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Garlic Orzo Tuscan Shrimp

This Garlic Orzo Tuscan Shrimp is coated in a light and creamy Parmesan cheese sauce filled with garlic, roasted red peppers, baby bella mushrooms, onion and spinach.

This has really great flavor and the majority of it, other than cooking the orzo pasta, is done in one pan. This recipe was updated and is also known as Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Shrimp.

Why I love this recipe

This recipe is easy and quick, ready in just 20 minutes yet it’s beautiful enough to impress a discerning eye. This small batch recipe for two makes a great lunch, dinner, or impressive romantic date night meal.

a bowl with a spoon scooing out some shrimp, orzo pasta, mushrooms, spinach, and roasted red peppers in a yellow creamy sauce
Creamy Garlic Tuscan Shrimp

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Ingredients

(amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)

orzo pasta

butter

jarred minced garlic

shrimp (I buy peeled, deveined, tails off)

yellow onion

baby bella mushrooms

jarred roasted red peppers

heavy cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

baby spinach leaves

shredded Parmesan cheese

dried Italian herbs

fresh chopped parsley

Substitutions

We swapped out the sun dried tomatoes for roasted red peppers because we like it even better that way but you can use either. Some also enjoy grape tomatoes cut in half.

Equipment used for this recipe

Need a dessert to go with it? Try this Red Velvet Cake for Two, these Brownies with fresh Raspberry Sauce, or these Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes

Orzo is a form of short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice. Orzo can be served alone, as a soup accompaniment, as part of a salad, pilaf, or baked in a casserole.

How to make Garlic Orzo Tuscan Shrimp

Step 1 – On a cutting board, dice the onion and slice the mushrooms.

sliced mushrooms and dice onions on a cutting board

Step 2 – Bring a medium sauce pan of water to a boil and cook the orzo pasta per package instructions, about 8 or 9 minutes. Drain the orzo using a colander and set aside.

Step 3 – While the orzo is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter.

Step 4 – Add in the minced garlic and shrimp and fry two minutes on each side, until cooked through and pink. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.

pink shrimp cooking in a yellow butter sauce

Step 5 – Add the onions and mushrooms to the butter remaining in the skillet.

Step 6 – Stir in the roasted red peppers and fry for 1 – 2 minutes.

a pan filled with mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and onions in a yellow butter sauce

Step 7 – Reduce heat to medium low heat and add the heavy cream bringing it to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.

a pan filled with mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and onions in a creamy white sauce

Step 8 – Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 9 – Stir in the spinach leaves and shredded Parmesan cheese. Allow the sauce to simmer for about a minute until cheese melts.

a pan filled with mushrooms, roasted red peppers, spinach and onions in a yellow butter sauce

Step 10 – Sprinkle the herbs and parsley over the mix and stir to combine.

Step 11 – Stir the shrimp and cooked orzo into the mixture. Serve and Enjoy.

a bowl filled creamy garlic tuscan shrimp and a spoon scooping some out
Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Shrimp

Pro tips

I buy shrimp that is packaged and is already peeled, deveined, and has tails removed. If you have to do these things yourself the prep time will take longer than listed.

Recipe FAQs

Would it work without the spinach?

Yes that’s fine, just leave it out and enjoy

I’m allergic to mushrooms what could I substitute?

It’s very hard to substitute mushroom with other things. You could use something kind of “meaty” like eggplant or maybe even squash like zucchini. I know they’re not going to get exactly the same result, but it might add a similar bulk to the dish. The other option is you can just leave them out completely.

You may also enjoy

Tuscan Chicken Sandwich

Tuscan Chicken Soup

Creamy Garlic Tuscan Chicken

Shrimp and Scallop Pasta

Baked Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Shrimp Alfredo

Yield: Serves 2

Garlic Orzo Tuscan Shrimp

a bowl filled with shrimp, orzo pasta, mushrooms, spinach, and roasted red peppers in a yellow creamy sauce and a spoon scooping some out

Garlic Orzo Tuscan Shrimp is coated in a light and creamy Parmesan cheese sauce filled with garlic, roasted red peppers, baby bella mushrooms, onion and spinach. This has really great flavor and the majority of it, other than cooking the orzo pasta, is done in one pan.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup uncooked orzo pasta
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 3 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
  • 1/2 pound shrimp (I buy peeled, deveined, tails off)
  • 1/2 small yellow onion
  • 3 baby bella mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers - drained (or sun dried tomatoes, or halved grape tomatoes)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
  • 1/2 Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. On a cutting board, dice the onion and slice the mushrooms.
  2. Bring a medium sauce pan of water to a boil and cook the orzo pasta per package instructions, about 8 or 9 minutes. Drain the orzo using a colander and set aside.
  3. While the orzo is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter.
  4. Add in the minced garlic and shrimp and fry two minutes on each side, until cooked through and pink. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
  5. Add the onions and mushrooms to the butter remaining in the skillet.
  6. Stir in the roasted red peppers and fry for 1 - 2 minutes.
  7. Reduce heat to medium low heat and add the heavy cream bringing it to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
  8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Stir in the spinach leaves and shredded Parmesan cheese. Allow the sauce to simmer for about a minute until cheese melts.
  10. Sprinkle the herbs and parsley over the mix and stir to combine.
  11. Stir the shrimp and cooked orzo into the mixture. Serve and Enjoy.

Notes

  • I buy shrimp that is packaged and is already peeled, deveined, and has tails removed. If you have to do these things yourself the prep time will take longer than listed.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 713Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 331mgSodium: 1608mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 6gSugar: 6gProtein: 45g

Nutrition information is a guideline only, is calculated automatically by third party software, and absolute accuracy is not guaranteed.

Did you like this recipe?

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Hi and welcome. I’m Zona and I have a passion for recipes. I share recipes, tips, tricks, and resources to help you cook for two. Eat, drink, and enjoy!

Garlic Orzo Tuscan Shrimp Web Story

Louise M

Monday 19th of February 2024

This was delicious and not very time consuming. I doubled the recipe for 3 adults. Because I had an open container of grape tomatoes and 1 zucchini I replaced the mushrooms with the zucchini and added some sundried tomatoes. We all loved this, so I will be making this again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

Susan

Friday 15th of December 2023

Can you substitute chicken since my husband can’t eat shrimp?

Zona

Friday 15th of December 2023

Hi Susan, yes you can. Just make sure the chicken is completely cooked through.

Matt

Friday 10th of November 2023

I made this last night and WOW!! Totally packed with flavor and very easy to make. If you use shelled and deveined shrimp this could easily come together in 20 minutes. Thanks for the great recipe, I will definitely be making this again.

Amanda

Sunday 29th of October 2023

What can I substitute for the heavy cream? Would Greek yogurt work?

Zona

Monday 30th of October 2023

Hi Amanda, Greek yogurt is much thicker than heavy cream. You can combine equal parts Greek yogurt and milk if you want a consistency that is closer to heavy cream's thickness. Be sure to add it after the food is off the heat to avoid curdling.

Heather Lampman

Sunday 30th of July 2023

Hi Zona! I just found this while I was browsing one of my Pinterest boards. Your recipe sounds delicious and I plan on making it this coming week. I'm not a fan of pasta swimming in liquid, so do you have any thoughts about reducing the sauce before adding the pasta and shrimp?

Zona

Sunday 30th of July 2023

Hi Heather, you could try using only 1/4 cup heavy cream instead of 1/2 cup. Thanks for your question :)

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