One-Pot Shrimp and Pea Orzo
This quick and easy one-pot shrimp and pea orzo is a great weeknight meal!
Are you tired of one-pot meals yet? Yeah, me either. No way. They’re my fave! Being able to easily throw together a complete meal for my family, all in one pan, at the end of a busy day makes me feel like a rock star. Like I’ve got this whole mom thing figured out.
These days, one-pot meals make up the bulk of what I cook for my family and I’ve made it a goal to share more of them with you. Like this shrimp and pea orzo! It’s simple, light and flavorful, and even my super picky eaters gobbled it up.
The recipe for this one-pan wonder comes from my friend Aimée’s newest book The Simple Bites Kitchen. She sent me a copy last fall when it was first released and all of the recipes I’ve tried so far have been two thumbs way up— like her baked buttermilk chicken strips and french toast with cinnamon maple butter.
I pulled the book off the shelf again last week to see if anything stood out for the spring season, and this shrimp and pea orzo practically jumped right off the page. A quick trip to the store and voila!, it was on the table for dinner that night. And I hoarded the leftovers for lunch the next day.
How to cook orzo pasta
Like all pasta, the best way to cook orzo is in a pot of boiling salted water. A good rule of thumb is 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of orzo. Boil it until “al dente”, or until it has softened but is still slightly firm. Usually this will take 8-10 minutes, but check the package instructions. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse, and set it aside until ready to use.
Tips for cooking shrimp
For easiest preparation, buy shrimp that have already been peeled and de-veined. You can use fresh or frozen, though if you use frozen let them thaw and drain them well before using in a recipe (to quickly thaw the shrimp, run them briefly under lukewarm water in a colander). It’s up to you whether you’d like to remove the shrimp tails or not before cooking— the tails provide a prettier presentation, but removing them makes eating much simpler.
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One-Pot Shrimp and Pea Orzo
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked orzo pasta (420 grams)
- 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth or stock (300 ml)
- 1/4 cup white wine (60 ml)
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 5 green onions , sliced
- 12 ounces shrimp (340 grams)
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Parmesan cheese , for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo pasta and cook into according to directions on the package, or until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Return the pot to the stove and add the vegetable stock and wine. Stir in the paprika, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then add peas and green onions.
- Bring mixture to a boil again, then add shrimp. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until shrimp cook all the way through and turn pink.
- Return the orzo to the pan along with the lemon juice, lemon zest and butter. Cook for a few minutes until orzo soaks up the sauce.
- Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
This is a weeknight favourite around here! (Also a great meal to bring to others). Thanks for the reminder that this is a perfect spring recipe – and try it with new asparagus sometime!
Any idea on nutritional content?
Sorry, still working on getting nutritional info added to the site!
This looks really good , we have our own prawns and are now picking wild asparagus so this recipe will be perfect! I didn’t want to print all your advertising so just pinned it.
Prawns and asparagus sound wonderful!
Looks easy and delicious. I noticed in the picture display of all the ingredients, there were two pats of butter. Where are they added into the recipe?
Yes! Add it along with the orzo and lemon.
I don’t eat shrimp but made this for my husband and daughter and they loved it! I used asparagus. It makes a large amount. I did not end up adding all of the orzo.
Asparagus is a great addition! Glad your family loved it!
My husband is allergic to shellfish. What would be an alternative to the shrimp?
Hi Linda! Feel free to sub any protein for the shrimp per your preference. Chicken or sausage would be great alternatives. Though, with those alternatives I would probably cook them before adding them to the recipe.
I made this tonight for some pretty picky eaters … and there is nothing left! Everyone had seconds! Thank you for a great recipe!
Substitutions:
2 Tbs of Lemon Juice instead of 1 Lemon and Zest
What an amazing accomplishment..he must feel so relieved and you must be so proud! This shrimp pea orzo is awesome! I can see it becoming a staple in my house, especially with the yummy dressing! I really like this recipe. I am very excited to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing a useful ingredient.