Pesto shrimp orzo is a simple, flavorful, creamy meal that’s prepared in simply 20 minutes with 4 most important substances. This orzo pasta is coated with pesto and paired with plump shrimp and tomatoes for a easy weeknight dinner. Excellent for weekday meals but in addition excellent to feed a crowd.
When you love fast and simple recipes like this, it’s best to attempt my Pesto Tuna Pasta recipe or do that Pesto Hen Skillet with rice or pasta on the aspect for a easy meal.
Recipe highlights
- 4 substances
- 20 minutes
- Simple to make
- Eye-catching meal
- Nice for busy weeknights
- Versatile
Components
- Orzo – this small pasta seems to be like rice but it surely’s pasta. Typically discovering a gluten free orzo may be powerful, so you can additionally use gluten free pasta.
- Pesto – use your favourite pesto or make your individual.
- Shrimp – I like to make use of giant Argentinian Pink Shrimp from Dealer Joe’s. I like this as a result of it’s peeled and deveined. You should definitely permit the shrimp to defrost utterly earlier than cooking.
- Tomatoes – I really like including tomatoes to any dish with pesto. It’s an important pop of shade and the flavors pair completely.
The right way to make pesto orzo with shrimp
Cook dinner orzo: Deliver water to a boil, cook dinner orzo in keeping with the bundle instructions.
Cook dinner the shrimp. Warmth a medium to giant skillet over medium warmth. When sizzling, spray with avocado oil (or olive oil) and add shrimp, salt and garlic powder. Cook dinner 2-3 minutes, flip and cook dinner 1-2 extra minutes. Flip off warmth.
Minimize tomatoes in half.
Reserve pasta water: When orzo is finished cooking, reserve 1/4 – 1/2 cup of the pasta water earlier than draining.
Assemble the dish: Drain orzo, add shrimp, pesto and tomatoes to the pot. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta water and stir properly. Add extra pasta water if wanted.
High ideas
- Make this with shrimp, rooster, chickpeas or salmon.
- Use retailer purchased pesto to make this tremendous easy. In case you have an extra quantity of basil at house, make your individual pesto!
- To avoid wasting time, you should definitely purchase peeled, deveined shrimp. I all the time purchase frozen and defrost in beneath an hour or in a single day (if you happen to bear in mind to defrost the night time earlier than).
- When you overlook to defrost your shrimp, you’ll be able to cook dinner frozen shrimp within the air fryer.
Variations
- Add extra veggies: Add cooked zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, asparagus, roasted purple peppers, child spinach, kale, artichoke hearts
- Spice: Add crushed purple pepper flakes
- Different protein: You should use cooked rooster (diced rooster or shredded rooster), chickpeas, Italian tofu or salmon bites.
What to serve with pesto orzo
Widespread questions
The place to search out gluten free orzo
Orzo is pasta that’s cooked brief and resembles rice. Till just lately, there weren’t a ton of gluten free choices. Nonetheless, I’ve discovered 2 actually scrumptious gluten free choices:
Can you utilize home made pesto
Sure! In case you have an abundance of basil and would like to make use of home made, use your favourite recipe or you’ll be able to attempt:
What if you happen to don’t have orzo?
When you don’t have orzo pasta, you should use rice, pasta, spaghetti squash, or cauliflower rice.
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- 1 pound giant shrimp – peeled and deveined
- 1 cup pesto
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 oz orzo
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes – reduce in half
- 1/4 cup pasta water
Deliver water to a boil, cook dinner orzo in keeping with the bundle instructions.
Whereas orzo is cooking, cook dinner the shrimp. Warmth a medium to giant skillet over medium warmth. When sizzling, spray with avocado oil (or olive oil) and add shrimp, salt and garlic powder. Cook dinner 2-3 minutes, flip and cook dinner 1-2 extra minutes. Flip off warmth.
Minimize tomatoes in half.
When orzo is finished cooking, reserve 1/4 – 1/2 cup of the pasta water earlier than draining.
Drain orzo, add shrimp, pesto and tomatoes to the pot. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta water and stir properly. Add extra pasta water if wanted.
Serve sizzling or at room temperature.
- Make this with shrimp, rooster, chickpeas or salmon.
- Use retailer purchased or home made pesto.
- To avoid wasting time, you should definitely purchase peeled, deveined shrimp. If frozen, defrost in beneath an hour or in a single day.
- When you overlook to defrost your shrimp, you’ll be able to cook dinner frozen shrimp within the air fryer.
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- Fridge: Retailer leftover shrimp orzo pesto pasta within the fridge for as much as 3 days in an hermetic container.
- Freezer: You’ll be able to freeze leftovers in a freezer protected container, nonetheless I don’t love the feel of the shrimp when frozen and defrosted after being cooked.
Diet Data
Diet Details
Quantity per Serving
The place does vitamin information come from? Diet info are offered as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Meals Database.
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