Shrimp and Rice
Updated Mar 31, 2026
An easy stovetop shrimp and rice recipe with brown rice, lemony shrimp, garlic, and onion. Recipe comes together in one pot, shrimp steams on top of rice.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Jump to Section
my shrimp and rice is a weeknight go-to!
I throw this shrimp and rice together on weeknights when I want a solid meal without a pile of dishes. Everything cooks in one pot, and I use whatever rice is sitting in the pantry. The recipe calls for brown rice, but white rice works too; you’ll just need to mess with the cook time a little.
The shrimp gets tossed in a quick marinade with garlic, lemon, and parsley, nothing complicated, just enough to make it taste ah-mazing. Once the rice is done, I throw the shrimp on top, let it steam through, and call it a day. It’s easy, it’s soo good, and it doesn’t leave me with a sink full of pots and pans.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Shrimp and Rice Ingredients
- Shrimp: I like to use frozen, large, peeled, and deveined shrimp for this recipe. Just be sure to let your shrimp thaw and pat them dry before adding to the marinade! You can use any size shrimp you prefer; the cooking time may vary by a minute or two. If you are working with shrimp that need to be cleaned, see my tips on how to devein shrimp.
- Shrimp marinade: The shrimp gets tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt, and black pepper before it ever hits the pot. Let the shrimp sit long enough to absorb the flavor, but not so long that the lemon juice changes the texture too much. Thirty minutes is usually enough, though you can go up to an hour.
- Onion, garlic, and rice: Finely chop the onion so it softens quickly and mixes evenly through the rice. The remaining garlic gets cooked with the onion before adding the brown rice, which helps everything taste more seasoned all the way through. Long grain brown rice is important here because the liquid and cook time are built around it. If you use white rice, the timing and broth amount will need to change.
- Broth, oil, and remaining seasoning: The rest of the olive oil, salt, and black pepper go into the pot with the rice so the whole dish is seasoned, not just the shrimp. Use low-sodium vegetable broth so you can control the salt better, especially since the shrimp marinade already has salt in it. If your broth is full-salt, you may want to reduce the added salt slightly.
- Parsley and lemon for serving: The extra parsley keeps it from feeling too heavy at the end. Serve with lemon wedges if you want more lemon flavor, especially since brown rice can handle a little extra acid.
How to Make Shrimp and Rice
Shrimp and Rice Recipe
This one-pan shrimp and rice recipe is made with rice cooked in broth and lemon marinated shrimp that steams right on top of the rice. Serve everything in one bowl for an easy meal.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 garlic cloves minced divided
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley divided
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 ½ cup long grain brown rice
- 2 ¼ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Add shrimp and turn to coat in marinade. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring, until onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in brown rice, with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Working quickly, spoon the shrimp in a single layer on top of the cooked rice and replace the lid. Cook until the shrimp is cooked through and turns opaque in color, 5 more minutes.
- Serve warm with lemon wedges.
Notes
My Top Tip: Keep the heat in your pan for shrimp-cooking! After switching off your burner, quickly transfer your shrimp to your cooked rice to help keep the steam in the pan. The residual heat from simmering the rice will help to cook the shrimp in just a few minutes. Once pink and opaque, they’re ready!
Storage: This shrimp and rice recipe is best served right after being made, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, add the rice to a pan and heat through. Then, add the shrimp to heat back up quickly. Because the shrimp has already been cooked, you’ll want to briefly (but thoroughly) heat it through so it doesn’t become rubbery from reheating.
Freezing: Once your shrimp has cooled completely, you can transfer it to an airtight container and freeze it for up to 2 months. To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Calories: 259kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Sodium: 612mg, Potassium: 222mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 2IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Tips
- Look for extra juicy lemons. The citrus kick is my favorite part of this recipe, so look out for lemons that feel smoother with relatively thin skin. These are guaranteed to be the juiciest!
- Try not to over-cook your shrimp. This might seem like a no-brainer, but it can happen in the blink of an eye, even with no direct heat. Stay by the stove and remove the lid on your pan as soon as you see that pink shrimpy color start to come out.
- Keep the heat in your pan for shrimp-cooking. After switching off your burner, quickly transfer your shrimp to your cooked rice to help keep the steam in the pan. The residual heat from simmering the rice will help to cook the shrimp in just a few minutes. Once pink and opaque, they’re ready!
- Don’t forget to rinse your brown rice. This will help remove excess starch!
Serving Ideas
- Add a simple salad. Since the shrimp and rice already covers the main part of dinner, I’d keep the side fresh and light. Try it with a mixed green salad, kale salad, or a chopped Italian salad with lemon vinaigrette.
- Serve with vegetables. A quick vegetable side works well if you want to round it out without making another heavy dish. Roasted broccoli, sautéed green beans, or Air Fryer asparagus would all fit.
Comments
Made this tonight for my food loving significant other. He loved it and said “it’s a keeper”. I used long grain white rice. Instead of taking 40 minutes for all the liquid to absorb, it only took about 20 minutes. Maybe it was the white rice? I added broccoli and some fresh ginger. My food lover had the soy sauce ready to add to it when served, but said it was perfect as is.
The rice does really depend on the type you use. So glad he loved it!
This dish looks light and fresh. I will try it
It definitely is! Can’t wait to hear what you think once you do!
This is amazing. I made it today for dinner. Quick and soooooo delicious. Even my kids loved it. Next time Iโll serve it with risotto os alfredo pasta
Thank you! It makes me so happy when the kids enjoy it too!