Okay, this one looks looong, but I promise it’s really not! It’s basically just making a quick pesto dressing, grilling some veggies and shrimp, and tossing everything together with the orzo.
It’s easy, bright, colourful and seriously delicious. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, but fancy enough to impress when you’re having friends over for dinner on the summer deck. Win-win!
In a nutshell
Make the dressing → prep the veggies and shrimp → cook the orzo → grill the veg → combine the orzo and veg → grill the shrimp → serve!
Grilled Shrimp & Pesto Orzo
4
servings30
minutes40
minutes1
hour10
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
- Pesto Dressing
3 tbsp prepared pesto
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice (or lime works as well)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
- Orzo Salad
8 oz (225 g) orzo, about 1⅓ cups
1 medium zucchini or summer squash
1 red bell pepper
2 Roma tomatoes
½ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
½–¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Shrimp
1 lb (450 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp pesto dressing
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Directions
- Make the pesto dressing
- Whisk together the pesto, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Prepare the vegetables
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise into approximately ¼-inch-thick slices. Quarter the red pepper and cut the tomatoes into ½-inch chunks.
- Brush the zucchini and red pepper with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Prepare the shrimp
- Place the shrimp in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of the pesto dressing, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat.
- Thread the shrimp onto skewers.
- Cook the orzo
- Cook the orzo according to the package directions in well-salted water until just tender.
- Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain the orzo and immediately toss it with about 1 tablespoon of the pesto dressing.
- Let it cool for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. You want it warm but not piping hot.
- Grill the vegetables
- Heat the grill to high.
- Grill the zucchini and red pepper for about 2–3 minutes per side, until lightly charred and tender.
- Remove from the grill and let cool slightly. Chop the vegetables into roughly ¼-inch pieces.
- Build the orzo salad
- Add the grilled vegetables, chopped tomatoes, basil and about ½ cup of the feta to the orzo.
- Pour over the remaining pesto dressing and toss everything together.
- Grill the shrimp
- Grill the shrimp skewers over high heat for approximately 2–3 minutes per side, depending on their size, until pink, opaque and lightly charred.
- Serve
- Divide the orzo among four plates or bowls. Top with the grilled shrimp and finish with:
- Extra crumbled feta
Fresh basil
A squeeze of fresh lemon
Notes
- If the orzo seems a little dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss again. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper or a little more lemon juice.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp—they should be juicy and just cooked through.
