This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.

Bringing together all the flavor with this Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo. Golden seared shrimp in a creamy, spicy sauce that’s truly so delicious. This shrimp is made all in one skillet with fresh herbs, bell peppers, and a squeeze of lemon. It’s simple and quick cooking, yet roll your eyes back GOOD. Serve this skillet shrimp over a simple lemony basil orzo for a quick and easy summer dinner. This dish makes great use of those delicious herbs and garden bell peppers. It’s the 25-minute dinner that everyone will love!

Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo | halfbakedharvest.com

There are two things I really love about summer shrimp recipes. One, shrimp cooks up in no time at all, so it usually makes for a quick and simple summer dinner. And two, shrimp can really take on so many flavor profiles. From spicy Mexican, to herby Italian, and in today’s case a little spicy southern flare.

I’m not sure what brought on the inspiration for this recipe, other than the fact that I knew I had a bag of shrimp in the freezer and needed a quick weeknight dinner. Sometimes the best inspiration really does comes from the ingredients you have on hand.

Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo | halfbakedharvest.com

I remembered this creamy chicken lazone I shared last year. I LOVED that sauce so much. So I kind of based this recipe off of that. I used it for this shrimp with a few new additions and it turned out just delicious.

I love to give you guys simple and complete meals…all in one’s. Because in reality, when I develop recipes, I develop them as I would want to make them. And personally, I don’t want a recipe just for shrimp in a cream sauce. So we’re making a quick basil orzo to serve alongside the shrimp.

Start with the orzo since the shrimp cooks so fast. Simply boil it off and toss it together with olive oil, lots of fresh basil, lemon, and a pinch of salt. Nothing fancy, but I find it to be a nice switch up from say rice, which is often served with shrimp.

Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo | halfbakedharvest.com

While the orzo cooks, make the shrimp

I tossed the shrimp with a mix of spices that’s essentially a homemade cajun seasoning blend. It’s one of my favorite spice mixes to keep on hand for quick meals like this.

Once the shrimp is tossed in the spices, just sear it in a skillet, then add a small pat of butter. Pull the shrimp out of the pan then toss in lots of bell peppers. Add a splash of wine, then some milk to create a creamy sauce. You can use any milk…nut milk, whole milk, or in my case goat milk…all will work.

Finish the sauce off with a small amount of parmesan cheese, then simply slide the shrimp right back in.

Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo | halfbakedharvest.com

Now serve it up

At this point, the orzo should be finished and you can spoon the creamy sauce and shrimp over plates of warm orzo. As with a lot of my summer dishes, I like to top this with plenty of fresh herbs. Today it was basil.

If you’re feeling it, a side of beer bread would go really great with this dinner. It feels very southern and summery to me!

Then if you’re really trying to impress, make a side salad and you’ll have the perfect simple summer dinner. It’s fresh, bright and so delish!

Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo | halfbakedharvest.com

Looking for other simple skillet recipes? Here are a few ideas: 

20 Minute Florentine Butter Chicken with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Skillet Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Chicken

One Skillet Cheesy Cuban Chicken Rice Bake

Lastly, if you make this Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 634 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and add it right back to the hot pot. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup basil, lemon juice, and season with salt.
    2. Meanwhile, toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon
    olive oil and 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning.
    3. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the shrimp and cook on both sides until seared, about 2-3 minutes per side. Add the butter, then remove the shrimp from the pan. 
    4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, bell peppers, garlic, and thyme. Cook another 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the wine. Simmer over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Then add the milk, parmesan, and 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Slide the shrimp into the sauce, simmer 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in a handful of basil.
    5. Spoon the orzo onto plates, then spoon the shrimp and sauce over the orzo. Top with fresh basil. Enjoy! 

Notes

Homemade Cajun Seasoning: mix 2 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon black pepper. Makes 3/4 cup. 
View Recipe Comments
Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo | halfbakedharvest.com

Add a Comment

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

    1. Hi Kirsten,
      Happy Wednesday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed:) xx

  1. This was AMAZING! I just finished sitting down from cleaning up the kitchen after dinner. Everyone loved it. I have no complaints on the recipe, but I did add a little pasta water to the sauce when adding the shrimp in to thicken it up some. I saw before making it some comments about the thickness, so know that adding a little pasta water does the trick. I will definitely be making this again and again!

