These Lemon Shrimp and Orzo Bowls are my go-to Summer meal! Loaded with juicy lemony shrimp, perfectly cooked orzo and fresh garnishes, these are just the BEST.
Y’all…it’s officially Summer here in North Carolina. And what does that mean? I want to spend as little time cooking as possible! Ha! Anyone else?
These Shrimp Bowls are the absolute perfect solution! Let me tell you why!
Why You’ll Love These Bowls:
First off, I absolutely LOVE shrimp. Especially in the Summer.
It’s such a light and fresh protein that really doesn’t require a lot of maintenance- it cooks up SO quickly!
This particular shrimp is extra fresh tasting – it’s so bright from the fresh squeeze of lemon and savory from the garlic.
Plus, this is paired with my all time favorite pasta – ORZO! If you’ve never had orzo, I highly recommend. It’s kind of like a mix between pasta and rice but it’s nice and creamy, not chewy like rice.
It’s the perfect grain to go with this meal.
And the garnishes are delicious and fresh also! The burst of flavor from the Cherry tomatoes,. The tangy feta cheese, the punch from the herbs…all SO good.
It results in a delightfully quick, simple but elevated in flavor meal that you will LOVE!
Ingredients You Need:
- Raw deveined shrimp (peeled or unpeeled is up to you!! I used unpeeled for the photography purposes)
- Fresh lemon
- Garlic powder, salt and onion powder
- Orzo
- Olive or avocado oil
- Cherry tomatoes
- Feta cheese
- Cilantro (or parsley) for topping
Best Tips for Making Bowls:
First off, make the orzo! This will be the most time consuming part of the meal…and by time consuming I mean like 10 minutes! Ha!
So – cook the orzo following the instructions on the box.
I would recommend cooking it al dense as orzo can easily turn mushy if you over cook it.
Drain and let the orzo cool while you begin the shrimp!
Feel free to let the shrimp marinate as LONG as you want – I have let it marinate for 24 hours and it’s delicious but it also works to just mix in the flavors and immediately cook it!
The flavors are simple – garlic powder, onion powder, salt and lemon juice. So easy! Mix that together with your shrimp.
While your pan is getting hot, you can easily slice and dice the Cherry tomatoes as well as the herbs.
The shrimp does not take long AT ALL! Once the pan is hot and you’ve added a dash of oil, place them down in the pan – cook until pink and opaque, about 1 to 1 and a half minutes per side.
And then it’s all ready to assemble!
Assembling Bowls:
Of course you may assemble your bowl as you choose – but this is how I did mine!
Place the orzo on the bottom of the bowl followed by the shrimp and cherry tomatoes.
Garnish generously with that delicious tangy feta cheese as well as the fresh herbs!
If desired, squeeze a little lemon on top as well and eat up! Enjoy each and every bite!
Storing Leftovers:
One of the best things about this recipe? It’s good both HOT or COLD!
So if you don’t get the chance to eat it all in one sitting, just pop the leftovers in the microwave and you can warm them up when ready or just eat it cold. Both delicious!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Here are a few others you might like:
Brown Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cheesy Grits
Thank you so much for following along here, friends! Want to see more? Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo if you end up making a recipe! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! Like a recipe that you saw? Follow me on Pinterest here! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make a recipe, it would make my whole day if you were to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Lots of love! – Haylie
Lemon Shrimp and Orzo Bowls
These Lemon Shrimp and Orzo Bowls are my go-to Summer meal! Loaded with juicy lemony shrimp, perfectly cooked orzo and fresh garnishes, these are just the BEST.
Ingredients
- 12 oz. large raw and deveined shrimp (you can use peeled or unpeeled, choice is yours!)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp avocado oil
- 1/2 of the juice of one large fresh lemon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10 oz orzo pasta
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced
- feta cheese and cilantro to garnish
Instructions
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Begin by cooking the orzo according to box directions. Be sure to NOT overcook it. Once it's done, drain it and set aside for now.
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In a medium bowl, add the shrimp along with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and 1/2 of the juice of one large lemon. Stir to combine.
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Heat up your skillet on medium heat and add the avocado oil. Once hot and ready, add the shrimp and cook until pink and opaque - about 1 to 1/2 minutes PER side.
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Slice the cherry tomatoes as well as the fresh cilantro.
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Add cooked orzo to bowl, followed by shrimp and cherry tomatoes. Garnish with feta cheese and cilantro if desired. Add a fresh squeeze of lemon at the end if needed. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
You can marinate the shrimp for up to 24 hours in the fridge or cook it right then and there. This meal is good both hot and cold! See blog post for how to store leftovers!