Greek Shrimp Packets with Orzo

These quick and easy Greek shrimp packets pack a Mediterranean flavor wallop, plus they’ve got that fun wow factor.

• Just wrap ’em up and pop them in the oven for a really fabulous healthy meal for the family or friends.
• Dishes? What dishes? Just crumple up your parchment and toss it!

What kind of shrimp for shrimp packets? What veggies?

We’re going with a Greek theme for our shrimp packets:

SHRIMP: large 18/20 count shrimp (leave the tail on.) Can you use frozen? Yes, just thaw or add a few minutes to the baking time. (Love salmon? Try my Salmon Packets.)

GREEK STYLE VEGGIES: cherry tomatoes (cut them in half so they ooze their juice, olives ~ make sure they’re pitted ~ and finally red onion.

FETA: it’s nice and sharp and gets soft and melty in the oven. Look for imported or American sheep’s milk feta for the best authentic flavor.

ORZO: I lay down a carby base to make this a satisfying meal: you can go gluten free with rice, quinoa, or even white beans or chickpeas for higher protein shrimp packets.

Wrapping parchment packets step by step

1. Start with long sheets of parchment, about 20 inches.
2. Arrange ingredients in the center.
3. Pull the long ends up.
4. Fold them down, like you would fold a lunch bag.
5. Fold or crumple the ends to seal.
6. Place on a baking sheet folded side up. No need to vent these parchment packets.

How to serve shrimp packets

Serve each packet on a plate and allow diners to unwrap their own meal. Tip: If serving a dinner party you can unwrap the packets and quickly cut away extra paper to make them a bit more elegant on the plate.

You don’t need to add anything to your meal, it’s all inside the parchment package and it even makes its own lemony sauce as it bakes.

Sue’s bottom line

I cook like this often for my husband and me. I love that the flavors develop in the sealed packets and there’s no worry of anything drying out. It’s a really convenient couple’s dinner and an easy way to use up bits and bobs you’ve got around the kitchen. A small amount of protein goes a long way when you add that carby base. This is a winner!

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Greek Shrimp Packets with Orzo

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Greek shrimp packets with orzo are an easy make-ahead weeknight dinner ~ the parchment locks in steam so the shrimp stay plump and juicy.

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Servings: 4

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Equipment

• 4 sheets parchment paper, approximately 20×12
• 2 Sheet pans

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• 2 cups cooked orzo (al dente)*
• 2 lemons, one for slices, one for juice
• 5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 24 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 24 assorted marinated olives, pitted, ideally from an olive bar**
• 1/4 medium red onion sliced into thin slivers
• 20 18/20 ct raw shrimp, shelled with tails on, this is about a pound
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• thyme sprigs***
• sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F
• Lay out your 4 sheets of parchment paper.
• Place 2 lemon slices in the center of each paper, and then 1/2 cup (or more if you like) of cooked orzo on top. Spread it out horizontally a bit.
• Drizzle each with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season lightly with sea salt.
• Now divide the tomatoes, olives, and onion slivers among each serving.
• Top with the raw shrimp over the top, and then the crumbled feta and fresh thyme.
• Drizzle with more olive oil and another squeeze of lemon over each and season with sea salt and pepper.
• Wrap up each packet: start by pulling up the long ends and folding down like a lunch bag. Then fold or crumple the short ends to seal the packets. (See post for photos and details.)
• Place the packets on baking sheets, two to a sheet, and bake for 14-16 minutes. (Make sure your oven is completely preheated before baking.)
• Open packets (watch out for steam!) and enjoy!

Notes

*This is approximately 1 cup raw orzo, cooked in plenty of salted water until al dente, then drained.

**Your supermarket olive bar is a treasure trove of dinner ingredients, and especially for this packet dinner.

***If you’d like more herb flavor feel free to add more thyme or a dried Greek or Italian herb blend to your packet.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: camping, dinner, grilling, packets, shrimp

Nutrition

Serving: 1 packet · Calories: 516 kcal · Carbohydrates: 41 g · Protein: 23 g · Fat: 31 g · Saturated Fat: 8 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 17 g · Trans Fat: 0.003 g · Cholesterol: 114 mg · Sodium: 875 mg · Potassium: 514 mg · Fiber: 5 g · Sugar: 5 g · Vitamin A: 763 IU · Vitamin C: 52 mg · Calcium: 263 mg · Iron: 3 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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