Shrimp Orzo in Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce

A bowl with shrimp orzo in lemon butter sauce and utensils.

Shrimp Orzo in Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce

This shrimp orzo in a lemon garlic butter sauce is bright, buttery, and ready in 30 minutes. Perfect for a quick dinner or entertaining guests.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings

Calories 500kcal

Author by Jenny Skrapaliori Graves

Equipment

12-inch skillet (cast iron works well)
medium saucepan with lid
citrus squeezer
fine grater

Ingredients

1½ cups orzo pasta ← currently blank on the live card
2 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
1 shallot diced
3 garlic cloves minced, divided
1 cup dry white wine or broth
3 cups stock vegetable or chicken (or water — see notes)
½ cup fresh parsley leaves chopped
2 lemons juiced and zested, divided
7 tablespoons butter divided (2 for the orzo, 5 for the sauce)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Instructions

Marinate the shrimp. In a bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, a pinch or two of red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and 1 minced garlic clove. Set aside. (You can do this up to 1 hour ahead; keep it in the fridge.)
Toast and cook the orzo. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When it bubbles, add the orzo and stir often until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until al dente, about 12 minutes.
Sear the shrimp. While the orzo cooks, heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add half the shrimp in one layer and cook undisturbed until they start turning pink, about 1 minute. Flip, cook 1 minute more, and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the rest. They'll finish cooking in the sauce.
Make the brown butter sauce. In the same skillet, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan, until it foams, turns golden brown, and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shallot and remaining garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, lemon juice, remaining zest, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and plenty of black pepper. Simmer until the sauce reduces by about half, 4 to 5 minutes.
Finish the shrimp. Return the shrimp and any juices to the skillet and simmer just until the flesh is pearly and opaque throughout (145°F/63°C), 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt.
Serve. Spoon the orzo into shallow bowls, top with the shrimp, and pour the sauce generously over everything. Finish with parsley and more lemon if you like. Serve right away, with crusty bread.

Notes

Butter. You can use salted or unsalted. If using salted butter, skip the salt when cooking the orzo, marinate the shrimp with just a pinch of sea salt, and season the sauce to taste at the end.

Shrimp doneness. Shrimp are done when the flesh is pearly and opaque throughout (145°F/63°C). Royal red shrimp are red even when raw, so go by texture and opacity, not color.

Leftovers. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth.

If using water instead of stock, add ½ teaspoon salt.

Nutrition. The nutritional information is an estimate and can vary with the products used.

Nutrition