Lemon Shrimp and Orzo

Lemon Shrimp and Orzo is a light, zesty shrimp recipe that mixes orzo pasta with garlic, shallot, shrimp, butter, lemon juice and white wine to create a simple, elegant and delicious meal. Serve this with crusty bread and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

LEMON SHRIMP AND ORZO

Many of you have made my Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta recipe.

It is one I make time and time again for my family whether it is just a weeknight meal or an elegant meal.

I love the sauce with just the shrimp from time to time but I also really love it with orzo.

The small pasta really lets the shrimp and lemon shine and creates a cozy yet light dish.

If you have been hanging around here for a while you know my love for orzo.

I add it in so many of my recipes including some favorites like this Summer Orzo Pasta Salad, Mediterranean Orzo, Greek Orzo Salad, Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad, Lemon Orzo Recipe or this Lemon Chicken Orzo.

This pairs nicely with white wine, crusty bread and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

If you need a meal to serve at a holiday like New Years Eve this would be a great one.

We love shrimp in my house and rotate between recipes like this Lemon Shrimp and Orzo, Easy Greek Shrimp Marinade, Easy Shrimp Curry, Shrimp Creole Recipe, Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp, Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe or this Shrimp Kale Artichoke Pasta.

Why You Will Love This Recipe:

You Only Need a Handful of Ingredients: Shrimp Orzo only uses a handful of simple ingredients. You can feel good about making this light pasta meal. The shrimp pairs so nicely with the butter lemon white wine sauce and the fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese are the perfect finishing touches.

Light and so flavorful: This recipe is great year-round but especially in the warmer months. The orzo and shrimp are both light but also filling and comforting. The lemon and fresh parsley offer a zesty herby flavor to the shrimp.

Easy for a weeknight or an elegant meal: This recipe is so easy to put together and get on the table. It works nicely for easy weeknight dinners and makes great leftovers or an elegant meal with white wine and crusty bread.

What You Will Need:

• orzo: this recipe uses regular orzo but you can also use whole wheat orzo for a healthier version. If you don’t have orzo on hand use a small pasta shape.
• butter: I love the butter alongside the shrimp because the fat helps add that rich flavor. If you are trying to avoid butter just use more extra virgin olive oil instead.
• garlic cloves: fresh minced garlic is what I try to use in this recipe. It adds such a nice flavor alongside the shallot and butter. If you don’t have fresh garlic you can use garlic powder or frozen garlic.
• shallot: If you can get ahold of a shallot I highly recommend going this route. It adds a nutty, earthy flavor that I just love in a lemon shrimp recipe. If you prefer you can use red onions or sweet onion in its place or leave the onion out if you don’t want the onion.
• shrimp: when I make a shrimp pasta dish I like to use fresh, raw shrimp. I peel, deveine and remove the tails but if you want you can leave the tails on and just remove them when you eat the shrimp.
• lemon: lemon juice and lemon zest add that sweetness to balance out the garlic and shallot. I love it paired with shrimp and it really adds a brightness to the dish. I suggest fresh lemon juice whenever possible.
• white wine: a white wine like pinot grigio is a great addition to the sauce in this dish. It cooks off slightly to create a sweet, lemon sauce.
• fresh parsley: chopped fresh parsley finishes off the shrimp dish. I love fresh herbs whenever I make fresh pasta with shrimp. Some other great herbs to add is fresh basil, dill or fresh oregano.

Step by Step Instructions:

1. Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water a boil. Cook the orzo according to the package directions to al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water so it stop cooking and set aside.

2. Saute Garlic & Shallot: While the orzo cooks heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic for 2 minutes. Add the shallot {or onion} and a sprinkle of salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion is soft.

3. Add the Shrimp: Add the deveined shrimp and a dash or salt and cook until the shrimp turns pink, about 4-5 minutes.

4. Add the Wine: Add the white wine and lemon juice and simmer for 3 more minutes. Remove the shrimp from the stove.

6. Mix the Orzo with the Shrimp: In a large mixing bowl add the orzo, shrimp mixture, zest of the lemon, parsley and stir gently. 
Taste and add salt and pepper.

7. Serve: Serve the orzo shrimp a simple salad and with additional fresh parsley, lemon wedges and Parmesan cheese.

Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Ways to Modify This Shrimp Orzo:

pasta: if you don’t want to use orzo try a smaller shaped pasta. I find that it pairs really nicely and lets the shrimp shine in the dish.

grain: you could sub the orzo for a grain like couscous, brown rice, white rice, quinoa, bulgur or farro. All of these would be great in this shrimp recipe.

vegetables: If you want you could add additional vegetables into this dish. Try fresh cherry tomatoes, green beans, asparagus, peas, green onions or broccoli.

cheese: parmesan cheese is a nice way to finish off the dish. You also could use goat cheese, feta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese or fresh mozzarella.

spices: if you want extra flavor try adding more spices like red pepper flakes, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano or Italian seasoning.

greens: sometimes I like to add greens like baby spinach, arugula or swiss chard.

other ingredients: some other ingredients I like in this dish are artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, roasted red peppers or capers.

Other Seafood Recipes You Might Like:

Baked Cod With Lemon

Greek Baked Tilapia

Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole

Pan Fried Garlic Butter Cod

Air Fryer Cod

Air Fryer Crab Rangoon

Black Sea Bass