If you’re a fan of the viral Marry Me Chicken, you might just give your heart to this shrimp twist. Marry Me Shrimp and Orzo features seasoned sautéed shrimp with lots of pasta simmered in the famous creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. And it’s all made in one skillet for simplified cooking and clean-up. It’s a satisfyingly hearty entrée, and just bold enough to feel a little fancy, yet perfect for an uncomplicated weeknight dinner.
It’s Shrimply Irresistible!
The “Marry Me” sun-dried tomato sauce phenomenon has been around for a decade, if you can believe it. What started out as a humorous moment in a test kitchen has endured as an iconic and lovably scrumptious sauce that goes with just about everything. Chicken, steak, shrimp, salmon, pasta, soup, meatballs. If it’s savory, you can probably cook it in the sauce.
I love using shrimp in this recipe because it’s a little lighter, a little more warm-weather friendly. But it’s an all-season, one-skillet meal that you can turn to again and again.
I think you’ll love Marry Me Shrimp Orzo because:
- One-skillet meal = cooking ease with minimal cleanup.
- The shrimp cooks in minutes, making this a fast but special dinner.
- It features the perfect balance of bright (lemon), rich (cream), savory (parmesan), and umami (sun-dried tomatoes).
- It’s more affordable than dining out but delivers restaurant-quality flavors.
- The orzo simmers right in the sauce for extra flavor. The starches also help thicken the sauce.
- It’s Instagram-worthy without much effort.
For fans of the Tuscan flavors featured here today, you might also enjoy my Marry Me Orzo Sausage Soup and Marry Me Red Lentil Soup.
Key Ingredients
Shrimp — If you shop at a big box retailer, you’ll probably have a lot of options for shrimp, both fresh and frozen, at different price points. Shrimp that’s cooked in spices and sauce is a lot more forgiving than, say, an appetizer shrimp platter. I usually go for the frozen shrimp. I rarely have the energy to prepare a pound of shrimp these days, so I typically choose the peeled, deveined, tails-off packaging. For sizing, I usually go for something one-bite, as this dish is a better eating experience if you don’t have to cut anything up on your plate. Sizing used to be highly standardized, but locally, they’ve reverted to labels like medium, large, and jumbo. Medium is usually a good choice.
Aromatics — Lots of onions and garlic start the flavorful base of the dish.
Marry Me ingredients — The core of this sauce is a Tuscan-inspired ingredient set: sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and Italian dried herbs. I also add roasted red peppers because they’re a perfect flavor companion here, and I never turn down the opportunity to add more veggies to a dish.
Orzo — You can use any small pasta shape, but I think orzo is the best choice. It’s easy to scoop up and eat off the fork, like rice, but has pasta’s substance.
Cook’s Notes
- Although shrimp is more attractive with the tails on, I recommend removing them for this dish. While technically edible, they are definitely an acquired texture — for most Americans, it’s an unpleasant chewing experience. And it’s an unnecessary nuisance to expect guests to pull the tails off with each bite.
- While you can cook the orzo in a separate pot, this is one dish that benefits from the pasta cooking right in the dish. I use a fairly small amount of broth, and the starches in the pasta are released into the broth, thickening everything as it cooks. Which means we can use less heavy cream (too much dairy can dull flavors).
- Orzo pasta is processed in one of several cuts, from short to long. You might or might not have a choice at your store, but if you do, the longer 65 cut is the option I prefer (and is what you see in the photos here).
- I like the fresh boost that parsley adds to the recipe, but you can substitute — or add to! — a leafy green such as spinach.
How to Make Marry Me Shrimp Orzo
Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to see the full ingredient list, quantities, prep/cooking times, and printable, detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through of making the dish.
Prep notes
Here’s a quick guide for prepping the ingredients, if you need it (not including anything that simply needs to be measured out of a container, such as dried herbs and liquids).
- Rinse the shrimp in a strainer under cold running water. Peel and devein if necessary. Remove the tails. Pat dry and season with the dried spices, tossing to coat. You can do this ahead of time and store in the fridge.
