This savory Mediterranean shrimp orzo skillet is an easy weeknight meal that comes together in under 30 minutes. The shrimp are cooked in a garlicky white wine sauce with fresh tomatoes, then paired with a creamy spinach orzo for an excellent one-pot meal.
This shrimp orzo skillet is infused with flavor from fresh herbs, white wine, ouzo lemon and garlic.
This recipe is inspired by my shrimp saganaki with the addition of ouzo while cooking the shrimp. The addition of orzo pasta with spinach and creamy feta makes it a complete meal. It pairs well with a Panzanella salad or a Greek Salad.
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Ingredients in this Shrimp Orzo Recipe
Simple ingredients with big, bold flavors make up this dish.
- shrimp - we use peeled, deveined shrimp with the tail removed for this recipe.
- olive oil - use extra virgin olive oil for cooking the shrimp and the aromatics for the orzo. We toast the orzo in olive oil before adding the broth
- orzo pasta - the short-cut wheat pasta cooks quickly and soaks up all the delicious flavors from the aromatics to the wine in the dish.
- cherry or grape tomatoes - Cut fresh grape tomatoes in half to add great color and flavor to this meal. If you don't have fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes could also be used.
- dill - we use fresh dill to flavor the shrimp and orzo during cooking and on top of the finished dish as a garnish.
- onions - Green onions and a diced yellow onion are used to flavor the dish. The green onion is also used at the end as a garnish.
- garlic - Thinly slice the garlic to flavor the shrimp and the orzo. You can mince it if you prefer a more subtle garlic flavor.
- white wine - we use a dry white wine to cook the shrimp to give it a delicious flavor. The alcohol burns off leaving behind a subtle sweetness, which enhances the flavor of the shrimp.
- ouzo - the anise-flavored liquor is the secret ingredient that makes this dish sing. Ouzo gets its flavor from star anise, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, and mastiha. Adding ouzo is optional, but highly recommended because once the alcohol burns off, it leaves behind its unique subtle hints of its vibrant flavor.
- spinach - chop spinach to mix with the orzo, adding flavor, color and nutrition to the dish.
- lemon - Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens the dish and adds a zesty finish.
- vegetable broth - We use low-sodium vegetable broth to cook the orzo rather than water, infusing it with delicious flavor.
- feta cheese - we add feta cheese to the orzo just at the end of cooking, which melts and makes the orzo creamy and delicious.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Mediterranean Shrimp Orzo
Cook the shrimp and orzo separately in this recipe, which ensures the proper cooking of each ingredient plus adequate flavor infusion from the aromatics.
Saute onions, dill, and tomatoes in olive oil until tender.
Add the garlic and shrimp to the skillet along with the wine and ouzo.
For the orzo, saute onions, then toast the orzo in olive oil. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until soft.
Add the vegetable broth and cook the orzo and tomatoes until tender.
While the shrimp cooks in one skillet, prepare the orzo in a second skillet. This saves time and then you'll combine once everything is cooked. The shrimp cooks quickly, but because we add wine and ouzo to the shrimp, we want those liquids to cook off and infuse the shrimp with the flavors separately from the orzo.
Toasting the orzo in olive oil ensures it doesn't get mushy and also ensures that it doesn't stick together. It adds a rich, toasty flavor to the dish.
Substitutions and Variations
See below for substitution ideas to make this recipe fit your dietary needs
- Dairy-free - use a vegan feta or skip the feta altogether.
- Orzo - you can use whole-wheat orzo, or ditalini, or to keep it gluten-free, you can use long-grain rice. The cooking time may vary if you change the pasta
This recipe has great flexibility in terms of the veggies you add to the orzo. While we use tomatoes, onions and spinach, you can use red bell peppers or even zucchini. Adjust the cooking time accordingly for any substitutions made.
To make this a one-pot meal, cook the shrimp first, then remove it from the skillet to cook the orzo and combine.
Storing Leftover Shrimp and Orzo
Store leftovers in a food storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. You can also eat the shrimp orzo cold.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Mediterranean Shrimp Orzo
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 green onions diced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 tablespoon dill chopped
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 2.5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups spinach chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 oz ouzo
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Reserve 1 tablespoon yellow onion for the shrimp. Saute the remaining yellow and green onions until tender, 6-8 minutes.
- Add the orzo, dill, half of the tomatoes and half of the sliced garlic to the pan. Toast the orzo until golden, stirring frequently.
- Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes until the orzo is cooked through and a little liquid remains.
- Once the orzo is cooked through, add the spinach, feta and lemon juice to the pot.
- While the orzo cooks, prepare the shrimp. In a separate skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the reserved onions and tomatoes until tender (6 minutes). Add the remaining garlic and shrimp to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Pour the wine into the skillet along with the ouzo and cook the shrimp until the liquid is mostly evaporated about 10 minutes.
- Pour the shrimp mixture over the orzo and garnish with fresh dill and green onions.
Suzanne Andrews says
This meal was delicious. The kids loved it! The shrimp was tender and the ouzo added so much flavor. On the repeat meal list!
Eva says
Hi Suzanne! I'm so glad you loved it. thanks for taking the time to leave a review and comment.
Simon Panagopoulos says
I made everything in one pan by cooking the shrimp first then the orzo. I was nervous about lemon juice and ouzo, but it worked. It was delicious! Thanks for another great recipe.
Eva says
Hi Simon! So glad you loved it. Thanks for taking the time to review and leave a comment. Cheers!