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–+ servings
creamy tomato orzo with shrimp in a white bowl.
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5 from 1 vote

Creamy Tomato Orzo with Shrimp

Creamy tomato orzo with shrimp is going to be your favorite recipe! It's made with simple ingredients, easy to make, and it's loaded with flavor.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Italian American
Servings: 4
Calories: 558kcal
Author: Julie Maestre

Ingredients

  • ½ lb shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 ½ cups dry orzo pasta
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 4 cups chicken stock or more if needed
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ small onion finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon red crushed pepper flakes optional
  • ½ teaspoon sugar or to taste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  • Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red crushed pepper flakes and cook for 20 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir in the tomato paste, sugar, and chicken stock and bring it to a boil.
  • Stir in the orzo and cook for 20-22 minutes while stirring frequently. Add more chicken stock or water if needed. It should be loose and creamy.
  • Once the orzo is tender, stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Season generously with salt and pepper, cook for 1 minute, and remove it from the heat.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a separate skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the shrimp and season with paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook the shrimp for 40 seconds on each side.
  • Pour the shrimp over the creamy tomato orzo, check for seasoning, and enjoy warm!

Notes

  • It is crucial to stir the orzo frequently as it cooks otherwise, it will stick to the bottom of the pot and burn. Ideally, you should be stirring the orzo every other minute.
  • If the orzo is starting to dry up and still has a bite to it, add more chicken stock. Continue adding stock and stirring the orzo until it is fluffy and tender.
  • Add lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese and salt to the orzo once it's fully cooked through.

Nutrition

Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 794mg | Potassium: 873mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1307IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 3mg