A savory, saucy one-skillet bowl of tender shrimp and fluffy rice tossed in a creamy, slightly sweet peanut sauce with crisp vegetables and crunchy peanuts.
Skillet Peanut Shrimp Bowls for Weeknights
A speedy one-pan dinner that marries tender shrimp and fluffy rice in a creamy, slightly sweet peanut sauce—done in about 30 minutes and perfect for busy nights.
When you want something saucy and satisfying without babysitting multiple pots, this one-skillet bowl answers the call. Everything cooks in a single large pan: shrimp sears just until tender, veggies stay bright and crisp, and the rice soaks up a glossy peanut sauce that feels indulgent but comes together from pantry staples.
The flavor is a simple, delicious balance—creamy peanut butter melt with a touch of honey and soy, finished with sesame oil and fresh ginger and garlic for lift. Texture is the other star: fluffy rice and silky sauce, pops of crunchy peanuts, and crisp red pepper and matchstick carrot for contrast. Each bite hits a little savory, a little sweet, and a little crunchy.
A few small tricks keep it quick and perfect: pat and lightly season the shrimp so they sear, cook them only until just opaque and set them aside to avoid overcooking, and don’t be shy about scraping up the browned bits before adding rice and broth—those bits add a lot of savory depth. Cover and simmer the rice until the liquid is gone, then fold everything together so the sauce clings to each grain.
This is a great make-ahead-friendly dinner: whisk the peanut sauce in advance, toast some peanuts for garnish, and reheat leftovers with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Finish with lime, cilantro, or scallions for brightness, and you’ve got a weeknight bowl that feels far more special than the time it takes.
Ingredients
How to Make One-Skillet Shrimp Peanut Rice Bowls
- Pat the shrimp dry and season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper; peel and devein if needed, then mince the garlic and grate the ginger.
- Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat with the neutral oil and 1/2 tsp sesame oil; add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 1-2 minutes per side until just opaque, then transfer to a plate.
- Add the diced red bell pepper and matchstick carrot to the hot skillet and sauté 2-3 minutes until slightly softened; stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the rice and chicken broth, scrape any browned bits from the bottom, bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low and cook 15-18 minutes until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- While the rice cooks, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, remaining 1/2 tsp sesame oil, juice of half the lime, red pepper flakes, and 2-3 tbsp warm water to loosen into a smooth sauce; taste and adjust sweetness or salt.
- When the rice is nearly done, stir the baby spinach into the skillet to wilt, then return the cooked shrimp to the pan and pour the peanut sauce over everything, tossing gently to coat and warm through for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in most of the chopped scallions and cilantro, reserving some for garnish; squeeze the remaining lime half over the skillet and taste for seasoning, adding more salt or soy sauce if needed.
- Serve the peanut shrimp and rice in bowls topped with chopped roasted peanuts, the reserved scallions and cilantro, and an extra drizzle of sesame oil or lime if desired. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Recipe Card
One-Skillet Shrimp Peanut Rice Bowls
A savory, saucy one-skillet bowl of tender shrimp and fluffy rice tossed in a creamy, slightly sweet peanut sauce with crisp vegetables and crunchy peanuts.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry and season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper; peel and devein if needed, then mince the garlic and grate the ginger.
- Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat with the neutral oil and 1/2 tsp sesame oil; add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 1-2 minutes per side until just opaque, then transfer to a plate.
- Add the diced red bell pepper and matchstick carrot to the hot skillet and sauté 2-3 minutes until slightly softened; stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the rice and chicken broth, scrape any browned bits from the bottom, bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low and cook 15-18 minutes until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- While the rice cooks, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, remaining 1/2 tsp sesame oil, juice of half the lime, red pepper flakes, and 2-3 tbsp warm water to loosen into a smooth sauce; taste and adjust sweetness or salt.
- When the rice is nearly done, stir the baby spinach into the skillet to wilt, then return the cooked shrimp to the pan and pour the peanut sauce over everything, tossing gently to coat and warm through for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in most of the chopped scallions and cilantro, reserving some for garnish; squeeze the remaining lime half over the skillet and taste for seasoning, adding more salt or soy sauce if needed.
- Serve the peanut shrimp and rice in bowls topped with chopped roasted peanuts, the reserved scallions and cilantro, and an extra drizzle of sesame oil or lime if desired. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 49
- Saturated Fat
- 3
- Sodium
- 820
- Fiber
- 3.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 17
- Protein
- 33
- Fat
- 20
- Cholesterol
- 220
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 510
- Sugar
- 6