Irresistible Easy Shrimp Scampi with Rice: Your Ultimate 30-Minute Dinner Solution
Prepare to be captivated by this absolutely delicious shrimp scampi with rice, a dish that perfectly balances rich, buttery textures with bright, garlicky, and zesty lemon flavors. This isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience ready to serve in a remarkable 30 minutes, making it ideal for both elegant entertaining and a swift, satisfying weeknight dinner. It’s guaranteed to become your new favorite way to enjoy shrimp, offering restaurant-quality taste from the comfort of your own kitchen.
Why This Shrimp Scampi Recipe Shines
This shrimp scampi with rice isn’t just another seafood recipe; it’s a culinary triumph that consistently delivers on flavor, elegance, and convenience. Here’s what makes it truly exceptional:
Effortlessly Elegant and Impressive
While shrimp scampi often appears on fine dining menus, this recipe proves you don’t need to be a gourmet chef to create a show-stopping dish. It’s surprisingly simple to prepare, yet its sophisticated flavor profile and beautiful presentation make it perfect for any occasion. Imagine presenting a plate of plump, perfectly cooked shrimp, coated in a luscious, golden sauce, nestled on a bed of fluffy rice. Your guests will be thoroughly impressed by how delicious and refined it tastes, believing you spent hours in the kitchen when it only took minutes.
A Symphony of Irresistible Flavors
The magic of this dish lies in its exquisite sauce. Succulent shrimp are expertly cooked and then smothered in a rich, deeply flavorful concoction of butter, dry white wine, and fresh lemon juice, all elevated by an generous amount of aromatic garlic. The butter provides a luxurious base, the white wine adds a subtle depth and acidity, while the fresh lemon juice introduces a vibrant, tangy zest that cuts through the richness, balancing every bite. A touch of red pepper flakes offers a gentle warmth, and fresh parsley brightens the finish. Each ingredient plays a crucial role, contributing to an overall taste that is both comforting and exhilarating.
Unbeatable Speed and Convenience
In today’s fast-paced world, finding a recipe that doesn’t compromise on taste or quality, yet comes together in a flash, is a true treasure. This shrimp scampi with rice boasts a total preparation and cooking time of just 30 minutes. This makes it an absolute lifesaver for busy weeknights when you crave something special but are short on time. Its quick turnaround also means less time slaving over a hot stove and more time enjoying delicious food with loved ones, whether it’s a casual family dinner or an impromptu gathering with friends.
The Perfect Pairing: Shrimp and Fluffy Rice
While many shrimp scampi recipes are served with pasta, pairing this version with rice offers a delightful alternative. The rice acts as a magnificent canvas, absorbing every drop of the incredible garlic-butter-lemon sauce, ensuring that no flavor goes to waste. It provides a satisfying texture and a wholesome base that transforms the scampi into a complete and incredibly comforting meal. The combination is substantial yet light, making it a perfectly balanced dish that satisfies all your cravings.
Mastering Your Shrimp Scampi: Essential Chef’s Tips
Achieving the best possible shrimp scampi with rice involves a few key techniques. Follow these expert tips to elevate your dish from good to absolutely unforgettable:
Optimal Shrimp Preparation
- Proper Defrosting is Crucial: If you’re using frozen shrimp, ensuring they are fully defrosted before cooking is non-negotiable. Cooking partially frozen shrimp can lead to uneven cooking and a rubbery texture.
- Overnight Method: For best results, transfer the sealed bag of frozen shrimp to your refrigerator the night before you plan to cook. This allows for a slow, gentle thaw.
- Quick Cold Water Method: If you’re short on time, place the sealed bag of shrimp in a bowl of cold water in your sink. Change the water every 15-20 minutes. The shrimp should be fully thawed within 30-60 minutes, depending on the amount.
- Absolutely NO Warm Water: Never defrost seafood (or any meat) in warm or hot water. This creates a prime environment for bacteria growth and can also start to cook the delicate shrimp unevenly, resulting in a tough, undesirable texture. Always stick to cold water!
- Pat Shrimp Dry: After defrosting, always pat your shrimp thoroughly dry with paper towels. Excess moisture on the surface of the shrimp will prevent them from searing properly, causing them to steam instead of developing that delicious, slightly caramelized crust. A dry surface ensures a quick, perfect cook and better flavor adherence.
