Creamy One Pot Orzo

This one-pot orzo is such a simple recipe that is creamy, delicious, and perfect for summer with fresh herbs and tomatoes. Add this to your weekly rotation for a quick meal on a hot, busy, summer night.

Why you’ll love this creamy one-pot orzo:

• Quick: This recipe will only take 30-minutes to whip up
• Fresh: The freshness from the herbs and tomatoes make it perfect for summer
• Versatile: Top or add your fav veggies to this recipe to make it your own

Ingredient Notes:

Orzo: Orzo is a type of short-cut pasta that resembles rice. It is great to add to soups and salads.

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt: For this recipe, I used Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. This salt is of great quality, great flavor, and it’s what I always have on hand to add to cooking.

Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt adds a nice creaminess to this one-pot orzo but it also adds some added protein alongside the shrimp.

How to make one pot orzo:

1. Add defrosted, cooked shrimp to a bowl and add 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir and set aside.
2. To a large high-sided skillet add 2 tbsp olive oil and set to medium heat. Add shrimp and cook for 1 minute per side. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
3. Keep the pan on medium heat and add the onion. Cook for about 5 minutes to soften and then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 1-2 minutes and then stir in lemon juice and lemon zest.
4. Add half of the halved tomatoes, vegetable stock paste and orzo. Stir to combine and then pour in 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then turn to medium-low once simmering. Keep at a simmer and cover with a lid most of the way while the orzo cooks, removing the lid to stir once or twice so it doesn’t stick.
5. Cook until the orzo is al dente, about 8-9 minutes and then add shrimp back in for 1-2 more minutes just to warm. If you find the orzo isn’t quite done and there isn’t a lot of liquid left, add another half cup of water and cook for a few more minutes.
6. Remove the orzo from the heat and serve topped with a dollop of yogurt, the rest of the fresh tomatoes and a mixture of fresh herbs.

Expert Tips & FAQ:

What is the ratio of water to orzo? You can cook orzo the same way you would cook any pasta as you would drain the water from it when it’s cooked. However, you can generally use about 1 cup of orzo to every 2 cups of water.

How much does 1 cup of dry orzo make? 1 cup of dry orzo that is cooked will give you about 2 cups in the end.

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How many cups does 1 cup of dry orzo make? 1 cup of dry orzo makes about 2 cups of cooked orzo for your recipe.

How much does 1 cup of orzo serve? It entirely is dependent on if you are using orzo for a main course or a side dish. One cup, cooked, will usually equal about 4 servings if you are serving about 1/2 cup each.

Other orzo recipes you’ll love:

• Jennifer Aniston Salad
• Mediterranean Orzo Salad
• Orzo Carbonara

Creamy One Pot Orzo

5 from 4 votes

This creamy one pot orzo is perfect for summer with the fresh herbs and tomatoes. Whip it up in only 30-minutes.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course 30 minute meals

Cuisine American-Inspired

Servings 3 -4

Calories 373 kcal

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Ingredients

  

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• 1 lb cooked, peeled frozen shrimp (defrosted)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small yellow onion
• zest of one lemon
• juice of one lemon
• 1 pint baby tomatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp vegetable stock paste
• 1 cup dried orzo pasta
• 2-2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• Fresh basil, mint and cilantro for garnish

Instructions

 

• Add defrosted, cooked shrimp to a bowl and add 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir and set aside.
• To a large high-sided skillet add 2 tbsp olive oil and set to medium heat. Add shrimp and cook 1 minute per side. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
• Keep the pan on medium heat and add the onion. Cook for about 5 minutes to soften and then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 1-2 minutes and then stir in lemon juice and lemon zest.
• Add half of the halved tomatoes, vegetable stock paste and orzo. Stir to combine and then pour in 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then turn to medium-low once simmering. Keep at a simmer and cover with a lid most of the way while the orzo cooks, removing the lid to stir once or twice so it doesn't stick.
• Cook until the orzo is al dente, about 8-9 minutes and then add shrimp back in for 1-2 more minutes just to warm. If you find the orzo isn't quite done and there isn't alot of liquid left, add another half cup of water and cook for a few more minutes.
• Remove the orzo from the heat and serve topped with a dollop of yogurt, the rest of the fresh tomatoes and mixture of fresh herbs.

Video

Notes

• If you don’t have vegetable stock paste, just use vegetable broth instead of water to ensure you get the same flavours.
• If you want to use uncooked shrimp, make to sure cook them fully at the beginning of the recipe. Then follow the rest of the instructions, adding the shrimp back in at the end of the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.4g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10.9g | Cholesterol: 185.8mg | Sodium: 747.9mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 6.4g

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