Shrimp with Rice Recipe
Delicious tender marinated shrimp with rice is the perfect quick meal in less than 20 minutes. They are made with aromatic basmati rice and lightly flavored with warm, aromatic whole spices.
Who doesn’t love a good pilaf or pilau, right? Aromatic basmati rice cooked in chicken stock until tender yet light and fluffy. You can also add vegetables or meat to it.
Pilaf or pilau is not the same as Biryani because Biryani is not cooked in a broth. Check my Chicken Biryani recipe, and you will see that it’s different.
My kids love rice, so this is very popular in our home. Add some meat and veggies, throw in some herbs, and it’s a healthy and nutritious meal.
Why make this rice pilaf?
- This recipe does not get any easier. It’s a complete meal in less than 20 minutes.
- It uses simple and easy-to-find ingredients, most of which are pantry staples.
- And you can add veggies, like carrots and frozen peas, to the rice, or you can serve some vegetables as a side dish to make this a complete meal. Try sauteed green beans, asparagus, broccoli, and roasted carrots or squash.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Shrimps – I use fresh or frozen shrimps, which take about 10 to 20 minutes to thaw. You can also use prawns.
- Ginger and garlic – Onion, ginger, and garlic are an absolute must when making curry. Hence, you will rarely find a recipe that does not have them. So, make sure you buy fresh ginger and garlic for your Indian curries. They will make a huge difference.
- Onion – I love using sweet red onions and shallots in my rice recipes. And yet, you can use any onion that you have on hand.
- Whole spices – The whole spices add warm aroma and flavor, without making this dish spicy. Do not add too much, as they can be overpowering as well.
- Cilantro – I love using fresh cilantro. And yet, parsley works just as well.
Step-by-step: Skillet shrimp with rice recipe
- Soak the rice – Wash and soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Then, drain and set aside.
- Clean the shrimp – Peel the shrimp and pat them dry with a paper towel. Then, season with kosher salt, black pepper, and sweet paprika or red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Pan fry shrimps – Add 1 tsp of olive oil or butter to a non-stick pan. Add shrimp and cook on medium-high heat for three minutes. Stir gently, then remove and set them aside.
Pro tip – Shrimps need only 3 to 5 minutes to cook. So, cooking them first will ensure they do not overcook and become chewy.
- Sauté the veggies – In a large skillet or Dutch oven, add the remaining oil and whole spices. Sauté for 30 seconds. Then, add the onions, ginger, and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent.
- Add rice – Next, add the rice and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly toasted. Then, add the rice, frozen peas, and fresh parsley, followed by the chicken broth. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Cook – Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and keep covered for another 10 minutes.
Pro tip – Let the rice cook in its residual heat for 10 minutes. This will ensure a light and fluffy rice.
- Add shrimps – Finally, return the shrimp to the rice and add more fresh parsley, cilantro, or dill. Give it a gentle squeeze of lemon juice.
- Fluff – Fluff the rice with a fork to ensure everything is well combined. Top with more fresh parsley before serving.
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Frequently asked questions
How long will this shrimp with rice recipe keep?
This recipe will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can even freeze it for up to a month.
What else can I add to this rice?
Veggies! You can add more veggies to this rice. Chopped carrots, squash, and parsnips are great additions. However, they must be cut into small pieces similar to the peas. Otherwise, they will not cook at the same time as the rice.
How much water should I add to this rice?
Always read the package instructions for the quantity of water needed. Most manufacturers will usually tell you the best ratio needed for their brand of rice. It can make a huge difference to the end result of your recipe.
If you use Basmati or Jasmine rice, it usually is a 1 to 1 ½ ratio. So, for every one cup of rice, I will use 1 ½ cups of water. If you add veggies, I add 1/4 cup of water for every 1 cup of veggies added.
Shrimps with Rice
Delicious tender marinated shrimp with rice is the perfect quick meal in less than 20 minutes. Made with aromatic basmati rice and lightly flavored with warm aromatic whole spices.
Video
Ingredients
Rice pilaf
- 1 cup (200 g) Basmati rice soaked for 30 minutes then drained
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 cup Onion finely chopped
- 1 cloves Fresh garlic minced
- 1 tsp Fresh ginger grated
- 1½ cup (350 ml) Chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- ½ cup (70 g) Frozen peas
- ½ cup Fresh Parsley finely chopped
- ½ cup Fresh dill finely chopped optional
whole spices
- 4 Cloves optional
- 2 Cardamons optional
- 1 inch (2.5 cm) Cinnamon stick optional
- 3 Bay leaves optional
Shrimps
- 1 cup (250 g) Shrimps Peeled, deveined, washed and drained
- ½ tsp Sweet paprika or chilly flakes or cayenne (optional)
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- 1 tbsp Olive oil or cooking oil
Method
- Soak the rice – Wash and soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Then, drain and set aside.
