, lemon zest/juice, parsley (and Parmesan if using). Serve immediately with lemon wedges.