This warm and enticing Lemon Pepper Shrimp Orzo pasta is full of plump shrimp, tender orzo pasta, snow peas and fresh tomatoes in a light lemon butter sauce.
I first tasted this dish while on my last cruise. It was so simple, yet elegant tasting, I knew I had to recreate it for the blog! Bonus – it’s ready in about 15 minutes!
It’s one of those skillet meals that checks all the boxes. Protein, carbs and veggies… all in a tantalizing sauce that is both light and refreshing.
Why Orzo pasta?
I love that it cooks quickly (just 7 minutes), it’s easy to digest and soaks up those lovely sauce flavors.
I have a soft spot in my heart for Orzo pasta. It’s a short grain pasta that’s shaped like rice. In fact, my 7 year old thought it was rice when she was eating it!
Ingredients Needed
You only need a handful of ingredients to whip up this tasty Lemon Pepper Shrimp Pasta. Here’s what you’ll need to gather. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.
- Orzo Pasta – you can also swap for any small pasta shape, another favorite is Ditalini pasta.
- Jumbo Shrimp – peeled and deveined, tails removed.
- Snow Peas – these cook so fast because they’re thin and delicate – perfect for a quick dinner.
- Roma Tomatoes – you can use any sort of fresh tomato here, it adds a burst of sweetness in each bite
- Lemons – pick a fresh lemon! You’ll be using the juice as well as the peel to get that delicious lemon flavor
- Butter – adds a richness to the lemon sauce.
- Seasonings – keeping it simple with salt, pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes for a hint of spice.
How To Cook Lemon Pepper Shrimp Pasta
This recipe goes FAST, so I suggest having all your ingredients prepped and ready to go once you start cooking.
Boil Orzo Pasta
Start by cooking the pasta in a pot of salted water, until the pasta is tender – about 7 to 8 minutes is all you need.
Before draining your pasta, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and set aside for later.
Season Shrimp and Cook
Generously season the shrimp with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, then cook them in a large hot skillet until they turn pink and curl in on themselves. This should only take about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add Peas, Lemon and Pasta Water
Just before the shrimp are done cooking, toss in the snow peas, garlic, extra butter and pasta water. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the shrimp and cook, for an additional 30 seconds, to 1 minute, until the butter is melted into the pan sauce.
Stir in Orzo Pasta and Tomatoes
All that’s left to do is stir in the freshly cooked orzo pasta and the fresh tomatoes. Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle with the zest of the lemon for an extra punch of fresh lemon flavor.
If desired, serve with a lemon wedge!
The pasta sauce should not be soupy or really “saucy” at all. It’ll just keep the noodles soft and slippery, coating everything with a nice lemon flavor.
If this dish weren’t served warm, you might think this was meant to be a cold pasta salad… which honestly – the leftovers served cold actually slaps.
Make ahead and storage
Because this recipe only takes about 15 minutes to prepare, and the nature of needing the pasta water to finish the pan sauce… I don’t recommend a simple way to prepare this recipe ahead of time. Fresh is best.
That being said, you can definitely store this pasta covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave in short bursts until heated through.
I really loved how quickly this warm Lemon Pepper Shrimp Pasta recipe came together. It’s simple and delicious – as it should be.
If you’re looking for more quick shrimp recipes, I highly recommend my Air Fryer Garlic Shrimp or this Honey Walnut Shrimp recipe… both are incredible.
Lemon Shrimp Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups orzo pasta, uncooked
- 16 oz shrimp, raw, jumbo size, peeled and tails removed
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 cup snow peas, cut into pieces
- 1 large lemon, juice and zest of
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 cup tomatoes, chopped, fresh
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook orzo pasta until tender, about 7 to 8 minutes. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta in colander and set aside.
- Meanwhile – season the shrimp with the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Heat a large skillet over medium – high heat and add in the avocado oil. Once hot, sear the shrimp on both sides, until they begin to turn pink and curl up. This should take about 3 minutes.
- Toss in the butter, garlic, reserved pasta water and snow peas. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into the pan and cook until the butter is melted into the sauce.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cooked orzo pasta and fresh tomatoes. If desired, zest a little lemon peel over the top to boost the lemon flavor and season with more crush black pepper. Enjoy!
