Bright and slightly spicy, this Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Rice is a healthy recipe that comes together in nearly no time. Crafted with simple ingredients, this zesty dish is beyond easy but also absolutely crave-worthy. Serve it alongside your favorite veggies for a complete meal that’s perfect for every occasion!
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Is there anything more classic than a meal with protein and rice? It’s like the OG power couple of the culinary world. Whether it’s chicken and broccoli rice, wok fried rice, or stuffed pepper rice bake, the combination always makes for a recipe everyone will enjoy.
So, we thought it was time to add lemon garlic shrimp to the mix with this baked shrimp and rice recipe! Honestly, there are so many reasons to love this dish, we lost count! For starters, it’s:
- Made with simple ingredients.
- Quick and easy and ready in 20 minutes.
- Super versatile and easy to make ahead of time.
If all that sounds good to you, keep reading to learn what you’ll need, how to make it, and more!
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
We did our best to keep this shrimp and rice dish as simple as possible while also dialing up the flavor. Just a handful of basic ingredients, a dash of herbs and spices, and a touch of oil – and you’re good to go!
- Shrimp – Look for large shrimp, and peel and devein them before you begin. Frozen shrimp work well, too. Just make sure to thaw them first!
- Aromatics – Shallot and garlic add lots of depth and a savory, slightly sweet taste.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – This helps the seasonings cling to the shrimp and enhances their flavor.
- Lemon – You’ll need both lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Spices – Kosher salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes enhance the rest of the ingredients and add the perfect touch of heat.
- White Rice – We recommend using cooked long-grain rice or Jasmine rice. However, brown rice will also work. Cook your rice in vegetable or chicken broth to add even more flavor!
- Fresh Parsley – This adds a bright, slightly peppery taste.
How to Make this Shrimp and Rice Recipe
This lemon garlic shrimp and rice is super easy to make. We’ll spill the beans below on how to whip it up quickly, but be sure to read the full instructions on the recipe card!
- Prepare the rice. Cook the rice according to the package instructions.
- Season the shrimp. Combine the shrimp, shallot, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Arrange the mixture in a single layer on a baking dish.
- Cook the shrimp. Transfer the dish to a preheated oven, and cook until fragrant. The shrimp will be opaque when done.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the cooked rice and parsley to the baking dish, and stir to combine. Garnish your lemon garlic butter shrimp with more chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice, and enjoy!
Storage Suggestions
If your family doesn’t gobble up this delicious dish immediately like ours do, leftovers store well for later! Just place them in an airtight container, and keep them in the fridge for up to two days.
Or, store them in the freezer for up to two months!
How to Reheat
For the best results, we recommend reheating your shrimp and rice in the oven. This prevents the shrimp from becoming rubbery! To do so, let frozen leftovers thaw in the fridge overnight.
Then, preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm your shrimp and rice for about 15 minutes or until heated through. Add a it of oil or butter to the pan before placing it in the oven to prevent the shrimp and rice from drying out!
Can I Use a Different Protein Source?
Yes! If you’d like to substitute the shrimp, we recommend using chicken instead. However, other fish like salmon or tilapia would work as well.
Serving Suggestions
Sure, this shrimp and rice dish is a star on its own, but we also like to jazz it up by pairing it with some fabulous sidekicks. Check out our favorites below
- Oven Roasted Whole Carrots with Tahini Dressing are a naturally sweet side dish that’s easy to make.
- Light and refreshing this Egyptian Cucumber & Tomato Salad is the perfect side or appetizer for a warm day.
- Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes are a healthy side that pairs perfectly with any meal.
- A simple recipe, you can prepare this Greek Salad in no time with ingredients you likely already have in the fridge.
Common Questions about Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Rice
Rinsing rice before cooking can make a big difference in your lemon garlic shrimp and rice! A quick rinse removes excess starch that can make your rice gummy or sticky. For fluffy, separate grains that perfectly complement your shrimp, rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear – usually 2-3 times does the trick. Some specialty rices like arborio for risotto are exceptions since you want that starchiness.
Soaking shrimp in milk for about 20 minutes before cooking can help reduce any fishy taste and tenderize them! The casein protein in milk binds to compounds that cause that fishy flavor, while the gentle acidity helps break down the proteins for a more tender result. For lemon garlic shrimp and rice, this pre-cooking step is optional but can be especially useful if you’re using frozen shrimp that might have a stronger taste.
Absolutely! Lime adds a more tropical twist to your garlic shrimp and rice compared to lemon’s classic brightness! The flavor of lime pairs perfectly with seafood and opens up different flavor directions – try adding cilantro instead of parsley and a dash of cumin for a Southwestern or Caribbean-inspired variation. You can even use a combination of both lemon and lime for a complex citrus flavor that really makes the shrimp shine.
Olive oil it our choice in this recipe — it makes an excellent substitute for butter in lemon garlic shrimp, offering a different but equally tasty flavor profile! For a richer taste similar to butter, try ghee (clarified butter) which has a higher smoke point and adds a nutty flavor. Coconut oil can bring a subtle tropical note that pairs beautifully with the lemon, while avocado oil works well if you want a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point.
More Shrimp Recipes
If you’re part of the “never enough shrimp” squad like us, why stop at just one tasty recipe? Amp up your weekly meal plan game by tossing in a few more of our absolute favorites!
- Healthy Shrimp Scampi has all the scampi flavor you love with a fraction of the carbs!
- One Pot Pesto Pasta (with oven baked shrimp) is the perfect dinner option for a comforting meal.
- Every bite of Creamy Linguine Shrimp Alfredo tastes like you’re taking a trip to a beach town on the coast of Italy.
- These Air Fryer Shrimp are absolutely irresistible – they’re bursting with flavor and ready in nearly no time.
Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain or jasmine rice cooked
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 small shallot chopped
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package instructions.2 cups long grain or jasmine rice
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium-sized baking dish combine the shrimp, shallot, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and chili flakes.1 pound large shrimp, 1 small shallot, 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 4 cloves garlic, 1/2 lemon, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, Ground black pepper to taste, Red pepper flakes to taste
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the shrimp are fully cooked and opaque.
- Add the cooked rice, and parsley to the baking dish with the shrimp. Stir to combine.
- Garnish with more parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice and serve!1/4 cup fresh parsley
Video
Equipment
Notes
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What an amazing recipe! So easy and packed with flavor, my family loved it. It’s definitely a make again kind of meal. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Yay! Glad you and your family loved it!
This was such a good new way to make shrimp! It was different, delicious, easy and simple. Cleaning was even easier
Right? Easy clean up makes it that much better! xo, Alia & Radwa
Made this last night. I didn’t have fresh garlic. Was still very good. Thank you for this recipe.
We are so glad to hear!
Xo- Alia & Radwa
Love this!