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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This was delicious and very quick to make. I did take another’s advice & cooked my shrimp shells in the chicken broth for about 10 minutes to impart more flavor to the broth. Also, my broth was still a little thin so I added a bit of grated Parmesan & it was perfect. Definitely a dish I will make again.
Delicious! A great weeknight meal!
This is delicious, thank you for the recipe. The second time I made it I tweaked it just a little — reduced the broth to 3 cups, substituted lightly sautéed thinly sliced asparagus for the peas (I stirred them in at the last minute with the bacon) and minced green onion instead of chives. Definitely a keeper.
I made this for the first time tonight, and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Will be making this again as it came together quickly and was very flavorful.
This went together quickly and was tasty and looked so appetizing. I would reduce the salt so I could add more Creole seasoning (which had salt as its first ingredient). Hubby likes a bit more spice! I also think this would be great with leftover grilled chicken or even slices of andouille sausage in place of the shrimp.
Have made this twice since my original review – once with thinly sliced, sautéed andouille sausage and most recently with shrimp and sausage. Our favorite was with shrimp and sausage. I sautéed the shrimp in a Tbsp of unsalted butter and sprinkled the creole seasoning lightly over them. Followed with chives and lemon juice. Delicious!
If this is being served along side of beef tenderloin, would the recipe be sufficient for 8 servings?
You can get away with it, but the portions will definitely be small. You may want to have one other side.
I just made this tonight, it was delicious! My husband said it looked like a dish we’d get in a restaurant. Thank you for a delicious and easy recipe. Will definitely be making this again. Sorry I forgot to take a pic, couldn’t wait to eat it
My family loved this dish. I will definitely make again.
can this be made a day ahead?
Beth
Hi Beth, This is a dish that’s really best if eaten right after it’s prepared — sorry!
absolutely delicious!! Followed the recipe as is and turned out perfect…
Absolutely delicious! We had it two days in a row. Bacon is key. Thank you for another fantastic recipe. 🙂