I Made Ina Garten’s Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipe for Shrimp Orzo

2025-10-07T17:17:01Z

I have been making Ina Garten’s roasted shrimp and orzo for the previous 20 years.
The dish solely requires just a few elements and comes collectively shortly.
It is filling, nutritious, and simply customizable for weeknight dinners the entire household can take pleasure in.

I grew up watching the Meals Community and all the time beloved Ina Garten for her laid-back angle and method to cooking. After I was a 20-something in New York Metropolis, I relied on her recipes to move me to different locations with out ever leaving my residence.

For instance, I discovered her roasted shrimp and orzo recipe practically 20 years in the past and have been making it ever since. Nowadays, it is a go-to for feeding my household of 4 a fast, nutritious, and scrumptious meal.

I really like its simplicity, contemporary flavors, and the truth that it is all the time a crowd-pleaser. Here is how I make it.

The recipe solely requires just a few elements.

A bag of shrimp, a container of dill, a block of feta, a bottle of white wine vinegar, a cucumber, a red onion, a bag of orzo, a bunch of parsley, and a bundle of scallions. — I substituted lemon with white wine vinegar.

Lauren Finney Harden

To make Garten’s roasted shrimp and orzo recipe, which serves six, I grabbed:

Kosher salt
Olive oil
¾ pound of orzo pasta
½ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Freshly floor black pepper
2 kilos of shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup of minced scallions
1 cup of chopped contemporary dill
1 cup of chopped contemporary flat-leaf parsley
One cucumber
½ cup of diced pink onion
¾ pound of feta cheese

After gathering my elements, I spotted I forgot to purchase a lemon, so I substituted it with white wine vinegar.

I began by roasting the shrimp.

Shrimp spread out on a pan with foil. — I cooked the shrimp in my toaster oven.

Lauren Finney Harden

I used frozen shrimp for comfort, and allow them to defrost within the fridge for just a few hours earlier than cooking. As soon as I took them out, I patted them dry and tossed them in olive oil, salt, and pepper.

I unfold them out on a pan with foil and roasted them in my toaster oven at 400 levels Fahrenheit. The recipe says to do that for six minutes, however I did it just a bit bit longer.

Then, I cooked the orzo whereas I chopped my veggies.

Chopped parsley, scallion, dill, red onion, and cucumber on a wooden cutting board. — I chopped all my veggies on a slicing board.

Lauren Finney Harden

I cooked the orzo in accordance with the bundle instructions, drained it, and sprayed it evenly with olive oil to stop it from sticking collectively.

Whereas that was cooking, I chopped the pink onion, cucumber, parsley, dill, and inexperienced onion.

Subsequent, I made the dressing.

A bowl of dressing. — The dressing was straightforward to make.

Lauren Finney Harden

To make this tremendous simple dressing, I blended white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper collectively.

I piled all the things right into a serving bowl.

Chopped ingredients on a bed of orzo in a bowl. — This dish tastes nice after marinating in a single day.

Lauren Finney Harden

I piled the orzo, shrimp, veggies, feta, and herbs on prime of the dressing and tossed all of them collectively.

I typically make this recipe the day I eat it, and it tastes superb when it is heat and freshly blended. Nonetheless, it is also incredible as soon as the flavors have had a short time to marinate, so typically, I let it sit within the fridge in a single day.

I really like how versatile this recipe is.

Lauren holding up a bowl of roasted shrimp and orzo. — It is easy to change this dish primarily based on what you have got readily available.

Lauren Finney Harden

One in every of my favourite issues about this recipe is that it could actually simply be modified. As a mother, I’ve modified the recipe as much as go well with the tastes of my toddler and preschooler.

For instance, if I would like them to eat extra veggies, I will toss in no matter I’ve readily available — like pink peppers or tomatoes.

And, I normally pile a scoop of this over spinach or arugula for myself, for a straightforward increase of greens.

Total, this recipe is such a strong base to work from — and one of many best methods to get a filling, nutritious weeknight meal on the desk that my youngsters will take pleasure in.

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