Garides youvetsi, Greek shrimp with orzo

A simple and quick Greek meal of perfectly seasoned shrimp served with orzo cooked in a flavourful tomato sauce. This meal is pure comfort food.

Growing up Greek it was not uncommon for us to have shrimp. Shellfish, including shrimp are common in Greek cooking, particularly because they are considered lenten foods, and are therefore appropriate for periods of lent. So, during times of Orthodox fasting, it was common for my parents to make things like Shrimp and rice, Chili lime side stripe shrimp lettuce wraps or Orzo with shrimp, a salad which is not to be confused with this recipe for garides youvetsi.

Garides is the name for shrimp in Greek and in this recipe they are seasoned, cooked, flavoured with wine and then added to a pot of orzo cooked in a fragrant tomato sauce. This is Greek cooking at its finest; rustic, humble, simple and so very good!

Why this recipe great

Flavourful This recipe is loaded with flavour! You will love how simple ingredients can come together to make something so good.

Made on the stovetop No need to turn on the oven for this one! I like being able to keep my oven free to make other things while dinner is getting ready. Maybe you can pop in a portokalopita, or a baklava for dessert!

Comfort food Is there anything better than pasta to soothe your soul!? For me, pasta is one of the great comfort foods, and this recipe is no exception.

Key ingredients

Orzo Sometimes called kritharaki or risoni, this rice shaped pasta is so good, and is the key to making Greek youvetsi.

Tomato sauce I usually use either my homemade tomato sauce, or a good quality tomato passata.

Tomato paste A rich, concentrated tomato flavour. I like to cook up the tomato paste to get a deep, caramelized flavour.

Olive oil I love to use olive oil in this recipe. The flavour, the aroma, the colour – it is all amazing!

Shrimp In this recipe the shrimp get cooked up with the shell off. I either buy them this way, or buy them with the shell on and remove the shell (and vein) myself. It is really easy to do that, and the shrimp tend to be less expensive this way.

Onion I use a yellow onion here. It caramelizes really nicely, and tastes great.

Garlic So much flavour can be added to a dish by using garlic. I try to find locally grown garlic whenever possible.

Paprika This is a great spice! I use regular (not smoked) paprika. It not only gives a great flavour, but also a lovely red colour!

Oregano I use dry Greek oregano in this recipe, and almost all my recipes that include oregano. It is fragrant, and so flavourful.

Garlic powder To add to the lovely garlic flavour, I add garlic powder. It is handy, and tastes really good.

White wine I add white wine after I have sautéed my shrimp. I allow the alcohol to cook off, but am still left with the great taste.

How to make

Step 1
Heat olive oil in a large pot and sauté the onion and garlic, stirring regularly until softened, approximately 3 minutes.

Step 2
Add the tomato paste, paprika and oregano and cook until the tomato paste gets a little caramelized. Stir regularly for 2 – 3 minutes .

Step 3
Add the water, tomato sauce or Passata, and the orzo. Cook, stirring regularly over medium heat until the orzo is done. The orzo has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan, so stir often, especially at the beginning.

Step 4
While the pasta is cooking, prepare your shrimp.

Step 5
Season the shrimp with garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet and fry until cooked through; this should take a few minutes per side. In order not to overcrowd your pan, you might have to cook them in 2 batches. Once cooked, add the white wine to the skillet, scape up any burnt bits in the pan. Continue to cook until the wine has reduced to about half. Add all the contents of the skillet to the pot of orzo when the pasta is cooked. Mix to combine.

Step 6
To serve, top with freshly chopped parsley and crumbled feta if desired.

Recipe substitutions

You can omit the white wine and replace it instead with a bit of ouzo (2 tablespoons should be enough). If you prefer to keep the recipe alcohol free, use 1/4 cup of vegetable or fish stock.

If you want a richer dish, instead of using olive oil to fry your shrimp you can use butter. You can also use butter to sauté your onion and garlic.

Orzo is a great small shaped pasta, but you can also use another small pasta, like dilatini or stelline.

Cooking tips

Orzo is a great pasta – it cooks up quickly and is creamy and delicious. It does tend to clump and stick however, while cooking. In order to keep it clump free, stir regularly while it is cooking.

If you are using frozen shrimp you can defrost them overnight in the refrigerator. Otherwise, you can use the quick defrost method and place them in a bowl under cold running water. They will not take too long to defrost.

Recipe variations

You can make this recipe using calamari rings instead of shrimp for youvetsi calamari. Watch the cooking time, because calamari cooks up even faster than shrimp. You can consult my recipe for Calamari and rice as a guide on cooking time.

If you are eating dairy you can add crumbled feta to the top of the dish or grated mizithra cheese.

Storing and reheating

This dish can be kept in the refrigerator for a day or two. I don’t like to keep seafood much longer than that. To reheat, you can use the microwave or the stovetop. The orzo will have thickened, so it is a good idea to add some more liquid, either water or tomato sauce.

Related recipes

Youvetsi with lamb (Greek orzo with lamb) A sumptuous meal baked in the oven with orzo and lamb.

Youvetsi with chicken (Greek orzo with chicken) A quick and easy meal of orzo and chicken baked in a tomato sauce.

Youvetsi with chickpeas (Greek orzo with chickpeas) A vegan version of this classic Greek dish, made with chickpeas.

Thanks for sharing!