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Shrimp with Orzo, Tomatoes and Feta

Shrimp with Orzo, Tomatoes and Feta

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    35 minutes
  • Rating

Shrimp with feta, or garides saganaki, is a Greek classic. Adding orzo pasta and spinach to the combo, as we do here, yields a superb meal-in-one. Credit for the idea goes to chef Michael Psilakis and a recipe from his book, “How to Roast a Lamb.” Sear the shrimp and start the tomato sauce while the pasta water heats and the orzo cooks. We stir the spinach and feta into the orzo immediately after draining—the heat from the pasta melts the feta and gently wilts the greens. The orzo-spinach-feta mixture is fine to wait until the shrimp and sauce are finished and ready for tossing.

Tip

Don’t use precrumbled feta, which lacks flavor. Instead, look for feta in block form and crumble it yourself. To retain the vibrant color of the spinach, don’t cover the saucepan after stirring the spinach and feta into the orzo. Lastly, don’t worry if the shrimp are underdone after searing—this is intentional. They’ll finish cooking in the sauce.

Ingredients
  • 1½

    cups orzo pasta

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    5-ounce container baby spinach

  • 4

    ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

  • 1

    pound extra-large (21/25 per pound) shrimp, peeled (tails removed), deveined and patted dry

  • ¼

    cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve

  • 1

    medium yellow onion, chopped

  • 3

    medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1

    tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

  • ½

    teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 1

    28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand

Step 1

In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Stir in the orzo and 1½ teaspoons salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain and return the orzo to the pan. Stir in the spinach and about three-quarters of the feta; set aside uncovered.

Step 2

While heating the water and cooking the pasta, season the shrimp with salt and black pepper. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering.

Add the shrimp in an even layer and cook without stirring until lightly browned on the bottoms, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a bowl, leaving the oil in the pan; set aside.

Step 3

Return the skillet to medium-high. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, oregano and pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with juices and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir the shrimp and accumulated juices into the sauce, re-cover and let stand until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 5

Pour the sauce over the orzo-spinach mixture in the saucepan. Stir to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed if the mixture looks dry. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl, then sprinkle with the remaining feta and drizzle with additional oil.