Description
A quick and flavorful one‑pot dish combining succulent shrimp, buttery garlic sauce, and tender orzo pasta — ready in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb (≈450 g) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth (low‑sodium preferred)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Juice of ½ lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Red pepper flakes (optional, for a bit of heat)
Instructions
- In a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter together with the olive oil.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant — avoid browning.
- Add the shrimp to the pan, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook for 1–2 minutes per side until they start turning pink. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
- To the same pan (with garlic butter oil), add the orzo and stir to coat the pasta in the butter‑garlic mixture.
- Pour in the broth, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8–10 minutes or until the orzo is almost tender (it will finish cooking later).
- Once the orzo is nearly done, return the shrimp to the pan. Stir in the lemon juice and, if using, the Parmesan cheese. Cook for another 1–2 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through and the orzo is al dente.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and optionally red pepper flakes.
- Remove from heat; sprinkle chopped parsley over the dish. Serve immediately — enjoy hot.
Notes
- Use low‑sodium broth and go light on added salt, especially if using Parmesan cheese, to control sodium.
- If you like a creamier texture, you can stir in a splash of heavy cream or a dollop of crème fraîche at the end.
- For a lighter dish, swap half the butter for olive oil or use all olive oil.
- To add more veggies, stir in spinach or chopped cherry tomatoes during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate (≈1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 185 mg