- Peel and chop the onions. Chop and measure the roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. Peel and mince the garlic.
- Clean the lemon then grate the zest using a fine grater. Take care to catch only the thin outer layer, as the white pith underneath is bitter.
- Grate the cheese on a fine grater. A fine texture will let the cheese melt right into the sauce.
- Clean and chop the leaves of the parsley. Clean and slice the green onion (discard the root end). You can use the entire stalk, from white to dark green.
Step 1: Cook the shrimp
In a large skillet, sear the seasoned shrimp in some of the sun-dried tomato oil until plump and opaque. Keep everything in a single layer and don’t crowd the pan. Work in batches, if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Saute the aromatics
Cook the onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and roasted red peppers until the onions have softened. Add the tomato paste and seasonings and mix to combine.
Step 3: Start the orzo
Add the liquids and the orzo pasta. Cook at a gentle simmer for the amount of time indicated on the pasta directions.
Step 4: Create the base of the sauce
The sauce will reduce and thicken while the pasta cooks. Continue when you can drag a spatula across the pan bottom and leave a cleared trail.
Step 5: Finish the sauce and pull it all together
Stir in the cream, cheese, and parsley until everything is well-mixed and creamy. Gently fold in the shrimp, and serve with your favorite toppings.
Storing
This dish stores very well in the fridge for several days. When reheating, add a small amount of water to restore the cream sauce.
I hope this Marry Me Shrimp and Orzo earns a permanent spot in your dinner rotation. It sure has in mine; the fam loves it! It’s easy and just fancy enough to feel special without being fussy. If you try it, let me know what you think in the comments below. Or tag me on Instagram (@soupaddict) so I can see your delicious skillet in action!
Marry Me Shrimp and Orzo
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 1 tablespoon oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- a few grinds of black pepper
- 1 pound medium-sized , raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- juice from 1/2 lemon
For the orzo:
- 1 tablespoon oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes , if needed
- 1 small onion , diced
- 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed)
- 1/4 cup diced jarred roasted red peppers
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup dried orzo
For the sauce:
- 1/2 or 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup finely grated parmigiano regianno
- zest from one lemon
- 1/4 cup parsley
- 1 green onion , sliced thinly (for topping)
Instructions
Cook the shrimp:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium until the surface of the oil shimmers.
- Toss the dried seasonings in a small bowl, then season the shrimp on both sides.
- Add the shrimp to the hot skillet in a single layer, taking care not to crowd the pan so that the shrimp will sear rather than steam. Depending on the surface area of your pan, you might have to work in batches.
- After 3 minutes, flip each shrimp using tongs or tweezers, and sear for another 3 minutes or until pink, plump, and opaque. Give a squeeze of two of the lemon over the shrimp and stir. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl or plate, and repeat with the next batch, if applicable.
Cook the orzo:
- If the pan is dry, add another tablespoon of sun-dried tomato oil.
- Add the onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and roasted red peppers to the pan and saute until the onions begin to soften.
- Mix in the tomato paste, garlic, Italian herb blend, and red pepper flakes.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and pour in the broth, stirring well.
- When the broth is bubbling, add the orzo and reduce heat to maintain an active simmer. Stir the orzo so it’s evenly distributed in the pan, and ensure it’s completely covered by liquid.
- Cook the orzo for the amount of time indicated on the package directions (it can vary by brand and the size of the individual orzo pieces. I used a larger cut of orzo, and it takes about 12 minutes). Using a flat-edged spatula, stir the orzo every couple of minutes to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Run the blade along the pan surface to ensure nothing’s stuck. This phase is finished when you can drag a spatula across the bottom of the pan and leave a cleared trail.
Pull it all together:
- At the end of cooking, pour in the heavy cream, and sprinkle with the cheese, lemon zest and parsley. Return the shrimp to the pan, folding it gently into the orzo. Allow everything to rest for a few minutes to heat through. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.