Fragrant, creamy, and ready in one pan — this Indian-Inspired Shrimp Orzo Curry combines bold spices with tender orzo for a satisfying weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
Orzo curry is an exciting fusion of Indian with Italian and Thai elements. While I quite like curry - like why wouldn’t anyone! - I was getting bored of rice or bread with curry. My girlfriend, who is truly obsessed with pasta, read about a curry made with orzo pasta. While I call this a curry, you may not see any gravy in this dish. That’s mainly because I use the delicious gravy to cook the pasta, so the flavors are cooked into each grain of the orzo. This dish can also easily be veggie-fied by adding more vegetables such as carrots and peppers during the sautéing step.
Once I heard about this recipe, I decided to start developing my own style by referring to popular options. The problem that I found with most recipes is that they use ready-made curry powder and Thai red curry paste. While I truly enjoy Thai food, I prefer creating the base of the curry from scratch.
This took me on a series of failed experiments with a variety of store-bought curry powders and red curry paste. Until, one day, I said to myself - enough! That’s when I decided to think of my favorite parts of Indian, Italian and Thai flavors and merge them together.
The orzo acts as the “rice” in this dish and its creamy texture tickles your tongue. The coconut milk brings an essence of Thai cuisine, while it also has elements of South Indian cuisine. These various elements are combined with the Indian masala and are married together by the combination of spices
The best way to describe this dish would be to actually prepare it and experience it. And don’t get intimidated by the long ingredient list, most of it is just spices you may already have in your cabinet!
The Key to This Curry
I think the key is the special spice blend. In this dish, I use a combination of whole spices and ground spices. The whole spices include cardamom, both the green and the black cardamom. Both the spices are listed as optional if you are having a hard time finding these spices at the store. While both green and black cardamom come from the same plant family, they taste completely different.
Green cardamom is usually used to add a subtle sweetness to dishes and has an intoxicating flavor.
On the other hand, black cardamom has a more pungent, smoky flavor.
Additionally, I use classic Indian spices such as cumin seeds, ground cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder and turmeric. These spices help make onion and tomato-based masala for this curry.
Green peas and cilantro help add bright fresh flavors while the coconut milk adds a wonderful creaminess and subdues the flavors from the masala. Finally, the shrimp is simply steamed in the residual heat from the pan to ensure the shrimp stay juicy and tender.
I don’t think I have disclosed one of the most important ingredients that really completes this dish. It’s the potatoes! First, they’re boiled then they are sautéed with cumin and turmeric. We’ll then toss them in the final curry. Potatoes actually go hand in hand with both Indian and Thai curries. I use Yukon gold or yellow potatoes for this step. I find the earthiness from the turmeric with the cumin goes really well with the natural waxiness of the potatoes and the starchiness from the orzo.
Watch the recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
Is orzo a pasta or a grain?▼
Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta. In this curry it's cooked right in the spiced tomato sauce, almost like a risotto, so it absorbs all that flavour as it softens to al dente.
How do you keep the shrimp tender?▼
Add the shrimp at the very end, arranged over the top of the orzo, then cover the pan and let the steam gently cook them through — about 3 minutes. That gentle steaming keeps them juicy instead of rubbery.
What makes the curry creamy?▼
Half a cup of coconut milk stirred in near the end gives the curry a light, mellow creaminess that rounds out the spices and ties the orzo, peas and potatoes together.
Can I make it without shrimp?▼
You can — leave out the shrimp and lean on the spiced potatoes, peas and orzo for a satisfying vegetarian version, or swap in another quick-cooking protein you prefer.
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!
Recipe by Anadi Misra
Indian-Inspired Shrimp Orzo Curry
Fragrant, creamy, and ready in one pan — this Indian-Inspired Shrimp Orzo Curry combines bold spices with tender orzo for a satisfying weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
Cut the potato into 1 inch dice and boil until cooked, you should be able to easily prick it with a fork.
Cut the potato into 1 inch dice and boil until cooked, you should be able to easily prick it with a fork.
2
Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add the oil and the cumin seeds. Let them cook out until they reach a reddish-brown colour.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add the oil and the cumin seeds. Let them cook out until they reach a reddish-brown colour.
3
Then, add the boiled potatoes into the pan. Season with salt and turmeric and cook them out until they are a light crispy golden brown. Set aside for use later
Then, add the boiled potatoes into the pan. Season with salt and turmeric and cook them out until they are a light crispy golden brown. Set aside for use later
For the orzo
1
Heat a pan on medium heat. Add oil and once the pan is hot, if you are using, add both the green and black cardamom. Then, add the cumin seeds. If you are not using the cardamom, directly add the cumin seeds.
Heat a pan on medium heat. Add oil and once the pan is hot, if you are using, add both the green and black cardamom. Then, add the cumin seeds. If you are not using the cardamom, directly add the cumin seeds.
2
Add onions, ginger and garlic. Cook until the onions are slightly browned.
Add onions, ginger and garlic. Cook until the onions are slightly browned.
3
Add the tomatoes and mix well. Season with ground cumin, coriander, red chilli powder, turmeric, and salt. Stir and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and break down. Keep stirring every other minute to prevent them from sticking. Add ¼ cup water if the mixture gets too dry.
Add the tomatoes and mix well. Season with ground cumin, coriander, red chilli powder, turmeric, and salt. Stir and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and break down. Keep stirring every other minute to prevent them from sticking. Add ¼ cup water if the mixture gets too dry.
4
Add the orzo pasta. Cook and stir for about one minute. Then add ½ cup of water and bring it up to a boil.
Add the orzo pasta. Cook and stir for about one minute. Then add ½ cup of water and bring it up to a boil.
5
Once the water has come up to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the pasta, stirring once every few minutes to ensure the pasta does not stick to the bottom. Add more water as necessary until pasta is al dente.
Once the water has come up to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the pasta, stirring once every few minutes to ensure the pasta does not stick to the bottom. Add more water as necessary until pasta is al dente.
6
Check for seasoning, then add the peas, coconut milk and the cooked potatoes. Stir well and then arrange the shrimp over the top.
Check for seasoning, then add the peas, coconut milk and the cooked potatoes. Stir well and then arrange the shrimp over the top.
7
Cover the pan with a lid and let the steam cook out the shrimp for about three minutes. Serve hot and enjoy :)
Cover the pan with a lid and let the steam cook out the shrimp for about three minutes. Serve hot and enjoy :)
Notes
•If you’re using fresh green peas, boil them in water for 5-10 minutes before using
Nutrition per serving
390
Calories
21g
Protein
61g
Carbs
8g
Fat
6g
Fiber
6g
Sugar
1244mg
Sodium
Share This Recipe
Did you make this recipe? Tag @cooking.with.anadi on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingwithanadi
Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen
Free weekly newsletter
Like this recipe? Get more every week.
New recipes, cooking tips, and behind-the-scenes from Anadi's kitchen.
Creamy, bold, and ready in one pan — this salmon coconut curry brings South Indian flavors to your table fast. Perfect for a satisfying lunch or dinner any night of the week.
Discover the secret to the best Bolognese sauce ever with an Indian twist. Bold spices meet rich, hearty pasta in this fusion recipe perfect for lunch or dinner. Your new favorite meal awaits.
Make paneer tikka pan pizza at home without an oven! This Indian fusion recipe combines crispy crust with creamy, spiced paneer for a quick and flavorful vegetarian meal the whole family will love.
Rich, creamy, and packed with bold spices, this Authentic Chicken Tikka Masala is slow cooked to perfection in your Instant Pot. A classic Indian dinner made easy in one pot.
Creamy spinach pesto pasta topped with perfectly pan-seared shrimp makes for a quick, restaurant-worthy dinner. Toss it together in under 30 minutes with homemade basil pesto sauce.
Bright, healthy lemon salmon spaghetti made without cream. A simple, light pasta dish packed with fresh flavors — perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or satisfying lunch the whole family will love.
45 minMedium2 servings
Comments
No comments yet — be the first to share your thoughts!
Leave a review
Be the first to share how it went — your note helps other cooks (and earns the recipe its stars).
Comments
No comments yet — be the first to share your thoughts!
Leave a review
Be the first to share how it went — your note helps other cooks (and earns the recipe its stars).