Argentinian Shrimp Orzo

This Argentinian chimichurri orzo with shrimp is full of vibrant flavors and it’s ready in just about 30 minutes. 

This one pan dinner features delicious red Argentinian shrimp that is seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper. 

The orzo is cooked with a spoonful of bright chimichurri sauce and finished with spring sweet peas for a well rounded dinner dish. 

This recipe was inspired by Dishing out Health One Skillet Lemon Pepper Shrimp Orzo.

Recipe highlights

This recipe comes together in just 30 minutes which makes it a perfect weeknight dinner.

This one pot meal has everything a well-rounded-meal should have; lots of protein, veggies and carbs. There is no need for sides with this dish!

You can customize this recipe to suit your taste. You can use chicken, beef or any other protein you prefer.

It is all made in one pot so the clean up is a breeze!

Recipe ingredients

In this recipe we are using red Argentinian shrimp which is a sweet, tender and buttery kind of wild caught shrimp native to the coast of Argentina in South America.

We are also paying homage to Argentinian flavors using their famous chimichurri sauce.

• Red Argentinian Shrimp: This type of shrimp is sweet and buttery. It has a similar taste profile to lobster and it is my favorite shrimp to cook with. You can use any type of protein you prefer including chicken, beef or make it vegetarian.
• Chimichurri: This bright and herby parsley-based sauce is a staple in Argentinian cuisine. It features a blend of herbs, garlic, olive oil and red wine vinegar.
• Orzo: This rice-shaped pasta is perfect for this dish because of its small size, it cooks quickly and it really takes on the flavors of the other ingredients it is mixed with.
• Sweet peas: add peas or any other veggie of tour choice. Asparagus or frozen mixed veggies are great alternatives.
• Lemon: I like to add lemon zest and juice to bring the dish to life with a bright citrus flavor.
• Vegetables broth: Add liquid to cook the orzo. You can use vegetable or chicken broth.
• Garlic.
• Pepper.
• Olive oil.
• Butter.
• Parsley.

Useful tips

In this recipe I'm using raw Argentinian shrimp which is already peeled and deveined. If you are using other kind of shrimp you might have to clean it up.

The Argentinian shrimp comes frozen in a salty solution. I do not add extra salt to the shrimp, just pepper and garlic.

I like to defrost my shrimp overnight in the fridge for the best texture possible, however you can quickly defrost shrimp per package instructions.

In this recipe I used Trader Joe's chimichurri sauce. While not traditional it is so delicious! You can also make your own chimichurri, but you will need to plan ahead and make it at least 2 hours in advance.

If you use my homemade chimichurri recipe, I recommend using an immersion blender to make a paste for this dish.

How to cook this dish

I like to season my shrimp with a healthy dose of black pepper and a grated garlic clove. I let it sit for about 5 minutes before cooking the shrimp.

Sauté the shrimp in the oil and butter until it turns red in color, about 1 minute in one side and 20 seconds on the other side.

Set the shrimp aside and use the same skillet to add the chimichurri and orzo and toast it for about 1 minute.

Add the broth and cook uncovered and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to simmer for about 15 minutes.

5 minutes before the orzo is done cooking, add the peas and cover until the time is up.

Remove from the heat, place the shrimp back on top of the orzo, add the lemon zest and juice and garnish with parsley.

Reheating and storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

You can also freeze the leftovers in individual size containers.

To reheat, add a splash of water or vegetable stock and reheat on the stovetop. Add about 2 tablespoons of liquid per cup of cooked orzo when reheating.