Simple Lemon Garlic Shrimp With White Rice

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/1/22
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Garlic shrimp over rice on a white plate

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Lemon-garlic shrimp is a simple dinner to make on a weekday, but it looks impressive enough to serve guests. The recipe calls for just a handful of ingredients and about a 25 minutes of cooking time.

For an easier prep time, buy shrimp that's already been peeled and deveined. You can buy it fresh that way, or use frozen shrimp, which can be easily and quickly defrosted in cold water while the rice is cooking. Either way, the recipe can still be executed on a weeknight.

The most important thing, however, is that shrimp cooks so quickly that you can't set it and forget it. When the largest shrimp begins to turn pink and curls up into a C shape, it's done. Shrimp will continue to cook because of residual heat, and it only takes a minute or two to go from perfectly cooked to overcooked shrimp.

Instead of rice, serve the shrimp over hot pasta, quinoa, or alongside sauteed vegetables. It's also great served with mashed cauliflower or spiralized zucchini.

Serve the dish with a simple green salad, along with a cold glass of white wine or sparkling water.

"I love shrimp when it's combined with butter and garlic. The lemon juice adds brightness while the parsley adds an herbal flavor and color. I served this with brown rice, and it was satisfying and delicious." —Diana Andrews

Simple Lemon Garlic Shrimp with White Rice/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 cup long-grain white rice

  • 1 pound (31 to 35) large shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 6 tablespoons (3-ounces) unsalted butter

  • 4 to 6 medium cloves garlic, crushed and minced

  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/3 cup lightly packed, coarsely chopped fresh parsley

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Cook the white rice according to package directions. Set aside and keep warm.

  3. Rinse the shrimp under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Remove and discard the tails or leave on, as desired.

  4. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat until it stops foaming, about 45 seconds.

  5. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Add the shrimp and sauté over medium heat, turning frequently until the shrimp just turns pink, or about 3 minutes.

  6. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss to combine.

  7. Spoon the rice into a serving dish. Top with the lemon-garlic shrimp, garnish with the parsley, and serve immediately.

Tips

  • For extra flavor in the rice, cook it in low-sodium chicken stock instead of water.
  • Stir in 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese while hot, before serving
  • Shrimp needs generous seasoning. Try with lemon pepper, dried chives, or Old Bay.
  • For some heat, add 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or 1/2 teaspoon of red cayenne pepper when you add the lemon juice and salt.

Variations

There are a couple of additions that can develop the flavors even more.


With wine or vermouth: Remove the cooked shrimp with a slotted spoon. Add the lemon juice and salt along with about 3 to 4 tablespoons of dry vermouth or white wine to the skillet and boil for about 20 to 30 seconds to reduce. Add the parsley and serve with the shrimp.

Baked lemon shrimp: Heat the oven to 450 F. Melt the butter in the microwave. Combine the melted butter with the rest of the ingredients in an oven-safe baking dish. Bake for 5 minutes, turn the shrimp, and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes until the shrimp are cooked through.

How to Store Lemon-Garlic Shrimp

  • Shrimp will keep for about 3 days in the fridge, if in a sealed container. Reheat it with the rice in a skillet and a little water, or very briefly in the microwave, on low power; otherwise the shrimp could get rubbery.
  • Shrimp that has been cooked can be frozen for a couple of months in a tightly sealed container and thaw in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
351 Calories
19g Fat
16g Carbs
28g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 351
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 25%
Saturated Fat 12g 58%
Cholesterol 285mg 95%
Sodium 1289mg 56%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 28g
Vitamin C 12mg 62%
Calcium 129mg 10%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 272mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)