Shrimp Orzo
A bright one-pot shrimp orzo with asparagus. Perfect for busy weeknights. Simple and delicious—even the orzo gets cooked right in the pot!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds large raw shrimp 31 to 35 count, peeled and deveined (use fresh or frozen, thawed shrimp)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound asparagus trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 8 ounces uncooked whole wheat orzo pasta I like DeLallo
- 2 ½ cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 large lemon zest and juice (about ¼ cup)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus additional for serving
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the shrimp in a small bowl, sprinkle with pepper and salt, and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then stir in the orzo. Increase the heat to medium high and cook the orzo until it's lightly browned and smells toasty, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a boil. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the pan so that you loosen any stuck pasta. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to a simmer, and let cook 5 minutes. Remove the lid and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan again. Add the asparagus, recover, then continue cooking until the pasta is just becoming tender, about 10 minutes. The pasta will look a little liquidy. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, parsley, and the seasoned shrimp. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan over the top.
- Bake the pasta, uncovered, just until the shrimp are cooked through, about 8 - 10 minutes. The shrimp will be pink, fairly firm, and opaque—do not overcook. Sprinkle with additional chopped parsley and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 6)Calories: 294kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 23gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 126mgPotassium: 439mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 931IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 167mgIron: 3mg
