Orzo Risotto with Shrimp, Peas & Bacon
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Creamy orzo with tender shrimp, smoky bacon, sweet peas, and a hint of Cajun spice—easy enough for a weeknight, special enough for company.
If you love risotto but not the constant stirring, this orzo “risotto” is for you. The rice-shaped pasta cooks right in the broth, turning creamy and tender with mostly hands-off cooking. Shrimp, crispy bacon, sweet peas, and a touch of Creole seasoning give it plenty of flavor and a bit of Southern flair. It’s simple, satisfying, and a nice change from the usual.
“This was absolutely delicious—a restaurant quality meal.”
What You’ll Need To Make Orzo Risotto with Shrimp, Peas & Bacon
- Bacon – Adds smoky, savory depth.
- Shrimp – The main protein; these are extra-large shrimp (you’ll get 21 to 25 per pound). You can leave the tails on for a prettier presentation or remove them for easier eating.
- Orzo – Cooks up creamy, risotto-style without the fuss.
- Onion & garlic – Build the flavor base.
- Chicken broth – Infuses the orzo with flavor as it cooks.
- Cajun or Creole seasoning, salt & pepper – Bring warmth, flavor, and a subtle kick.
- Peas – A pop of sweetness and color (no need to thaw).
- Butter & lemon juice – For richness and brightness at the end.
- Fresh chives – A fresh, mild oniony finish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Crisp the bacon. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate and set aside.
Step 2: Cook the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, just until fragrant—don’t let it brown.
Step 3: Toast the orzo. Stir in the orzo and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. This step adds a subtle nutty flavor.
Step 4: Simmer the orzo. Stir in the broth, salt, pepper, and Cajun/Creole seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer, stirring once or twice, until the orzo is creamy and just about tender, about 10 minutes.
Step 5: Add the shrimp and peas. Stir the shrimp and peas into the orzo. Cover and cook over low heat until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the orzo is tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 6: Finish the dish. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, the lemon juice, and the chives. Just before serving, fold in the crispy bacon. Serve and enjoy!
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Orzo Risotto with Shrimp, Peas & Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 5 slices (5 oz) bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ cups orzo
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Heaping ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1¼ teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning, such as Emeril's Essence
- 2 lb extra-large, (21/25) shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
- 1 cup frozen green peas (no need to thaw)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Melt one tablespoon of the butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Do not brown. Stir in the orzo and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, salt, pepper, and Cajun/Creole seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring once midway through, until the orzo is nearly tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir the shrimp and peas into the orzo (it will be quite creamy/brothy at this point; that's normal). Cover and cook over low heat until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the orzo is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Off the heat, stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, the lemon juice, and chives. Right before serving, stir in the crispy bacon. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, then spoon into bowls and serve.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Excellent! Made it for lunch today and we both loved it. The only changes I made were to pour off about 3/4 of the bacon fat and I didn’t add salt. There was enough salt in the creole seasoning, bacon and chicken broth that it did not taste under salted to us.
This dish was a big hit with the family.
It was easy to prepare and clean up and quite tasty.
For some who found it to be bland, I wonder if their selection of chicken broth and lemon were factors. I’ve generally had positive experiences using Meyer lemons in my dishes.
Excellent recipe, easy to make and very tasty. Will definitely be making this again.
Dinner tonight! Amazing! Added a little shallot when I added the onion, but other than that, unchanged. Sooo good Jenn! Thanks again for an incredible recipe!
Hey Jenn, finally did make this and it was delicious. I did keep it pescatarian by substituting a bit of smoked paprika for the bacon, and used No-Chicken Chicken Broth with a little added Better Than Bouillon Lobster Bouillon. Will definitely make this again!
This was fantastic. Easy, fresh,and flavorful. I made it as a side with chicken spiedini, so I left the shrimp out.
Another winner! I’m becoming more courageous substituting ingredients I don’t immediately have on hand, though I prefer to follow the recipe to a T the first time I make it. This time I did not have Cajun seasoning so I used Old Bay and substituted pancetta for bacon. I also added asparagus as I had them on hand. I did not use all the leftover grease from cooking the pancetta; used maybe 2 tbsp. Turned out awesome and my husband loved it! Thank you, Jenn.
I’ve made this twice now halving it, delicious and simple to make. I’m elderly and look for less time in the kitchen recipes. If you ever do a book for one or two servings I will be first in line to purchase. Meanwhile, I’ll keep looking for recipes such as this.
Thank you for your great blog.
My family and I enjoyed this (even better the next day) but it was rather soupy. I live at an elevation over 7000 ft, which is probably the problem, or was I supposed to drain the bacon fat out of the pot? I left it in to sauté the onions with. Will try again, pasta takes forever at this elevation.
Hi Christy, Glad you enjoyed this but sorry to hear it was a little soupy (and I’d love to say whether or not the elevation had an impact, but I don’t know enough about it to weigh in). You did the right thing by leaving the bacon fat in the pot.
Jenn, 2 pounds isn’t too much?
I’m assuming you’re referring to the shrimp? If so, the 2 pounds work well with the other ratios in the recipe. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Oops, should have said shrimp! Yes, and thanks Jenn!! Can’t wait to make it!