Succulent garlic-butter shrimp tossed with bright lemon and parsley, served over fluffy white rice with a silky, buttery pan sauce.
Weeknight Garlic-Butter Shrimp Over Fluffy Rice
Succulent shrimp bathed in a silky lemon-butter pan sauce and spooned over steaming white rice — a full dinner ready in about 15 minutes.
This is the kind of dinner that shows up when you need something fast, satisfying, and a little special. Long-grain rice cooks while you finish the shrimp — rinse it under cold water until the water runs almost clear, then simmer covered for 12–15 minutes and let it stand while you make the skillet sauce. The hands-off rice gives you the runway to turn raw shrimp into something glossy and restaurant-worthy without fuss.
The shrimp come together on high heat, so pat them dry first and toss with paprika, salt and black pepper to build quick, caramelized flavor. Heat a large skillet, add butter and olive oil and swirl until the butter is melted and foaming (about 30 seconds) — that mix prevents the butter from burning and gives the shrimp a silky finish. Add garlic near the end, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you like heat, and finish with bright lemon and chopped parsley so the sauce tastes clean and sunny.
Spoon the juicy shrimp and its buttery pan sauce over the fluffy rice so every bite soaks up the juices. Texturally you get a crisp-edge sear on the shrimp, a glossy, slightly reduced butter sauce, and pillowy rice — a simple balance that feels indulgent without much effort. Serve with lemon wedges and a quick green on the side for contrast.
This recipe is wonderfully forgiving: the rice can be made ahead or swapped for leftover rice, and leftovers keep a couple days in the fridge (reheat briefly in a skillet to revive the sauce). It’s a perfect weeknight dinner for four, and easy to scale up if you’re feeding guests or want leftovers for lunch.
Ingredients
How to Make 15-Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp with Rice
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs almost clear, then combine the rinsed rice, 2 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer the rice for 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid, then remove from heat and let stand covered while you cook the shrimp.
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and toss in a bowl with the paprika, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and the black pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and olive oil and swirl until the butter is melted and foaming, about 30 seconds.
- Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet and sauté for 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer and cook 1.5–2 minutes per side (total 3–4 minutes) until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, squeeze the lemon half over the shrimp, add the chopped parsley and give everything a quick toss to coat.
- Fluff the rice with a fork, taste and adjust salt if needed, then divide rice among four bowls and spoon the garlic butter shrimp and pan sauce over the rice; garnish with lemon wedges if desired.
Recipe Card
15-Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp with Rice
Succulent garlic-butter shrimp tossed with bright lemon and parsley, served over fluffy white rice with a silky, buttery pan sauce.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs almost clear, then combine the rinsed rice, 2 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer the rice for 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid, then remove from heat and let stand covered while you cook the shrimp.
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and toss in a bowl with the paprika, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and the black pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and olive oil and swirl until the butter is melted and foaming, about 30 seconds.
- Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet and sauté for 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer and cook 1.5–2 minutes per side (total 3–4 minutes) until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, squeeze the lemon half over the shrimp, add the chopped parsley and give everything a quick toss to coat.
- Fluff the rice with a fork, taste and adjust salt if needed, then divide rice among four bowls and spoon the garlic butter shrimp and pan sauce over the rice; garnish with lemon wedges if desired.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 34
- Saturated Fat
- 8
- Sodium
- 745
- Fiber
- 1
- Unsaturated Fat
- 8
- Protein
- 31
- Fat
- 16
- Cholesterol
- 204
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 416
- Sugar
- 1