Last Updated on June 25, 2025
I’m always interested in easy meals. One pan orzo, shrimp, and tomatoes is one of these. Everything gets cooked in the same skillet and is flavor-enhanced by making some shrimp stock from the shrimp shells.
Raw large shrimp with shells on.
Orzo Shrimp and Tomatoes
In Minnesota, it is generally hard to find good Gulf shrimp, but Mary Jo found this wild-caught Gulf shrimp at the Hy-Vee store. It was 16 to 20 size, easy peel (they cut the shell through the back).
I made some shrimp stock from the shells in order to add more flavor to the orzo. It takes about 20 minutes total to make it, but if you would rather not bother, use vegetable or chicken stock as a substitute to cook the orzo.
Shrimp shells used to make shrimp stock.
Additional Ingredients Needed For The Recipe
The best tomatoes to use for this recipe are Romas since they have a good firm structure when chopped. Remove the seeds and give them a medium chop.
You’ll also need butter, minced garlic, diced onion, frozen peas, lemon juice, oregano, and red pepper flakes. The exact amounts of these are in the recipe card.
Putting The Recipe Together
Preheat your oven to 400°F, as the recipe will be finished in the oven. Use an oven-safe skillet and add the butter on medium heat and saute the onion and garlic to soften.
Add the orzo pasta and stir it to coat with butter, then add the shrimp stock and oregano, and cook for 12 minutes or until the orzo is tender. At this time, taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
Next, add the tomatoes, peas, lemon juice, and pepper flakes. Stir them in to combine.
Then, lay the raw shrimp on top of the orzo and place the skillet into the preheated oven for 12 minutes. The shrimp should then be cooked through, and the dish heated up and ready to serve.
The recipe is enough for four hungry people. Serve it with some warm French bread on the side. One pan orzo, shrimp, and tomatoes is easy and satisfying. Here’s the printable recipe.
One Pan Orzo Shrimp and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 lbs . shell on shrimp , shells removed and shrimp deveined
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 small onion , diced
- 8 oz . orzo pasta
- 3 cups shrimp stock , (see instructions), or vegetable/chicken stock
- 5 small plum tomatoes , seeds removed and chopped
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
Shrimp stock
- Shells from 1 lbs. shrimp
- 3 1/4 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Peel and devein shrimp, reserve shells for stock
- Preheat oven to 400°
- In an oven safe skillet on medium heat, melt butter and add onion and garlic, saute for 3 to 4 mins
- Add orzo and stir to coat with butter.
- Add shrimp stock and oregano, cover, and bring to a boil to cook the orzo, 12 minutes.
- Taste, add salt and pepper as desired.
- Stir in peas, tomatoes, lemon juice, and pepper flakes, then lay shrimp into the orzo.
- Place the skillet into the oven 12 minutes to cook the shrimp.
- Remove from oven and serve.
Shrimp stock
- Place shrimp shells in a medium saucepan with 3 1/4 cups water and 1 bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and strain into a bowl; discard shells and save stock for the orzo.
Nutrition
Joe
One pot meals are great. This one really enhances the shrimp flavor with the pasta.