I love a good thirty-minute meal, and pasta is one of my favorites. This garlic butter shrimp with orzo is simple to make but tastes like something from a restaurant. The sauce combines butter, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and a generous handful of shredded Parmesan. It’s fast enough for a weeknight but elegant enough for a casual dinner with guests or a cozy date night at home.
This dish comes together quickly because it uses fast-cooking ingredients. Orzo, being a small pasta, cooks faster than larger shapes, and shrimp only needs about ten minutes on the stove. Start by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo according to the package directions. While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet and add minced garlic, shrimp, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Cook the shrimp until they are pink on one side, flip them, and continue until they are pink on the other side and opaque throughout. I usually buy uncooked shrimp and peel and devein it myself—fresh or thawed frozen shrimp both work well. Leaving the tails on creates a nicer presentation, but you can remove them for easier eating.
Sautéing shrimp in garlic and butter gives them a rich, savory flavor that pairs perfectly with the nutty Parmesan and tender orzo. Once the orzo is drained, add it to the skillet with the shrimp and sprinkle in the Parmesan, stirring until the cheese melts and combines with the butter to form a silky sauce. Finish with chopped fresh parsley for color and brightness.
While this recipe is shown served with orzo, the garlic butter shrimp is versatile—try it over a salad, tucked into tacos, or wrapped in a flatbread with fresh greens. It’s a quick, flavorful staple that’s worth making again and again.
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 4 tbsp butter
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb uncooked shrimp (fresh or thawed frozen), peeled and deveined
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and opaque, flipping once.
- Stir in the oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Add the cooked orzo to the skillet and sprinkle in the Parmesan. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce coats the pasta and shrimp.
- Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley.
- Enjoy!
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