5-Ingredient Garlic Shrimp and Rice
Five ingredients, one pan, dinner done before you've changed out of work clothes.
This is the dinner you make when you're exhausted but still want something that feels like a real meal. Garlic shrimp is one of those classics that punches way above its effort level — the butter and garlic do all the work, and shrimp cook in under four minutes. Pair it with quick-cook rice and you've got a plate that looks and tastes like you tried. Honest expectations: it's simple, a little buttery, and deeply satisfying. Nothing fancy, nothing fussy — just a solid weeknight win.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp — peeled and deveined, fresh or thawed from frozen
- 4 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup long-grain white rice — uncooked
- 2 cup water — for cooking the rice
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt — plus more to taste
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes — optional, for a little heat
Method
- 1 Combine rice, water, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered while you cook the shrimp.
- 2 Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and black pepper. Dry shrimp = better browning.
- 3 Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it foams and subsides, add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant — don't let it burn.
- 4 Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 90 seconds, then flip each shrimp and cook another 60–90 seconds until pink, curled, and just opaque. Pull the pan off heat immediately — overcooked shrimp get rubbery fast.
- 5 Add red pepper flakes if using and give everything a quick toss in the garlicky butter.
- 6 Fluff the rice with a fork, divide between two bowls, and spoon the shrimp and all the pan butter over the top. Serve right away.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Replace shrimp with 1 lb of extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed. Pan-fry in butter over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes per side until golden before adding the garlic.
- Faster swap — Use a 90-second microwavable rice pouch instead of stovetop rice to shave 15 minutes off the total time — just heat and plate.
- Lemon garlic version — Squeeze half a lemon over the shrimp right before serving for a brighter, more restaurant-style flavor. It costs one extra ingredient but makes a noticeable difference.
Notes
If your shrimp are frozen, thaw them quickly by placing in a colander under cold running water for 3–4 minutes. Pat completely dry before seasoning — moisture is the enemy of a good sear. Leftovers reheat okay the next day but shrimp can get rubbery; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat rather than the microwave.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet — A wide surface lets the shrimp cook in a single layer so they sear instead of steam.
- Small saucepan with lid — A tight-fitting lid traps steam and cooks rice evenly without you having to watch it.
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