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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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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
- 1 pound orzo pasta
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- juice from 1/2 a lemon
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon plus 1-2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 cup milk or heavy creamy
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
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.
Made this easy and delicious dinner tonight! I was hoping to add extra veggies next time. Do you have a recommendation for what kind would go well?
Hi Rachel,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! Cauliflower would be yummy! Happy New Year!? xTieghan
Recipe is easy and very good. I bought Cajun seasoning and it made it too salty. My fault not the recipe. Just want to warn anyone else that doesn’t make the seasoning themselves.
Hi Beth,
Fantastic! Love hearing that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try. xTieghan
This recipe is a huge favorite of ours! Simple, delicious, and easy to throw together even for those of us who aren’t serious cooks. No complicated chopping, use of a bunch of different pots/pans/equipment, or hard to find ingredients. We are experimenting with different types of shrimp and have found that red Argentinian shrimp have a rich aftertaste close to crawfish that really goes well with the Cajun sauce. Love your recipes. Plan to try more over the holidays with family. Thanks!
Hey Kelsey,
Fantastic! Thank you so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays!? xx
My husband and I both loved this recipe. I used coconut milk and a little extra Cajun. We’ll definitely be having this again soon!
Hey Paige,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I made this and it was spectacular. A memorable meal! I made it for a special birthday occasion and it was very appropriate for that. I substituted coconut milk for the milk, because my husband is lactose intolerant and I was a little worried that it would bring a Thai flavor or just a flavor I wasn’t looking for, but it was not overwhelming whatsoever. It worked super well. Looking forward to making this again!!
Hey Allison,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xTieghan
Another great HBH recipe! Perfect level of spiciness
Thank you so much! xxTieghan
How spicy is this?? My dad has a medium-lowish spice tolerance so want to make sure it’s fine:)
Hi there! I would say this is more of a Cajun spicy than a hot spicy if that makes sense! xTieghan
Planning to make this recipe tonight! Do you think it would be just as good if I used broth instead of the wine? (I don’t want to waste a bottle of wine just for 1/2 cup as I really don’t drink white wine at all).
Yes you can definitely sub broth for wine! Enjoy 🙂 xTieghan
What kind of broth would work best in your opinion?
I would do a chicken or veggie broth:)
Just made this recipe for dinner! My husband said…”That’s a keeper!”?
Love to hear that! Thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This is one of my favorite quick recipes! I make it at least a few times a month now.
Hey Kelly,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!!? xTieghan
I loved this so much that I sent my best friend the recipe link. She made it and loved it, too!
Hey Krista,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!!? xTieghan
This was dinner tonight. The wine sauce is delicious! thanks !
Hey Virginie,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
I made this last night and it was so delicious. I cook for 3 servings but I only really cut down the shrimp to one pound, the bell pepper to one and the wine and milk. I can’t wait to make this again and next time I will use the full amount of liquids so there will be a bit more sauce. Thank you for the recipe.
Hey Henri,
Awesome! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! xTieghan
DELICIOUS!!! My husband inhaled it and said I better hold onto this recipe! Another hit! 🙂
Hey Nicole,
Awesome! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and truly appreciate you giving it a try! xTieghan
Making this AGAIN today for Sunday supper! This is so easy and so delicious I have to force myself not to make it every week so my husband doesn’t get tired of it. Thankfully I have an arsenal of your recipes to keep things interesting!
Hey Shelly,
Thanks a lot for trying out this recipe. I love to hear that it was enjoyed and hope you have the best week! xTieghan