    1. Hey Michelle,
      Happy Wednesday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed:) xx

  2. 5 stars
    So easy to make and delicious!
    I halved the recipe and used chicken broth because we were out of wine!
    But it worked ! Will definitely make it again

    1. Hey Susan!
      Thanks for your comment and making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! Hope you’re off to a great week! ? xT

  3. 5 stars
    This was my first of your recipes and it was so fast and delicious. I used sliced chicken breast instead and used only about 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup or so of parmesan. It was so surprisingly yummy. Next time I will do chicken again but also another smaller pan of shrimp for my husband. Can’t wait to try more recipes.

    1. Hi Daniela,
      Thanks for your comment and making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! Hope you’re off to a great week! ? xT

    1. Hi Sandra,
      Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am so glad it was a winner:) Have the best week! xx

  4. 5 stars
    Delicious recipe! I took some liberties in adding the butter a bit earlier in the process to the shrimp but otherwise followed the recipe as written. My husband and I both loved it and the lemon orzo leftovers would be delicious with just about any protein.

    1. Hey Jennifer,
      Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am so glad it was a winner:) Have the best week! xx

    1. Hi Luisa,
      Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am so glad it was a winner:) Have the best week! xx

  5. 5 stars
    Loaded with flavor and comes together quickly! I wouldn’t change a thing….reminds me of a favorite local restaurant dish, though better-lighter and less “goopy”. This is going in my normal rotation .

    1. Hi Tracey,
      Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am so glad it was a winner:) Have the best week! xx

  6. 5 stars
    Wow this was extremely good. Like restaurant quality. Still took me like an hour but quicker than other recipes. And pretty healthy, I added less heavy whipping cream and less wine and still so good. Highly recommend

    1. Hey Katie,
      Amazing!! I am so glad this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for trying it out! Have the best weekend! ☀️xx

  7. 5 stars
    Delicious! I added spinach but everything else was as listed. It did take me considerably longer to prepare it than the time mentioned, however, I am not especially efficient in the kitchen so I’m chalking it up to my slowness. It was well worth any extra time I invested in this meal.
    Thanks so much!

    1. Hey Mary,
      Amazing!! I am so glad this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for trying it out! So sorry to hear this took you longer than expected! Have the best weekend! ☀️xx

  8. 4 stars
    Very nice dish. Made it tonight and everyone loved it. I used heavy cream (because it was that or skim milk) and it was decadent! I think a pound of orzo was a bit much but otherwise the portions were spot on and came together great. Served with sautéed zucchini which worked well.

    1. Hey there,
      Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!!? xTieghan

  9. This recipe and most everyone from half baked harvest are fantastic. Thanks for all the good food!!

    1. Hi Jennifer,
      Awesome!! Thanks so much for your review:) Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xx

      1. 5 stars
        We loved this dish! It’s amazing and delicious as is, however I’ll add mushrooms and more peppers (also more garlic because garlic is life) next time. If you haven’t made it as is try that first. It’s simple but doesn’t taste like it is. Thank you for another yummy household staple dinner!

        1. Hey Kristen,
          Happy Sunday!! Thanks for sharing your feedback and making this recipe, I am so glad it was a hit! Happy 4th of July!??

  10. 5 stars
    yum. didn’t have cream on hand so used sour cream and some starchy water from the orzo. Served with grilled zucchini. I’ll definitely be making this again!

    1. Hey Christine,
      Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best weekend:)

  11. 3 stars
    Good recipe, I also added spinach to give some color! Cook times are ok, I know this is a weeknight meal but browning something on medium heat takes longer than 2 minutes per side, and if you really want a nice thick sauce, you need to plan for 20-25 minutes at a simmer. When the base is white wine and milk, 5 minutes won’t give you a thick sauce unless you add a corn starch slurry. Plan for twice the time to make this one.

    1. Hey Deanna,
      Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry this took you longer than expected! xTieghan

  12. 4 stars
    We loved this recipe! It was so easy and fast. We subbed half and half for the cream and the sauce was delicious. We will add spinach and cherry tomatoes (at the end) next time to get more vegetables in there!

    1. 5 stars
      Loved this one! Super easy. Used coconut milk instead of heavy cream and rice cooked in coconut milk instead of orzo because it’s what I had on hand and it was very yummy. Will throw some spinach in next time.

      1. Hey Hannah,
        Happy Wednesday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx

    2. Hey Kristi,
      Happy Wednesday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx

    3. We made it, and we LOVE it! It was so good and fresh. I loved the hint of spice from the cajun seasoning. It was such a great easy recipe. Would totally make again!

      1. Hi Hannah,
        Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for trying it out and sharing your review! xxT