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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Delicious! Will make again.
Delicious! Fast and comfort food status.
Could this be made with rice instead of orzo?
Hi Chris, that should work — just keep in mind that the cooking time for the rice may be different than for the orzo so I’d follow the package directions. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
This is amazing! Simply and delicious. I was surprised, it is a keeper!!
I need to triple this, would you triple everything the same?
Yep 🙂
Fantastic! I don’t often add meals to “rotation.” I am far too disorganized for that kind of planning, but this one deserves to be eaten regularly – even when made with turkey bacon, half the butter, and scallions instead of chives. I only had extra jumbo shrimp, so it took quite a bit longer to cook off the extra broth (of which there was a lot). I guess that’s why this recipe is called “Orzo Risotto.” I had to turn up the heat, and it ended up a kind of soupy stew. The broth was so wonderful, it did not matter. Note to self: make sure you have shrimp with shells off. I just tossed in the frozen shrimp (with shells and tails), and I loved the flavor the shells imparted, but what a pain in the a** to have to remove the shells while eating this lovely dish. I felt like I had performed a little magic trick when the peas came out perfectly cooked.
Delicious! My husband and I loved it. Best shrimp dish we’ve had in ages, Restaurant quality.
Thank you for a super easy, yummy recipe.😊
Easy recipe to follow. Turned out delicious. Very flavorful.
Quick and easy, plus very delicious. I used thick cut turkey bacon since I don’t eat pork. Since I didn’t have the rendered fat to cook the onion in, I added 1T of olive oil before cooking the onion. This is a perfect weeknight dinner when you don’t have a lot of time to chop and assemble ingredients. I thought the flavors were wonderful, a uniform hint of heat with every bite. All the ingredients in this recipe are very well-balanced.
This recipe looks amazing. Do you think it would still work with scallops instead of shrimp?
Thanks Jenn for all your delicious recipes my family loves!
Yep 👍