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Kicking things up today with my Cajun (lemon) Pepper Shrimp with Creamed Corn Orzo! Peppery, spicy, garlicky, and buttery shrimp, pan-seared with bell peppers and served over creamy, corny, and herby orzo pasta. A complete dinner that’s so simple, and mouth-wateringly delicious. Major bonus? This shrimp dinner is made in just about 30 minutes, using simple summertime ingredients. Perfect summer dinner for any night of the week.
There are shrimp recipes, but then there is this shrimp recipe. It’s honest to goodness one of the better shrimp dishes I have created. And while it may not be the prettiest recipe I’ve made, it’s so easy, and so very good. It takes maybe 30-minutes from start to finish, uses fresh summer produce, and a good mix of pantry staple ingredients.
Trust me, it’s the best Monday recipe, and great for every other day of the week too.
The funniest thing about this cajun shrimp and orzo? It was created towards the end of a long and pretty exhausting day. As I was making it, I knew for sure that it was a dish I was never going to share with you all. I mean, cajun shrimp? That’s a little boring, and everyone knows how to make cajun shrimp, right?
It wasn’t even the least bit pretty either, so no way was I sharing…
These were my thoughts as I was making the dish. These are often my thoughts when I’m feeling uninspired in the kitchen…aka when my mind goes to negative places. I start talking down to not only myself, but the food too. Sounds weird, but yep, I do it.
Anyway, as I began cooking, something switched inside me, and I challenged myself to step outside the box. What would make the cajun shrimp different…better than all other cajun shrimp recipes? What would make it pleasing to the eye and colorful?
And then I figured it out. I pulled out what I had on hand, got creative, and added color. In turn, I created a shrimp recipe that I love!
And that sums up the way I develop recipes at least half of the time. Always challenging myself to step just slightly off the beaten path. And it almost always works.
On to the nitty-gritty details…
While this is not a 10 ingredient recipe, don’t let that scare you away. Promise it’s straight forward, quick and easy. Since the orzo takes the longest to cook, start with this. It’s all made in ONE pan and it’s my favorite part.
Why?
Orzo + butter + garlic + corn + all the fresh thyme…just a few of my favorite things.
The corn is first caramelized with a touch of garlic. Then add the orzo and then the liquids to fully cook the orzo. I used a combination of wine and water, but you can certainly use all water if you prefer not to cook with wine.
Once the orzo is al dente, stir in a touch of coconut cream and parmesan cheese. And done. Now you have creamed corn orzo, and yes, it is every bit as delicious as it sounds.
While the orzo is cooking away, make the shrimp.
It’s a simple mix of andouille sausage, plenty of bell peppers, and shrimp tossed with cajun seasoning. Minimal ingredients, but so much flavor. The sausage, while completely optional, adds a really nice authentic cajun taste (here’s another great recipe using andouille sausage). I think it’s why we loved this shrimp so much. It adds an additional layer of texture and flavor, which is what Cajun cooking is all about, spicy, smoky flavor!
The sweet, herby, and creamy orzo is the perfect balance to the spicy, smoky, and heavily seasoned shrimp. It all feels very southern, which I kind of love. Something about summertime always has me craving southern-inspired foods.
Anyone else?
Excited to keep making this throughout the summer. It will be a great way to use all the fresh herbs and bell peppers growing in the greenhouse, along with the sweet corn from the market. Fresh summer food at its best! Enjoy, and happiest Monday!
If you make this Cajun Pepper Shrimp with Creamed Corn 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!
Cajun Pepper Shrimp with Creamed Corn Orzo.
Servings: 6 4 people
Calories Per Serving: 890 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 ears corn kernels, removed from the cob
- 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1/3 cup dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1/2 cup canned coconut cream or heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan or Asiago cheese
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on or off (about 24 shrimp)
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- 1 uncooked Andouille sausage links, meat removed from casings
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh basil roughly chopped
Instructions
- 1. To make the orzo. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the corn, 2 tablespoons thyme, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until the corn is golden. Stir in the orzo and cook until toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Add the wine to the skillet and de-glaze the pan. Add the 2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer 8-10 minutes until the orzo is al dente. Stir in the milk and parmesan, cook another few minutes until warmed through. 2. Meanwhile, make the shrimp. In a medium bowl, toss together the shrimp, cajun seasoning, and a large pinch of pepper. 3. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the sausage and brown all over, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until the peppers are soft and tender, remove the sausage and peppers from the skillet to a plate.4. Return the skillet to high heat and add the olive oil. Add the shrimp and sear on both sides until pink, about 2-3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter, the garlic, and 1 tablespoon thyme, toss to coat and cook until the garlic is fragrant and caramelized, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil, lemon juice, and reserved sausage and peppers.5. To serve, spoon the orzo onto plates, top with shrimp and peppers. 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.
