Curry Orzo Pasta with Shrimp

This Curry Orzo Pasta is a flavorful one pot meal! It's made in a skillet with Indian spices, peas, spinach, and shrimp topped with yogurt.

If you're looking for a one pot meal that's ready in 30 minutes, be sure to check out this Curried Orzo Pasta! It's packed with flavor and perfect for a weeknight dinner.

I've become a huge fan of one pot meals over the years. It's super refreshing to be able to prepare an entire meal using only one pot or pan, knowing that the process of cooking dinner won't leave you with a mountain of dishes.

Orzo pasta is a great ingredient to have on hand when it comes to one pot cooking. It's incredibly versatile and tends to pick up the flavors of whatever is added to it. Orzo also cooks quickly, making it a good choice when you want a hearty and flavorful meal, but don't have a lot of time.

This recipe is made with orzo pasta that's simmered in a skillet on the stove top along with sauteed garlic, shallots, shrimp, peas, spinach and warming Indian spices like curry powder and garam masala. The spices provide this dish with an earthy, fragrant, and slightly spicy flavor.

The whole thing is garnished with some Greek or plain yogurt, which helps to round out the spices, and some fresh herbs like cilantro for extra color and flavor.

Jump to:

• Is Orzo Pasta or Rice?
• What To Add To Orzo Pasta
• Ingredients For Curry Orzo Pasta with Shrimp
• How To Add Flavor To Orzo Pasta
• How To Make Curry Orzo
• How Long Does Orzo Pasta Take To Cook?
• What To Serve With Curried Orzo Pasta
• How Long Does Curry Shrimp Orzo Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Curry Orzo Pasta with Shrimp

Is Orzo Pasta or Rice?

Orzo is a variety of pasta that's shaped like a grain of rice. It's made from flour just like any other type of pasta even though its shape might suggest otherwise.

Orzo is used often in Italian and Mediterranean cuisines. It's perfect for light pasta dishes, salads, soups like this Vegetable Orzo Soup, and healthy dishes like these Greek Stuffed Peppers.

Orzo pasta looks a lot like Arborio rice but the two are not the same thing. Arborio rice is actually a variety of rice and is used to make dishes like risotto. Arborio rice is gluten free whereas orzo pasta is not.

As mentioned, orzo is a great choice for weeknight dinners because it only takes about 10 minutes to fully cook. Orzo also tends to absorb the flavors of whatever is added to it. It can be used to make Italian, Greek, Mediterranean, Southwest, or even Indian-spiced pasta dishes.

This recipe is gluten free and calls for gluten free orzo pasta. Gluten free orzo may be found in the pasta aisle of specialty or health food grocery stores, or available for purchase online.

Feel free to use regular orzo if gluten is not an issue for you. Regular orzo pasta is available in the pasta aisle of your local grocery store or food coop.

What To Add To Orzo Pasta

Orzo pasta pairs nicely with all types of vegetables, meats like chicken, beef, or seafood like salmon or shrimp, lots of spices, sauces like marinara and pesto, cheeses, lemon, and marinated items like Kalamata olives.

A great way to add flavor to any pasta dish is to include aromatics like garlic and shallots. I prefer to use shallots in pasta dishes instead of onions because they're a bit sweeter, less pungent, and don't overpower the rest of the ingredients.

If you can't find shallots, simply use half an onion instead of a whole onion.

This pasta is also flavored with Indian spices like curry powder, garam masala, coriander, tomato sauce, frozen peas and fresh spinach. The acidity of the tomato sauce helps to balance out the spices and the peas provide a bit of sweetness.

It's important to sauté each of the ingredients in steps rather than throwing everything together into the skillet at once. This helps to coax out the flavor of each ingredient and allows everything to cook evenly.

Ingredients For Curry Orzo Pasta with Shrimp

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 2 Shallots (or half an onion, any color)
• 4 Tbsp. Olive Oil (split)
• 1 lb. Shrimp
• 12 oz. Gluten Free Orzo Pasta (or regular orzo pasta if not gluten free)
• 3 tsp. Curry Powder
• 1 tsp. Garam Masala
• ½ tsp. Ground Coriander
• 3 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 8 oz. can Tomato Sauce
• 2 cups Frozen Peas
• 2 cups Fresh Spinach
• ¾ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ¼ tsp. Pepper (split)
• ½ cup Greek Yogurt or Plain Yogurt
• Fresh Cilantro or herbs of choice for garnish (optional)

How To Add Flavor To Orzo Pasta

This recipe is flavored with Indian spices like curry powder, garam masala, and ground coriander. The Indian spices provide this pasta with an earthy, citrusy, pungent, herbal, and mildly spicy flavor.

It's important to sauté the spices in oil before adding the orzo to the skillet because it helps the spices to bloom and release their natural oils. Raw spices tend to be a little harsh and bitter. The process of sauteing them in fat opens up their flavor and results in an overall more balanced dish.

• Curry Powder is an Indian spice mixture consisting of earthy, savory, and pungent flavors. Turmeric is the spice that gives curry powder it's characteristic yellow color. Every curry powder is different and the spices used to make it vary between brands. Typically, it consists of spices like Kashmiri chili powder, fenugreek, cardamom, mustard powder, and black pepper.
• Garam Masala is a traditional Indian spice blend that's made with a variety of warming spices. The term garam masala translates to "warming spices". The blend varies from brand to brand, but generally garam masala consists of some combination of ground cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
• Coriander Powder is made from ground coriander seeds and has a bright, earthy, and citrusy flavor. Coriander seeds are what is known as the spice coriander and the leaves and stems are the herb known as cilantro. Coriander seeds can be whole or ground into a powder.

