This Greek style shrimp and orzo is a versatile one-dish dinner full of flavor and ready in 30 minutes that our family devours in just five minutes! For more great recipes like this, be sure to check out our Quick Healthy Recipes page.
Oh, how I’ve been waiting to share this Greek style shrimp and orzo recipe with you! Not only is it a simple, from scratch one-dish dinner that is delicious, it’s also perfect either hot or cold and easy to adapt.
I love shrimp in any form, and mixing it with feta, vegetables, and orzo – well, it’s just one of my favorite combinations! I love mixing Mediterranean flavors in lots of recipes, as you can see in this Greek Style Chicken Pesto Pizza, Mediterranean Breakfast Wraps, and Mediterranean Chicken Pesto Pasta, to name just a few.
This shrimp orzo such a versatile dish! It’s equally good in summer with peppers and tomatoes as it is in the colder months with broccoli and peas. And I don’t know what it is about orzo, but for some reason I like orzo more than regular pasta – isn’t that weird?
So even though we’re not eating as much pasta anymore, orzo still makes it on our menu regularly – and mostly in this dish, though sometimes I make it with chicken.
Greek Style Shrimp and Orzo
The basic ingredients are the orzo and shrimp of course, but what I like about this is all the vegetables you add that help make it a one-dish dinner. You can include:
- onions and garlic
- carrots
- spinach, chard, or kale
- sweet red peppers
- chopped fresh tomatoes
As well as whatever fresh vegetable you may have on hand.
The Greek flavors come from feta cheese, lemon and olives, though I often make it without the olives if we don’t have any or just use regular olives.
See? I wasn’t kidding about the versatility.
Shrimp and orzo, served hot or cold, is a truly one dish dinner – all you need to serve with it are bowls and spoons (to get all the orzo easily!).
Ready in less than 30 minutes, I know this will become a go-to recipe for you for both busy weeknights and lazy weekends.
Greek Style Shrimp and Orzo Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounce orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion cut in half, then sliced thin
- 2 carrots thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- Optional other vegetables like red bell pepper broccoli, peas, etc.
- 12 ounces large shrimp pre-cooked or peeled and shelled (if raw)
- 4 cups chopped greens like spinach chard, or kale
- Zest and juice of one small lemon
- 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup Kalamata olives sliced (optional)
- 3/4 cup feta cheese
- Optional toppings: chopped parsley chopped tomatoes
Instructions
- Cook orzo to al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the carrots and onions and saute for 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and and any other optional vegetables; cook for another couple of minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Add the shrimp along with the spinach, chard or kale and cook until done (you can use cooked shrimp - just add it after the spinach has wilted).
- Stir in the lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, and olives along with the drained orzo.
- Mix well and serve sprinkled with the feta and any other toppings.
Jo-Lynne Shane says
That looks sooo fresh and tasty!
Michele says
Looks wonderful, Jami!
Cheryl says
I plan to try this with leftover turkey.
Jami says
Oooh, great idea, Cheryl! I’ll have to try that, too. 🙂
WendyLynders says
This looks so very good… thanks for sharing…