Creamy Shrimp Scampi with Orzo is a quick and easy one pan dish! Loaded with garlic, perfectly cooked shrimp, toasted orzo pasta and baby spinach!
It is an effortless one skillet dish that the whole family will love! Ready in under 30 minutes.
Shrimp Scampi with Orzo
After publishing THREE Scampi recipes: Baked Shrimp Scampi with Bread Crumbs, Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi in 15 minutes and Baked Shrimp Scampi over the years, I wanted to give you a recipe for complete meal that is ready in less than 30 minutes.
The best shrimp scampi is easier to make than you might think. It seriously takes minutes to prepare.
Make it with orzo pasta for a super quick complete weeknight meal. Pan seared shrimp compliment to garlicky, buttery and lemony orzo pasta. Plus clean-up is a breeze as it is made in one skillet.
What is in Shrimp Scampi with Orzo
- Shrimp- I recommend to use large or jumbo shrimp. They are juicy and fat. You can leave the tails on or off. It is up to you. If you can find wild-caught shrimp at your local supermarket or fish market, use them. They are healthier and more flavorful than farm-raised shrimp.
- Butter-I love to use butter, but you can substitute it with olive oil to make shrimp scampi healthy.
- Garlic and onion- They add so much flavor to this orzo pasta. Fresh garlic and onion provide the best results. Make sure to mince garlic.
- Orzo pasta- Any brand of orzo pasta will work. You can use either regular or whole grain orzo.
- Chicken Stock- I omitted wine for this scampi recipe because not all of my readers can consume it. Use store-bought or homemade chicken stock. I found that it has more flavor than fish stock. Vegetable stock will work as well.
- Cooking cream-I love creamy pasta and added a bit of cooking cream. It makes this scampi dish very rich and creamy. You can leave it out or replace with broth.
- Parmesan cheese- Try to avoid pre-grated store-bought stuff. You can also use Grana Padano or Romano cheese or omit cheese for a dairy free version.
- Baby spinach- It is tenderer than mature spinach and provides a sweet flavour to the pasta. You can replace it with broccoli, asparagus or mushrooms.
- Lemon juice- I used juice of one small lemon, but feel free to adjust the amount to your liking.
- Seasoning
How to make Shrimp Scampi with Orzo
Get all the ingredients ready and close to the cooking area. The dish cooks really fast.
- Sear the shrimp. Start by searing shrimp in the pan with butter. Cook for 4 minutes (2 minutes per side), until cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Sauté onion and garlic. In the same pan sauté onion until translucent. Then, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Toast the orzo pasta. Add the orzo and stir to lightly toast, about 2 minutes.
- Add the stock. Pour the stock and lemon juice into the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover with the lid and cook for 12 minutes or until orzo is “al dente”.
- Add heavy cream, Parmesan and spinach. Stir in the heavy creamy and parmesan. Once the cheese is melted, add the spinach. Cook until it wilts. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges. Serve right away!
How to serve shrimp scampi with orzo
You don’t need anything with this delicious one skillet dish! But it is always good to serve it with a healthy salad like fattoush or Caesar salad. We also love to eat it with Italian focaccia bread.
How to store and reheat shrimp scampi with orzo
This dish tends to stick when cooled. When reheating, add 1/ 4 cup of liquid (water or stock) and stir well to combine. You can reheat it either in microwave or on the stove.
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
More Shrimp recipes
If you make this Shrimp Scampi recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating! I will be happy to hear from you!
Shrimp Scampi with Orzo
Ingredients
- Shrimp tails on /off, peeled and deveined- 1 lb ( 500 g)
- Ground black pepper and salt- to taste
- Red chili flakes- ¼ teaspoon
- Unsalted butter- 2 tablespoon
- Medium onion finely chopped- 1
- Garlic cloves minced-4
- Orzo pasta- 1 ¼ cup
- Chicken stock- 2 ¾ cup
- Juice of one small lemon
- Heavy cream- ½ cup
- Parmesan cheese -⅓ cup
- Baby spinach- 4 cups
- Fresh parsley finely chopped- 2 tablespoons
Equipment
Instructions
- Season the shrimp with salt, black pepper and chili flakes. Keep aside.
- In a large skillet or non stick pan melt butter. Add the shrimp and sear for 2 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook further for 40 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in orzo pasta and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
- Pour the chicken stock into the pan. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Cover and cook for 12 minutes until "al dente". Stir the orzo from time to time to ensure it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Add in the heavy cream, lemon juice and parmesan cheese. Cook further for 1-2 minutes.
- Finally add the baby spinach and cook until it wilts.
- Return the shrimp back to the pan and cook until warmed through. Adjust seasoning to your taste. Garnish with fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese and lemon wedges.Enjoy!
Nutrition
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Nancy says
I made this tonight and it was delicious!! Thank you.
Tatiana says
Thank you so much, Nancy! 😊 I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Jinx says
My husband loved this recipe.
Tatiana says
Hey Jinx! That’s fantastic to hear! 😊 So glad your husband enjoyed it. Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback.