Greek Shrimp With Orzo (Prawns) Garides Youvetsi

This Greek shrimp with orzo recipe, known as garides youvetsi or kritharaki me garides, is an easy one-pan baked dish that seriously makes you feel like you're eating in a Greek restaurant. Juicy prawns, tender orzo pasta, and a rich, delicious tomato sauce. Not only does it look really good, but it’s so simple to make!

If you love this dish but want a different take, try my chicken youvetsi recipe. Or, if you're keeping it vegetarian or looking for other lenten recipes, check out my gigantes plaki, a delicious Greek giant beans dish!

Jump to:

• Why you will love this recipe
• Watch the short video tutorial
• Ingredients
• Preparation
• Homemade prawn stock
• Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
• Serving suggestions
• 📖 Recipe

Why you will love this recipe

• Restaurant-Quality at Home: Juicy prawns, tender orzo pasta, and a rich Greek tomato sauce come together for a dish that looks fancy but is actually super easy to make.
• One-Pan Bake: Once it goes in the oven, you only need 30 minutes before you’re pulling out a beautifully baked garides youvetsi.
• Pure Comfort Food: Warm, hearty, and packed with flavour, this dish is the epitome of Greek comfort food. The orzo pasta soaks up all the delicious juices, making every bite rich and satisfying.

Watch the short video tutorial

Want to see how it’s done? Watch my step-by-step video tutorial on making this Greek shrimp with orzo dish and see just how easy it is!

If you love traditional Greek dishes, make sure to follow me on YouTube so you never miss a video!

Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at the simple ingredients that make this youvetsi me garides so good! As always, check the recipe card below for exact quantities.

• Raw Prawns/Shrimp: Peeled and deveined. I like to keep the tails on for extra presentation. If you're not buying them already cleaned, be sure to make a homemade prawn stock with the heads and shells, as it adds incredible flavour.
• Greek Orzo Pasta (Kritharaki/Risoni): This tiny, rice-shaped pasta soaks up all the delicious Greek tomato sauce and makes the dish so comforting.
• Tomato Paste & Passata: Using both helps bring a deep, rich flavour and sets the base for the fragrant tomato sauce.
• Dry White Wine: Adds acidity and is added into the orzo mixture for taste and to deglaze the pan. It brings extra flavour that takes this dish to another level.
• Olive Oil: Use a good quality Greek olive oil for the best taste.
• Onion & Garlic: I use brown onions and a good amount of garlic cloves for this recipe. Feel free to adjust to your taste, but prawns love garlic.
• Spices & Herbs: A little bit of dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and a bay leaf balance everything perfectly.
• Stock: You can use water, vegetable stock, or homemade prawn stock.
• Fresh Parsley & Feta Cheese (Optional): Chopped fresh parsley adds brightness and freshness, while crumbled Greek feta gives a creamy, salty contrast to the dish.

Preparation

• Prepare the prawns: If your prawns are not already peeled and deveined, do this first. I like to leave the tails on for extra presentation. If using whole prawns, set aside the heads and shells to make a quick seafood/ prawn stock.
• Chop the onion and garlic: Finely dice both so they cook evenly and release their flavour into the sauce.
• Choose your cooking pan: I cook mine in a cast iron skillet or my Dutch oven, which goes straight from the stovetop into the oven. If you don’t have one, use a large saucepan to cook everything, then transfer it to a baking dish or casserole dish to finish baking in the oven.

Homemade prawn stock

If you're using whole fresh prawns, here’s how to turn them into a flavour-packed stock that will give your dish an even deeper seafood flavour. Use this instead of vegetable stock or plain water.

1. Remove the heads and shells from the prawns and place them in a large saucepan.
2. Add 4.5 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. We use a little extra water as some will evaporate.
3. Reduce to a gentle simmer and let it simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the flavours to infuse.
4. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the shells. Just make sure to measure the correct amount before using so you don’t end up with too much liquid.

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Follow these simple steps to make this beautiful garides youvetsi. If you get stuck, watch my video tutorial for extra guidance!

Prepare the prawns/ shrimp

1. Start by placing the cleaned prawns into a mixing bowl.
2. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
3. Toss everything together until the prawns are well coated.
4. Cover and refrigerate until needed, but take them out at least 5 minutes before cooking to bring them closer to room temperature.

Prepare the tomato and orzo base

1. Place a oven-safe pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once warm, add the onion and garlic, sautéing for about 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.
2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, allowing it to deepen in flavour.
3. Add the orzo pasta and stir for 2 minutes, letting it turn golden brown as it absorbs the colour from the tomato paste.
4. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 2 minutes until the alcohol cooks off.
5. Stir in the tomato passata, oregano, salt, and pepper, ensuring everything is well combined and coated in the rich sauce.

Bake the orzo & add the prawns

1. Pour in the stock, then gently stir to ensure the orzo is evenly distributed in the pan.
2. Add the bay leaf, bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then transfer the oven safe pan to the preheated oven (180°C fan-forced / 356°F). Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, allowing the orzo to absorb all the flavours.
3. After 20 minutes, remove the dish from the oven, then place the prawns on top and mix them through so they soak up the rich tomato sauce.
4. Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the prawns turn pink-red and are fully cooked. Cooking time may vary slightly depending on your oven and the size of your prawns.

Note: Once it comes out of the oven, give everything a gentle stir so the sauce and orzo come back together. When it is really hot it separates, but you will notice it all comes back together and the liquids are absorbed perfectly.

Garnish and serve

1. After giving it a final mix, pull some prawns to the top for a better presentation.
2. Add a decent amount of chopped fresh parsley or any of your favourite fresh herbs for a pop of colour and an easy burst of freshness.
3. Feel free to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the prawns for a zesty Greek touch that pairs beautifully with seafood.
4. Finish with crumbled feta on top, making the whole dish pop and giving you the perfect creamy, salty contrast in every bite.

Serving suggestions

This delicious dish is fantastic served as a main course, especially when paired with a few simple sides. Here’s what I recommend:

• Fresh bread: A warm loaf of homemade crusty bread is perfect for scooping up that rich tomato sauce. You won’t want to leave a drop behind!
• Salad: A refreshing Greek salad with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta balances the dish perfectly.
• Lemon potatoes: If you want something extra, these oven-roasted Greek lemon potatoes bring even more flavour to the table.
• Dessert option: If you're fasting during Lent, I recommend Greek halva, but if not, try my Galaktoboureko recipe, as the soft custard is just as comforting as this shrimp youvetsi. Or see my other desserts for more traditional Greek recipes.

📖 Recipe