Quick, creamy, and packed with flavor, this Shrimp Scampi Orzo is your new weeknight dinner hero. Juicy, seasoned shrimp? Check. Garlicky orzo that’s soft and saucy like risotto but way less needy? Check. And best of all, it’s done in under 25 minutes, with just one pot and barely any cleanup. (Translation: more time for dessert. Or doing absolutely nothing.)
If you like one-pot meals, check out my One Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken & Rice! I love to serve this dish with green beans to add some color. If orzo is your jam, then you can't go wrong with my Quick and Juicy Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta or my Delicious Greek Chicken Orzo Bake!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
One pot and 25 minutes is genuinely all you need for this one. The orzo cooks directly in the garlic butter white wine broth so every grain is packed with flavor.
It has that silky, creamy, risotto-like texture without any of the risotto effort.
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano melted in at the end takes the whole thing over the top. It works as a fast weeknight dinner and an impressive dinner party dish.
Shrimp Scampi Orzo Video
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Ingredient Notes
Full recipe and instruction in the recipe card at the end of the post
Shrimp: The same rule applies here as in my Sheet Pan Garlic Shrimp. Size matters. Large shrimp cook in 45 seconds per side at medium high heat and stay juicy. Smaller shrimp overcook in the time it takes you to turn them.
Orzo: Rice-shaped pasta used widely across Mediterranean cooking, particularly in Greek and Italian kitchens. The key technique here is toasting it in the butter and olive oil for 3 minutes before adding any liquid.
Garlic, Shallot, Butter and Olive Oil: The aromatic base that everything is built on. Fresh garlic and minced shallot cooked in a combination of butter and olive oil gives you a richer, more complex base than either fat alone. If you want to understand what good olive oil does for a dish like this, my Mediterranean olive oil guide breaks it all down.
Parmigiano Reggiano: Always freshly grated, Parmigiano Reggiano has a deeper, nuttier, more complex flavor than regular parmesan and it melts into the orzo smoothly without the graininess that pre-shredded cheese with anti-caking agents can cause. I use it in my Sausage and Mushroom Orzo for the same reason. A quarter cup goes a long way here. Grate it fresh right before it goes into the pot.
Dry White Wine: Optional but I genuinely recommend it. Dry white wine deglazes the pan after the orzo toasts and adds a depth and slight acidity to the sauce that makes everything taste more complex.
Lemon Zest and Juice: The zest goes into the orzo as it simmers and adds a fragrant floral lemon flavor that juice alone cannot give you. The juice goes in at the same time for the brightness and acidity that balances the richness of the butter and cheese.
Substitutions & Variations
No white wine? Add an extra quarter cup of chicken broth and an extra squeeze of lemon juice. The dish will still be delicious, just slightly less complex in flavor.
Want to add vegetables? Baby spinach wilted in at the very end with the parsley works beautifully. Cherry tomatoes added with the broth add a sweet acidity that is very much at home in this Italian coastal flavor profile. If you love a vegetable forward orzo dish, my Asparagus Orzo Pasta Salad is worth bookmarking.
No shallot? Half a small white onion works well as a substitute. The flavor will be slightly sharper but still very good.
Want more heat? Double the red pepper flakes. This dish can handle more spice than you think and a little heat against the lemon and butter is a very good combination.
FAQ
Yes, just make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry before cooking.
You can use any small pasta like ditalini.
Yes, you can use a dairy-free butter alternative and omit the heavy cream. You can also use nutritional yeast in place of Parmesan for a cheesy flavor.
⭐️ Recipe
One Pot Garlic and Shrimp Orzo
Ingredients
For the shrimp
- 1 ½ lbs shrimp
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
For the orzo
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot minced
- 4-6 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 ½ cups orzo
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup dry white wine optional
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano
- ¼ cup heavy cream optional
- ¼ cup parsley - minced
- salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
Shrimp
- Clean your shrimp and pat dry. Add all your seasonings to your shrimp.1 ½ lbs shrimp, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add in half the shrimp and cook for 45 seconds per side. Repeat with the remainder of the shrimp. Set the shrimp aside.2 tablespoon olive oil
Orzo
- Turn the heat to medium and add in the butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted, add your diced shallots. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until aromatic. Add in the crushed garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoon butter, 1 shallot, 4-6 cloves garlic
- Add in the orzo and toast for 3 minutes.1 ½ cups orzo
- Deglaze the pan with white wine and simmer for 2 minutes.¼ cup dry white wine
- Add your chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and seasonings. Simmer on medium-low for 9-10 minutes or until al dente. If you like your orzo softer, cook for 10-12 minutes or until your desired doneness.3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt and pepper - to taste, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Turn the heat to low. Add in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and heavy cream (if you are using heavy cream). Simmer for 3 minutes. Add the shrimp back in.¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, ¼ cup heavy cream
- Remove from the heat and top with fresh parsley.¼ cup parsley - minced
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!