One Pot Garlic Butter Shrimp and Orzo designed for fast weeknight cooking with simple prep and bold flavor.
Skillet Garlic-Butter Shrimp with Silky Orzo
A fast, one-pan weeknight dinner that turns buttery garlic shrimp and toasted orzo into a cozy, sauce-soaked meal in under 30 minutes.
Leo Grant's take for The Snap Skillet is everything a weeknight needs: big flavor with minimal fuss. This one-pot dish is built for evenings when you want restaurant-worthy taste without a pile of dishes—think juicy shrimp, a glossy garlic-butter sauce, and tiny rice-shaped pasta that soaks up every last bit.
The first forkful hits warm butter and garlic, then a bright lemon finish cuts through the richness while grated Parmesan adds a salty, savory note. Toasting the orzo before adding liquid gives the pasta a lightly nutty backbone and helps keep the final texture pleasantly al dente. Quick-cooking shrimp stay plump and just opaque, offering a tender contrast to the slightly chewy orzo.
Practical touches keep dinner moving: if using frozen shrimp, thaw them briefly under cold running water and pat dry; zest the lemon before juicing and reserve a little juice to finish the dish; and don’t skip toasting the orzo so it really soaks up the broth. Everything cooks in a single deep skillet—olive oil and butter to build flavor, low-sodium chicken broth to steam the pasta—so prep is short and cleanup is faster.
Serve straight from the pan with an extra squeeze of lemon and a scattering of fresh parsley. Pair it with a simple green salad or crusty bread to mop up the garlicky sauce. Leftovers reheat well for an easy lunch, making this a reliable weeknight staple when dinner needs to move.
Ingredients
How to Make One Pot Garlic Butter Shrimp and Orzo
- If frozen, thaw the shrimp under cold running water, then pat dry with paper towels; sprinkle the shrimp with 1/4 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp of the black pepper and set aside.
- Peel and finely chop the onion and mince the garlic; zest the lemon and then juice it, reserving about 2 tablespoons of juice.
- Heat a large deep skillet or 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter; when the butter is foaming, add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds; add the dry orzo and toast it in the pan for 1–2 minutes, stirring so it coats with the butter and oil.
- Pour in the chicken broth and the reserved lemon juice, increase heat to bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is nearly al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 8–10 minutes.
- Nestle the seasoned shrimp into the simmering orzo in a single layer, cover the pan, and cook 2–4 minutes more until the shrimp are pink and opaque and cooked through; avoid overcooking.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the grated Parmesan until melted and creamy; add lemon zest, the remaining salt and pepper to taste, and chopped parsley.
- Let the dish rest 1 minute, taste and adjust seasoning, then divide among 4 plates and serve warm with extra lemon wedges if desired.
Recipe Card
One Pot Garlic Butter Shrimp and Orzo
One Pot Garlic Butter Shrimp and Orzo designed for fast weeknight cooking with simple prep and bold flavor.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- If frozen, thaw the shrimp under cold running water, then pat dry with paper towels; sprinkle the shrimp with 1/4 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp of the black pepper and set aside.
- Peel and finely chop the onion and mince the garlic; zest the lemon and then juice it, reserving about 2 tablespoons of juice.
- Heat a large deep skillet or 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter; when the butter is foaming, add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds; add the dry orzo and toast it in the pan for 1–2 minutes, stirring so it coats with the butter and oil.
- Pour in the chicken broth and the reserved lemon juice, increase heat to bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is nearly al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 8–10 minutes.
- Nestle the seasoned shrimp into the simmering orzo in a single layer, cover the pan, and cook 2–4 minutes more until the shrimp are pink and opaque and cooked through; avoid overcooking.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the grated Parmesan until melted and creamy; add lemon zest, the remaining salt and pepper to taste, and chopped parsley.
- Let the dish rest 1 minute, taste and adjust seasoning, then divide among 4 plates and serve warm with extra lemon wedges if desired.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 55
- Saturated Fat
- 7
- Sodium
- 960
- Fiber
- 3
- Unsaturated Fat
- 8
- Protein
- 40
- Fat
- 15
- Cholesterol
- 250
- Trans Fat
- 0.4
- Calories
- 522
- Sugar
- 3