Garlic Butter Shrimp with Orzo

Restaurant-plate looks out of one skillet in twenty-five minutes. The orzo cooks risotto-style rather than boiled and drained, which is where the creaminess comes from — there is no cream in it at all. Everything finishes in the same pan the shrimp started in.

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (21–25 count), peeled and deveined
• 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1½ cups dry orzo
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, warm
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Pat the shrimp dry and toss with ½ tsp salt and the red pepper flakes.
2. Heat 1 tbsp butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 90 seconds per side, until pink and just opaque through. Transfer to a plate immediately — they'll finish cooking on residual heat.
3. Lower heat to medium. Add 1 tbsp butter and the sliced garlic. Cook 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant and barely golden. Don't let it brown past pale gold or it turns bitter.
4. Add the orzo and stir for 2 minutes to toast it lightly. Add the warm broth and remaining ½ tsp salt. Simmer uncovered, stirring every couple of minutes, for 9–10 minutes until the orzo is tender and the liquid has reduced to a loose, creamy sauce.
5. Off heat, stir in the remaining 2 tbsp butter, the Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir hard for 20 seconds — this is what makes it glossy.
6. Return the shrimp and any juices to the pan, fold through, scatter with parsley, and serve straight from the skillet.

Substitutions

• Frozen shrimp: fine, and often better quality than "fresh" at the counter. Thaw in cold water 15 minutes and pat very dry.
• No orzo: ditalini, acini di pepe, or broken spaghetti all work at the same ratio.
• Dairy-free: skip the Parmesan, finish with 2 tbsp olive oil instead of butter, and add an extra squeeze of lemon.
• Scallops or chunks of cod substitute cleanly for the shrimp.

Storage and reheating

Best the day it's made — orzo keeps absorbing liquid overnight. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with 2–3 tbsp broth or water, stirring, until loose again. Don't microwave the shrimp if you can avoid it; they turn rubbery fast. Not recommended for freezing.

Serving suggestions

Crusty bread for the sauce, and a bitter green salad — arugula, lemon, olive oil — to cut the butter. A cold, crisp white wine if you're pouring one.