Creamy Corn Orzo Pasta with Shrimp

This Creamy Corn Orzo Pasta with Shrimp is a balanced, flavorful meal that’s perfect for when you want something fresh yet comforting. The sauce is made with blended sweet corn for a smooth, velvety base without any cream. It’s tossed with tender orzo, grated zucchini, and chickpeas for added protein and fiber. Rounded out with lemon basil shrimp, this brings together the best of summer produce in one unique and satisfying dinner!

Servings people

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Equipment

cutting board
knife
microplane zester
medium bowl
large pan
spatula
high speed blender
cheese grater
small pot
colander

Ingredients

For the Creamy Corn Sauce:

1 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots diced
2 garlic cloves minced
4 ears of corn kernels cut off the cob (about 1 lb of kernels)
kosher salt & black pepper to taste
½ cup broth of choice (I used chicken bone broth)
1 oz freshly & finely grated parmesan cheese (roughly 1 cup)*

For the Orzo:

1 cup dry orzo **
1 medium zucchini (½ lb), grated on the large holes of your grater
1 can chickpeas drained & rinsed (15oz)
fresh basil optional, for garnish

For the Shrimp:

1 lb extra large raw shrimp peeled, de-veined & tail on or off
1 tbsp olive oil
juice + zest from 1 small lemon
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

First, prepare the shrimp marinade by stirring together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, dried basil, kosher salt & black pepper in a medium bowl. Add shrimp, and stir to coat. Set aside to marinate for about 15 minutes while you begin to prepare the creamy corn sauce.
1 tbsp olive oil, juice + zest from 1 small lemon, ½ tsp dried basil, ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, 1 lb extra large raw shrimp
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Heavily salt it, then add orzo and cook to al-dente according to package instructions. Be sure to reserve some of the pasta water when draining off the orzo.
1 cup dry orzo
Meanwhile, bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add oil. Then, add shallots and saute, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add in garlic, and cook for 30 seconds longer. Add in corn kernels, season with salt & pepper, and sauté, stirring often, for about 4-5 minutes. Transfer sautéed corn mixture to a blender and add in the broth. Blend until smooth. Set aside for now.
1 tbsp olive oil, 2 shallots, 2 garlic cloves, 4 ears of corn, kosher salt & black pepper, ½ cup broth of choice
Return the large pan to medium heat. Then, coat the pan with a bit of oil. Remove shrimp from the marinade and add to the pan, making sure there's as little overlap as possible. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and continue cooking for 1-2 more minutes, or until done through. Remove shrimp from the pan and discard any excess juices left in the pan.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add in the creamy corn sauce. Make sure to scrape the blender to get it all out! Gradually add in the grated parmesan until fully melted into the sauce. Then, add in the chickpeas, zucchini and a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce. Let cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, until zucchini has softened up.
1 oz freshly & finely grated parmesan cheese, 1 medium zucchini, 1 can chickpeas
Add in the cooked orzo and shrimp, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the amount of salt & pepper as needed. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped basil. Enjoy!
fresh basil

Video

Notes

*NOTE: I highly encourage you to shred your own cheese, rather than using store-bought as it will melt better. Use the smallest holes on your cheese grater. If you're dairy free, you can omit this and it will still taste great!

**NOTE: To make this recipe gluten free, simply substitute a gluten free orzo, such as this one from DeLallo, or this Banza rice.

Calories: 585kcal

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Basil, Chickpeas, Corn, Hidden Veggies, High Fiber, Lemon, Orzo, Pasta Sauce, Shrimp, Summer Recipes, Zucchini

Nutrition