Description
Quick and easy garlic butter shrimp and rice made with tender shrimp, creamy Parmesan, fresh garlic, and fluffy rice. This one-pan dinner is ready in 20 minutes and tastes like a restaurant meal at home.
Ingredients
For the Rice:
- 1 cup minute rice (or any rice of your choice, prepared according to package directions)
For the Garlic Butter Shrimp:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (fresh is best!)
- 12–16 ounces extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on or off—your choice)
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (plus extra for garnish)
- 3 tablespoons milk (whole milk works beautifully, but any dairy or non-dairy milk will do)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional Finishing Touches:
- Extra Parmesan for sprinkling on top
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
Start by preparing your rice according to the package instructions. If you’re using minute rice, this takes just 5 minutes—perfect for a quick dinner.
If you’re using regular rice, get it going first so everything finishes at the same time. Fluff it with a fork when it’s done and set it aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s bubbling gently, add your minced garlic and let it cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently.
You’ll know it’s ready when your kitchen smells absolutely amazing and the garlic turns a light golden color. Watch it closely—garlic can go from perfect to burnt in seconds, and burnt garlic tastes bitter.
Add your shrimp to the skillet in a single layer if possible. Let them sizzle for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn pink and opaque.
Shrimp cook fast—really fast—so don’t walk away! They’re done when they curl into a C-shape. If they curl into tight O’s, they’ve gone a little too long, but they’ll still taste delicious.
Stir your cooked rice right into the skillet with the shrimp and garlic butter. Toss everything together gently so every grain gets coated in that gorgeous buttery goodness.
This is where the magic starts to happen.
Add the Parmesan cheese, milk, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir everything together for 1–2 minutes over low heat until the cheese melts and the mixture becomes creamy and dreamy.
Taste it—this is your chance to adjust the seasoning. A little more salt? Another grind of pepper? Go for it.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Give it one last gentle stir, then transfer everything to a serving dish or serve it straight from the pan (we’re all about easy cleanup here).
Sprinkle with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley, and maybe add a squeeze of lemon. Serve it hot.
Notes
- Buy pre-peeled, deveined shrimp to save yourself 10 minutes of prep work—it’s worth every penny on a busy night
- Use a garlic press if mincing isn’t your thing, but make sure the garlic is fresh
- Don’t crowd the pan when cooking shrimp—they need space to sear, not steam
- Warm your milk slightly before adding it to prevent the sauce from breaking
- Add a splash of white wine to the garlic butter for an extra layer of flavor (cook it down for 1 minute before adding shrimp)
- Swap minute rice for leftover rice from last night’s takeout—it works beautifully and saves even more time
- If you don’t have Parmesan, try Pecorino Romano or Asiago for a similar salty, nutty flavor
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop, Sauté
- Cuisine: American