- Clean the shrimps – Peel the shrimp, pat them dry with a paper towel. Then, season with kosher salt, black pepper, and sweet paprika or red pepper flakes. Set aside.1 cup Shrimps , ½ tsp Sweet paprika , ¼ tsp Kosher salt, ¼ tsp Black pepper, 1 tbsp Olive oil
- Pan fry shrimps – Add one teaspoon of olive oil or butter to a non-stick pan. Add shrimp and cook on medium-high heat for three minutes. Stir gently, then remove and set them aside.
- Sauté the veggies – In a large skillet or Dutch oven, add the remaining oil and whole spices. Sauté for 30 seconds. Then, add the onions, ginger, and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent.2 tbsp Cooking oil, 1 cup Onion, 1 cloves Fresh garlic , 1 tsp Fresh ginger , 4 Cloves, 2 Cardamons , 1 inch Cinnamon stick , 3 Bay leaves
- Add rice – Next, add the rice and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly toasted. Then, add the rice, frozen peas, and fresh parsley, followed by the chicken broth. Season with salt and black pepper.1 cup Basmati rice, 1½ cup Chicken broth, ½ tsp Kosher salt, ¼ tsp Black pepper, ½ cup Frozen peas, ½ cup Fresh Parsley, ½ cup Fresh dill
- Cook – Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and cook on a low simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and keep covered for another 10 minutes.
- Add shrimps – Finally, add the shrimp to the rice along with the fresh parsley, cilantro, or dill. Give it a gentle squeeze of lemon juice.
- Fluff – Fluff the rice with a fork to ensure everything is well combined. Top with more fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Measure the quantity of rice using a cup and use the same cup to measure the water ratio later.
- Always soak the rice for a minimum of 30 minutes to a maximum of an hour, not more.
- If you make a pilaf, lightly toast the rice in oil before you add water. The little oil that coats the rice will contribute to flaky rice that keeps them separate from each other.
- Use the right ratio of rice to water.
In the case of soaked long-grain rice, such as this basmati,- One cup of rice works best with 1 1/2 cups of water.
- If not soaked, use two cups of water for every one cup of long-grain rice (see FAQ below).
- If you don’t know how much water is needed, read the package instructions since most rice manufacturers will give you a guide for their product.
- If you use vegetables in the rice, add 1/4 cup more water for every 1 cup of veggies. However, if you use frozen veggies, do not add more water, since frozen veggies tend to have excess moisture in them.
- Once the rice is lightly toasted, add the water and bring to a boil.
- Then, cover the pot and reduce the heat to an absolute simmer (low).
- Cook the rice covered for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, turn the heat off, but do not open the pot – leave it for another 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, open the pot and fluff the rice with a fork.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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I didn’t see directions regarding the rice and broth.
The closest was:
“Cook – Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and cook on a low simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and keep covered for another 10 minutes.”
Should I assume this is when the broth and rice are added ?
Hey Doug – The next step after saute veggies is
Add rice – Next, add the rice and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly toasted. Then, add the rice, frozen peas, and fresh parsley, followed by the chicken broth. Season with salt and black pepper.
Thanks for bringing it to my attention
Loved how quick and easy this was to make! My husband ate this right up and asked for seconds!
Thanks, Eden. So happy you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback.
Shrimp is so much easier than chicken because it thaws so fast – definitely! What a great recipe to utilize shrimp. Looks delicious and perfect for dinner any night of the week!
Thanks, Sara. Absolutely great any night of the week.
I’ve been eating a lot of shrimp lately as it is a quick and delicious way to get protein into my meals! Love it with rice and this looks great. I’ll have to give this recipe a try some time!
Thanks, Leanne. Let me know how it was if you try it.
Aren’t skillet dishes the best?! I’m loving the spices and shrimp in this recipe so much! I can’t wait to add this to my meal rotation.
Thanks, Lori.
Skillet dishes are my fave, especially with shrimp and rice! Cant have too many recipes! Will try this one soon!
Thanks, Aline.
Drooling over the pics. This rice looks so flavorful and delicious 🙂
Thanks, Kushigalu
This Shrimp recipe is making me super hungry! I can hear my tummy growl. Will definitely try this recipe.
Thanks, Maggie. I hope you try this one.