Curry powder, garam masala, and ground coriander are available in the spice aisle of your local grocery store or food coop. If you are unable to locate them in-store, they may be purchased online.

If you don't have coriander powder, you can substitute ground cumin or use a bit more garam masala.

Love curry? Check out these recipes!

• Curry Lentil Cauliflower Soup
• Curried Chickpea Sandwiches
• Curried Cauliflower Potato Soup

How To Make Curry Orzo

This dish is made in a skillet on the stove top, so it's important to add the ingredients in stages to bring out the flavor and ensure that everything cooks evenly.

The shrimp is sauteed in the skillet with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. It's then removed from the skillet, set aside, and added back to the pasta toward the end of the cooking time.

The garlic, shallots, and spices are then sauteed in olive oil. The orzo pasta is added at this time along with some chicken broth, tomato sauce, and frozen peas.

Everything is added back into the skillet toward the end of the cooking time and the whole dish comes together, creating a hearty and flavorful meal.

Make sure to use a skillet that is large enough to accommodate all of the ingredients. I recommend a skillet that is 12 inches in size. A cast iron skillet works great for this Curry Orzo.

1. Start by thawing 1 lb. of shrimp if frozen. Once thawed, devein and peel the shrimp (if necessary). Pat the top of the shrimp dry with some paper towels (this helps to rid the shrimp of excess water and helps to prevent it from becoming rubbery as it cooks).
2. Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots (or half an onion, any color).
3. Roughly chop 2 cups of fresh spinach (or hearty greens of choice).
4. Place a large skillet (at least 12 inches) on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil to the skillet.
5. Add the shrimp along with ¼ tsp. of kosher salt and ⅛ tsp. of pepper to the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes on the first side.
6. Flip the shrimp and sauté for another 2-3 minutes on the second side. Once the shrimp is cooked through, remove from the skillet and set aside.
7. Add another 2 Tbsp. of olive oil to the skillet.
8. Add the minced garlic and shallots and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
9. Add 3 tsp. of curry powder, 1 tsp. of garam masala, and ½ tsp. of coriander powder to the skillet. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
10. Once the spices are fragrant, add 12 oz. of gluten free orzo pasta to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute, stirring often.

How Long Does Orzo Pasta Take To Cook?

Once the shrimp is sauteed, it only takes about 10-12 minutes for the orzo pasta to cook in the skillet.

After the orzo is added to the skillet, it's combined with some chicken broth, tomato sauce, and frozen peas. The pasta is brought to a boil and then simmered for about 10 minutes. The shrimp and spinach are added to the skillet at that time.

It's important to keep an eye on the pasta and stir it often as it's cooking in order to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

When it comes to gluten free pasta, it's very important to cook just until al dente. Gluten free pasta can overcook easily, which creates a gummy texture, so make sure to keep an eye on the pasta as it cooks in the skillet.

The orzo will plump up and absorb the liquid and the texture of the pasta will become creamy as it cooks. It's best to cook the orzo on medium-low heat and stir it often with a wooden spoon or spatula.

1. Once the orzo is sauteed, pour 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth into the skillet along with 1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce, 2 cups of frozen peas, ½ tsp. of kosher salt and ⅛ tsp. of pepper. Stir until completely combined.
2. Bring the pasta to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom (this is very important).
3. Return the sauteed shrimp to the skillet along with 2 cups of chopped, fresh spinach. Stir until combined and cook for another 2 minutes or so, stirring often to prevent sticking.
4. Continue to cook until the pasta is al dente and has absorbed all the liquid.

The pasta should be fully cooked, but not mushy at the end of the cooking time. It should be creamy and easily stirred.

Cooking times may vary, so feel free to cook a few more minutes if needed.

It's important that the shrimp is fully cooked, but not overcooked. The safe internal temperature for shrimp is 145 degrees Fahrenheit and can be checked using a food thermometer if needed.

What To Serve With Curried Orzo Pasta

Once the pasta is fully cooked, it's time to serve!

I love to add a dollop of Greek or plain yogurt to this Curry Orzo before serving. You can also top it with some raita if you prefer. It provides the dish with a creamy element that helps to balance the spices and tomato sauce. The yogurt helps to round out the meal.

Feel free to garnish with some fresh, chopped cilantro or herbs of choice for extra color and flavor.

When it comes to side dishes, a bright cucumber salad, fresh pea mint salad, or a veggie salad with a lemon vinaigrette would complement the spices in this pasta nicely.

Sauteed or roasted vegetables also pair well with pasta dishes. Asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, or roasted green beans are all tasty options.

Love shrimp? Check out these recipes!

• Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Salad
• Skillet Shrimp and Spring Veggies
• Sheet Pan Shrimp Tacos
• Mexican Shrimp Rice Bowls
• Mushroom Shrimp Risotto
• Quinoa Zucchini Shrimp Salad

How Long Does Curry Shrimp Orzo Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover Curried Orzo Pasta should last 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Make sure to allow the dish to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Can It Be Frozen?

For optimal taste and texture, I do not recommend freezing this dish. It's best enjoyed right away or within a few days.

Love one pot meals? Check out these recipes!

• Sausage Broccoli Pasta
• Vegetable Pesto Pasta
• Cajun Chicken Orzo
• Chicken Mushroom and Tomato Pasta
• Ground Turkey Spinach Pasta

Looking For More One Pot Meals? Don't Miss These!

Thai Chicken Soup

One Pot Red Lentil Curry

West African Peanut Stew