Achieving Fluffy, Flavorful Rice Every Time
- Toast Your Rice for Superior Texture: This simple step is a game-changer for your rice. Heat a small amount of butter or olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Rinse and drain your rice thoroughly, then add it to the hot skillet. Stir constantly for a couple of minutes until the grains become slightly opaque and fragrant.
- Why Toasting Works: Toasting helps to slightly seal the outer layer of each rice grain, which prevents them from clumping together during cooking and contributes to a perfectly fluffy, separated result. It also adds a subtle nutty depth of flavor that plain boiled rice often lacks.
- Rinsing is Key: Before toasting, rinsing the rice under cold water until the water runs clear helps remove excess starch, which is another secret to achieving light, fluffy grains that don’t stick together.
After toasting, add water (or broth for even more flavor), bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and cook according to package directions without disturbing.
Embrace Freshness: Lemon and Parsley
- Fresh Lemon for Unmatched Flavor: While bottled lemon juice is convenient for some recipes, for a dish as dependent on bright, zesty notes as shrimp scampi, fresh lemon is indispensable. The juice and subtle oils from a freshly squeezed lemon provide a vibrant, authentic flavor that bottled alternatives simply cannot replicate. It brightens the entire dish and truly makes the flavors pop.
- Fresh Parsley Over Dried: Similarly, opt for fresh chopped parsley over dried. Fresh parsley adds a burst of clean, herbaceous flavor and a beautiful touch of green, enhancing both the taste and visual appeal of your scampi. Dried parsley tends to be muted and doesn’t offer the same fresh vibrancy.
More Delicious Seafood Recipes to Explore
If you love the flavors of the sea, you’re in for a treat! Here are some other fantastic seafood recipes to add to your culinary repertoire:
- Lobster Mashed Potatoes
- Seafood Baked Potato
- Teriyaki Shrimp
- Salmon Patties & Lemon Garlic Sauce
- Seafood Chili
- Air Fryer Tuna Steak
- Lemon Garlic Butter Barramundi
- Seafood Jambalaya
- Tuna Tetrazzini
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Shrimp Scampi With Rice
Cheryl Malik
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Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 1 ½ pounds large shrimp peeled, deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 4 cloves garlic minced, divided
- salt to taste
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice juice of approximately 1 lemon
- 4 tablespoons butter cut into 4-5 slices, at room temperature
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 4 lemon wedges
Equipment
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medium bowl
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spatula or wooden spoon
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Large skillet
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Tongs
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large plate
Instructions
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Place shrimp in medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 50% of garlic to bowl and stir gently until shrimp is fully coated. Set bowl aside.
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Heat skillet over medium heat. When pan is warm, add remaining oil and swirl pan to distribute oil across surface. Continue heating pan until oil is hot and shimmery.
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Add remaining garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is just fragrant, approximately 60 seconds.
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Quickly place shrimp in skillet in single layer, working in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding pan. Sprinkle salt over tops of shrimp and cook 1 minute, undisturbed.
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After 1 minute, flip shrimp over and cook 1 minute on other side. When shrimp are opaque and slightly curled, shake excess oil back into skillet and transfer shrimp to large plate. Set aside. Repeat process with remaining shrimp.
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Once all shrimp have been cooked, add white wine, lemon juice, butter, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to skillet. Use spatula or spoon to scrape up any browned bits of garlic or shrimp that may be stuck to bottom of skillet.
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Bring mixture to low boil, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
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Stir in chopped parsley, then return shrimp to skillet. Spoon sauce over shrimp, then simmer dish 1 minute or until shrimp is just warmed through. Be careful not to overcook.
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Once shrimp are just warm, remove skillet from heat. Portion cooked rice onto serving plates, then top rice with equal servings of shrimp and plenty of sauce. Squeeze lemon juice over shrimp and serve immediately.
Notes
- Dry White Wine: I recommend using pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc for this recipe. If you’d rather skip the wine, you can replace it with chicken broth.
- Shrimp: If using frozen shrimp, defrost shrimp completely before cooking.
Nutrition Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.