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This easy shrimp and rice skillet is a one-pan dinner ready in just 30 minutes! Featuring juicy shrimp, garlicky spinach rice, feta, and a bright squeeze of lemon.
Love a good shrimp 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 a total homerun. I’m always in need of a good 30-minute weeknight meal, and this one hits the spot in so many ways.
5 Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I’ve made this recipe many times and always turns out great. For 2 servings I cut the rice to 1 cup and the water to 2 cups…the results were great! Just a little leftover. Awesome recipe!” –S
Ingredients You’ll Need
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:
- Medium shrimp: I find medium (41–50 count per pound) to be the ideal size for this dish. Tail-on looks the best in the pan; tail-off is more practical for easy eating. You can use either! Frozen also works, just make sure to thaw the shrimp first.
- Long grain white rice: White rice is best here; don’t swap in brown rice; it has a much longer cook time and won’t work with this method.
- Baby spinach: It wilts down dramatically, so 6 cups may look like a lot but cooks down to just the right amount.
- Dried dill: Dill gives this a lightly herby, almost Greek-inspired quality.
- Feta cheese: Adds a salty, creamy punch that ties everything together. Skip it for a dairy-free version.
- Lemon: A half lemon squeezed over the finished skillet brightens everything.
- Cumin and cayenne: These go on the shrimp and add a savory, slightly smoky flavor.
Note: Fish that is wild caught in your country is usually a sustainable choice. There are also quality options in well-regulated farms. For more, go to Seafood Watch Consumer Guide.
Tips for The Best Shrimp and Rice Skillet
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 juicy. 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!
Serving Suggestions
This shrimp and rice skillet is a complete meal on its own, but here are a few ways to round out the table:
- A simple green salad: Something light with lemon vinaigrette is a natural pairing. I like this arugula salad or Mediterranean salad.
- Crusty bread or warm pita: Great for scooping up any rice left in the pan.
- Sauteed vegetables: Zucchini, bell peppers, or asparagus would all work beautifully alongside.
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, add a small splash of water to the rice before warming gently on the stovetop.
I don’t recommend freezing this dish; the rice can become gummy and the shrimp lose their texture after freezing and thawing.
More Shrimp and Rice Ideas
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:
- Try this Spanish Paella, a traditional Spanish recipe with arborio rice
- Go for Creamy Shrimp Risotto, an Italian classic
- Make a Shrimp Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice, a Mexican-inspired spin on a burrito bowl
- Try a quick and simple Honey Garlic Shrimp and Rice
- Grab Shrimp Fried Rice, quick and simple with day old rice
- Go for a Thai-inspired Shrimp Curry, featuring coconut milk and red curry paste
- Serve classic Shrimp Scampi or Shrimp Stir Fry and serve both with rice
Dietary Notes
This shrimp and rice recipe is vluten-free and pescatarian. For dairy-free, omit the feta cheese.
Easy Shrimp and Rice Skillet
This easy shrimp and rice skillet is a one-pan dinner ready in just 30 minutes! Featuring juicy shrimp, garlicky spinach rice, feta, and a bright squeeze of lemon.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Seafood
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 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
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ 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
Instructions
- 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.
I’m confused where the recipe is on this page? Ingredients breakdown? How to cook and in what order? Says it on here based on the March 1st comment but it still isn’t.
Hi! Sorry about that. The issue is fixed.
What happened to the actual recipe directions? It was on this page, but now it’s gone.
Sorry about that!! Fixed.
The recipes that I have are good for families, is there recipes for senior person. Looking for recipes to help to lose five lbs. also for future meals too
I’ve made this recipe by the directions many times and always turns out great.
Since it’s just the two of us, I decided to experiment a little. I cut the rice to 1 cup and correspondingly cut the water to 2 cups. I had a bit over 8 ounces of spinach leftover, so the more the merrier. I also cut the shrimp back to 0.5 lb since my package was 1lb and I didn’t want a quarter of a pound of shrimp lingering in my freezer (we are full time RVers). Adjusted the salt a little but everything else was per the recipe.
The results were great! Just a little leftover.
Awesome recipe! Thank you!!
Love it!