Creamy Shrimp Scampi With Orzo

12 Feb, 2021 Creamy Shrimp Scampi With Orzo Joanne Rappos mains One Pot Creamy lemony orzo with juicy shrimp Shrimp Scampi

shrimp, orzo, one pot meals

Updated 14th November 2023

This One-pot Creamy Orzo Pasta with plenty of juicy shrimp in it is a comforting dish that is simple to make and never disappoints. It’s quite versatile - make sure to check out the recipe notes for extra tips and substations. Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta is a dish made with shrimp in a scampi sauce. A scampi sauce is usually made up with garlic butter and wine sauce, so very simple to make. It can be served alone, with pasta, rice or even crusty bread. Here it’s mixed into a creamy lemony orzo making this an effortless one pot meal everyone will love for a quick and easy weeknight meal or date night perfect with a simple side salad and a glass of wine!

Creamy Shrimp Scampi With Orzo

I love creamy orzo - stems from a guilty pleasure involving those creamy packaged pasta sides you find lurking near the hamburger helper and mac and cheese at the grocery store. I was introduced to them by my roommate and was forever ruined. Well this Creamy One Pot Orzo dish is better than any boxed pasta side you’ll get and way better for you even with the cream and butter in it. You guys love my Creamy One Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken And Orzo Risotto and so do I so I decided to do a simplified version using creamy garlic shrimp - and you are going to love it.

Creamy Shrimp Scampi With Orzo

Here is what you will need for this Shrimp Scampi Pasta (orzo) Recipe:

SHRIMP: I recommend either large or jumbo and I like to leave the tails on but that is up to you. Use whatever you like and have on hand and you decide whether you like the tails on or off. Makes sure and check out the recipe notes for an alternative protein, veggie version and dairy free version.
BUTTER: Yes there is butter in this dish. I never skimp on butter because I don’t eat tons of it on a daily basis. Like everything in life and eating, it’s all about moderation. That being said, if you want to use olive oil or another type of fat, go for it. I use unsalted butter for this recipe.
SHALLOT & GARLIC: The tasty combination of shallots and garlic adds so much flavor to our creamy spinach orzo. I love to use shallots in dishes like this that are quick and not low and slow cooked as well as in dressings because they have a more delicate sweeter flavor than onions - but feel free to substitute with yellow onion if you don’t have any.
ORZO: Any type of orzo will work for this recipe - regular or whole grain - I would love to find a gluten free one - if you know of any let me know. If you don’t have orzo any short pasta will work too like elbow macaroni or ditalini.
WHITE WINE: Scampi sauce usually has it and I love to deglaze with wine in my dishes as it adds a delicious layer of flavour to any dish. Most of the alcohol cooks off during the cooking process but feel free to leave it out if you don’t want to add it in. I use a dry white wine.
BROTH: I either use low sodium chicken broth or chicken stock or vegetable broth which really is the base liquid that the orzo cooks in for this one pot meal
CREAM: Just a little bit of cream goes a long way and if you want to skip it all together that is fine - it adds a creamy luxurious richness to the dish but for a lighter version just use a little broth in its place.
PARMESAN CHEESE: It adds to the flavour and creaminess of the dish and a little goes a long way here too. For a dairy free version just omit.
SEASONING: I kept things simple with salt, pepper and chili flakes. If you would like to further season your shrimp please do so as desired with a seesawing blend like lemon pepper or Cajun spice blend, Italian seasoning, or simply adding a pinch of paprika or cayenne or even a little thyme or oregano.
LEMON: You will need 1 lemon zested and juiced plus more lemon slices or wedges for serving if desired.

Creamy Shrimp Scampi With Orzo

How to Make Creamy Shrimp Scampi with Orzo (detailed instructions below in recipe)

SEASON shrimp
SAUTE shrimp in a large skillet, do not over cook then remove then from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
ADD shallots and garlic to pan and cook until softened.
Add the orzo to pan and TOAST stirring for 1-2 minutes
DEGLAZE pan with wine and lemon juice scraping the bottom of pan to release any brown bits
STIR in broth and allow the orzo to simmer on medium heat or lower until it’s just about cooked through
STIR in cream and grated cheese
RETURN the shrimp back into pan and stir to coat everything
SERVE with chopped fresh parsley for garnish and extra lemon slices/wedges along with extra cheese

Creamy Shrimp Scampi With Orzo

Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe Storage & Reheating

STORAGE: Leftovers in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. One pot pasta dishes generally have the best texture the day they are made.
REHEAT: To heat up the leftovers, simply add everything to a saucepan on the stove until warmed through or in the microwave. You may need to add extra broth, or even a touch cream to help loosen up the sauce as with any one pot pasta dishes.

Creamy Shrimp Scampi With Orzo

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Recipe

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 20-25 mins

Ingredients

1-1½ lb of shrimp peeled and deveined (I like leaving my tails on but that is optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 shallot peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
1¼ cup orzo
⅓ cup white wine
Juice and zest of one lemon
2 cups of broth (chicken or veggie), plus more if needed
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley chopped for serving

Directions

Season shrimp with salt, pepper to taste, and chili flakes; set aside.
Heat butter in a large shallow pan or skillet over medium high heat. Sear shrimp approx 1 ½ min on each side or until cooked then transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
Add the garlic, and shallot to pan and cook, stirring often, until shallots have become translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in orzo and cook until lightly browned and toasted about 1-2 minutes.
Deglaze pan with the wine and the lemon juice and lemon zest. Simmer for a minute until liquids have reduced slightly.
Stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is just about cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Make sure to check and gently stir periodically to ensure orzo isn’t sticking to the bottom of pan.
Remove lid and lower heat, then stir in the cream and the Parmesan cheese and cook another few minutes until thickened.
Stir in the shrimp and cook until warmed through. Test for seasoning and serve immediately with extra lemon wedges, parmesan cheese, and sprinkled with parsley.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to two days and reheated stove top with extra liquid/broth and extra seasoning. Dishes like risotto and creamy orzo never taste exactly the same after they have been initially cooked.

Recipe Notes

Substitute shrimp with cubed or sliced chicken breast or even sausage - sear until cooked through (will take longer to cook than the shrimp) or you can stir in frozen peas, mushrooms or asparagus for a veggie version. You can finish off the dish by stirring in some veggies or greens too - I like to stir in spinach or arugula along with the shrimp.
For a dairy free version use olive oil and substitute the cream with more broth and omit the cheese.
The wine adds flavour and a lot of it dissipates when cooked - but If you want to leave it out that is fine.
If the mixture seems a little more sticky than creamy, adding a bit more chicken stock usually does the trick.
As with any dish, it’s important to taste to make sure the seasoning is correct according to your taste, I almost always have to add an extra pinch of salt and pepper at the end
Make sure to gently stir the orzo while cooking so it doesn’t stick to the bottomed the pan.

Adapted from NYTcooking

Creamy Shrimp Scampi With Orzo