This post was originally published on June 17, 2019
This has so much flavor!! My husband and I absolutely loved it. Such a great way to mix up weeknight dinners.
That is amazing! Thank you Lily! xTieghan
Delicious!! I made it for my family and everyone loved it. The corn/orzo combo is amazing!! I am pescatarian so I used field roast fake sausage and it was great.
Yes!! So glad this turned out well for everyone! Thank you so much Monica! xTieghan
Made tonight. Once again all I can say is how does this young woman blow us away again.
I made it true to the recipe accept I actually used canned corn YES canned. All we had during the COViD 19 pandemic.
Husband said this is a keeper.
Susan
Wow that is so amazing!! I am so glad you both loved this recipe Susan! Stay well! xTieghan
Very yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Becca! I am so glad you enjoyed it! xTieghan
Just finishing enjoying this amazing quick meal. I think to make these meals quick you must have everything out, measured, ready to use! I’ll make this again without a doubt;) thx you!
Thank you so much Corinne! xTieghan
Yesterday and today, I made my 99th and 100th meal from HBH (site and books). My wife and I thank you so much for all 100 meals. We love your creations! This flavor bomb, Cajun shrimp, was #99. #100 dates back to March 15 2015, grilled pineapple caprese eggs. It was, as usual, brilliant. Thank you Tieghan!!! What a pleasure to watch your enterprise blossom. We are huge fans.
WOW!! What?! That is so amazing! Thank you, David, for supporting my blog and making the recipes I create! I am so glad they have all turned out wonderful for you! xTieghan
I live with 5 males. Made this for dinner tonight. The comments tell you what you need to know:
“What the…”
Me: “Is this a do over?”
Nate: Absolutely! Tomorrow?!
“This is amazing. Absolutely amazing.”
“Honey, you deserve a prize.”
“Holy heck.”
HELL YES! That is so amazing haha! Thank you so much for trying this Jennifer! xTieghan
Just made this tonight. So delicious!!
Thank you Sydney! So glad you enjoyed this! xTieghan
So tasty, just the right amount of spice, and really easy to make. The orzo is definitely a family favorite. Thank you!
Thank you! I am so glad you loved this recipe! xTieghan
Hello! Genuinely loving all your recipes. When you say simmer, does that mean reduce the heat? Thanks.
Hey Kat! When I say simmer, it just means to continue cooking the sauce down for a few minutes at the same heat level. If I tell you to reduce the heat, then that’s when you reduce the heat. Does that make a little more sense? So sorry if is was confusing!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I made this recipe a while back- I’ve been meaning to comment because it’s one of the best recipes I’ve ever made! It’s SO GOOD. My husband mentioned that it tasted like it was from a really nice restaurant. All the recipes I’ve made from your blog + cookbook have been super successful, but this one tops them all 🙂
Wow that is so amazing to hear Megan! Thank you so much for trying this! xTieghan
I’ve made this recipe a few times. It’s such a delicious combination of spice and cream. I wouldn’t usually cook with orzo (mostly due to intimidation), so it also makes me feel really accomplished when I serve this dish and it really wasn’t a difficult ingredient to use at all (but don’t tell my friends who think I’m suddenly culinary school status 😉 ). Great job Tieghan!
I am so glad you have been loving this recipe Rachele! Thank you so much!! I hope you continue to love my recipes! xTieghan
Made this last night! SO good, the flavors and textures merry so well together. I used chicken andouille, and regret it. Think it would have been better with pork sausage. Next time!
I hope you like it more with pork sausage, Katherine! Let me know! Thank you! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
This dish looks amazing, as does just about everything on your site! While browsing for recipes, I happened across your blog and can tell it will be one of my new favorites!
Question on this recipe: I have a package of quality, imported Italian linguine that I would like to use. Would it be possible to substitute this for the orzo?
Thanks for providing such a flavorful recipe adventure!
Hey Nonnie! You are so kind and I am thrilled you are enjoying so many HBH recipes. Thank you!!
Yes, you can use the linguine (YUM), but I would recommend breaking it into 2-3 pieces to ensure it cooks up in the same amount of time as the orzo would. I think this will yield great results! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Thank you Tieghan for your wonderful website. My list of daily recipes was getting very old. I love your take on cooking. As a 70 year old who still loves to cook, your website has been terrific. Scoring big with the new guy in my life. Keep up the great work. I have passed your site on to several others who love it too. Have a great day! Debbieg from Arizona.
Thank you so much Debbieg! I am so glad you are enjoying my blog and recipes! xTieghan