This shrimp and rice recipe is a tasty one-pot dinner! Tender, juicy shrimp sits atop tender rice flavored with garlic, lemon and spinach.
Love a good seafood dinner? Here’s one with your name on it: this tasty shrimp and rice skillet recipe! Succulent, juicy shrimp sit atop a bed of fluffy rice flavored with garlic, dill and spinach. Give it a good sprinkling of feta cheese and a few spritzes of lemon juice, and it’s truly a revelation. We’re always in need of a good 30-minute weeknight meal, and this one hits the spot in so many ways. Even our 6 year old was a big fan!
Ingredients in this shrimp and rice recipe
This shrimp and rice skillet recipe is full of bright, fresh flavors. The base of the rice is similar to this spinach rice recipe, with spinach, feta, garlic, onion and dill. It’s topped with seasoned shrimp, which you’ll place on top once the rice is done and steam on low heat until it’s just tender. Here’s what you’ll need for this flavor-packed recipe:
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Spinach
- Long grain white rice
- Spices: garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, cumin, cayenne, and kosher salt
- Shrimp
- Feta cheese
- Lemon
Type of shrimp for this recipe
There’s a wide variety of options at the store when it comes to purchasing shrimp. Here’s what we find is best for this shrimp and rice recipe:
- Medium shrimp: Medium shrimp is our favorite size for a dish like this rice skillet: avoid very small or very large shrimp here. Medium is labeled as 41 to 50 count (the number of shrimp per pound).
- Wild caught: Fish that is wild caught in your country is usually a sustainable choice. There are also quality options in well-regulated farms; see Seafood Watch Consumer Guide.
- Tail on or peeled: Tail on shrimp looks the best aesthetically, but it can be messy and harder to eat. Serve it with a bowl for the tails, or buy peeled shrimp for easier eating.
- Fresh or frozen: Frozen shrimp can be as high quality as fresh, if it’s frozen as soon as it’s caught. Make sure to thaw the shrimp before you start this recipe.
Tips for making shrimp and rice
This shrimp and rice recipe is so simple to put together! There are just a few things to note to make this recipe a success:
- Don’t use brown rice as a substitute. Brown rice has a much longer cook time and isn’t a good substitute here. (Is brown rice really healthier? Read more here.)
- Make sure the rice is fully cooked before adding the shrimp. You’ll want all of the water to be absorbed before adding the shrimp on top.
- Allow the seasoned shrimp to cook covered on low heat until pink and tender. This steams the shrimp, making them perfectly tender. You’ll mix the shrimp with spices first, which adds just the right hit of savory flavor.
- Garnish with lemon wedges. Sprinkle it all with lemon juice, then serve with more lemon wedges. The bright yellow against the pink shrimp and green spinach really makes the dish pop!
And that’s it! Let us know if you have more questions on this shrimp and rice recipe below. If you’re in the mood for other options, see below!
More shrimp and rice recipes
Want more ideas for shrimp and rice recipes? This pairing of whole grain and seafood is common across many different types of cuisines. Here are a few options:
Description
This shrimp and rice recipe is a tasty one-pot dinner! Tender, juicy shrimp sits atop tender rice flavored with garlic, lemon and spinach.
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 cups (5 ounces) baby spinach (or chopped standard spinach)
- 1 ½ cups long grain white rice
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 3/4 pound medium shrimp, deveined and tail on (thawed if frozen)
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles
- Juice of 1/2 lemon plus lemon wedges, for serving
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté 1 minute until fragrant but not browned. Add spinach and cook until it wilts, about 2 minutes.
- Add 3 cups water and bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the rice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder and dried dill. Once it’s simmering, cover and cook for 13 minutes, uncovering and checking every so often to make sure that the heat is not higher than a simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the shrimp with the cumin, cayenne and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- After 13 minutes, check to make sure the water is completely cooked out (if not, cook a minute or two longer). Set the heat to low and add the shrimp to the top. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 10 minutes, until the shrimp is opaque.
- To serve, squeeze the lemon juice on top and sprinkle with feta cheese. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Seafood
- Diet: Gluten Free
Keywords: Shrimp and rice