few ingredients

Simple Shrimp Scampi Rice (Few Ingredients, Under $10)

Name: Simple Shrimp Scampi Rice
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 12 oz frozen shrimp; 2 cup cooked white rice; 3 tbsp unsalted butter; 4 unit garlic cloves; 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp lemon zest; 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp fresh parsley

Buttery garlic shrimp over rice in 20 minutes. Fancy-tasting, zero fuss.

Total: 20 min
Prep: 5 min
Cook: 15 min
Serves: 2
Difficulty: easy
Calories: 542
Cost: $$$/serving

When you're exhausted but still want something that feels a little special, this is your answer. Shrimp scampi is one of those dishes that sounds impressive but comes together in minutes — and swapping pasta for rice keeps it budget-friendly and even simpler. You'll get garlicky, buttery shrimp with a hit of lemon over fluffy rice. It's not fussy, it doesn't dirty many dishes, and it genuinely tastes like you tried. Use pre-cooked microwavable rice to shave off even more time. Best eaten right away while the shrimp are juicy and the butter sauce is glossy.

Ingredients

12 oz frozen shrimp — medium or large, peeled and deveined, thawed
2 cup cooked white rice — microwavable pouch works great
3 tbsp unsalted butter — divided
4 unit garlic cloves — minced
0.25 tsp red pepper flakes — optional, adjust to taste
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice — about 1 lemon
1 tsp lemon zest — optional but brightens the dish
0.5 tsp kosher salt — plus more to taste
0.25 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp fresh parsley — chopped, optional garnish

Method

1 Pat the thawed shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and black pepper on both sides.
2 Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp butter and let it melt and foam.
3 Add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook without moving for 1–2 minutes until pink on the bottom, then flip and cook another 1 minute. Transfer to a plate — don't overcook.
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4 Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter to the same skillet.
5 Once melted, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir constantly for 60–90 seconds until fragrant and just golden — watch it closely so garlic doesn't burn.
6 Add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir to combine and let the sauce bubble for 30 seconds.
7 Return the shrimp to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic butter sauce. Taste and adjust salt.
8 Serve immediately over warm rice. Spoon extra pan sauce over the top and garnish with parsley if using.

Variations

Vegetarian Swap — Replace shrimp with 12 oz of halved cherry tomatoes and 1 can of drained white beans. Sauté the tomatoes until they burst, then add the beans and follow the same garlic butter lemon sauce steps.
Faster Version — Use a microwavable rice pouch and pre-minced jarred garlic to cut total time to under 15 minutes with almost no prep.
Lemon Herb Upgrade — Stir in 1 tsp of dried Italian seasoning with the garlic and finish with a handful of fresh basil or baby spinach wilted into the sauce for extra color and flavor.

Notes

Frozen shrimp thaw fast — just put them in a bowl of cold water for 10–15 minutes. Don't walk away from the garlic; it goes from golden to burnt in seconds. If your shrimp release a lot of liquid in the pan, tip it out before adding garlic butter so the sauce stays glossy rather than watery. Leftovers reheat okay but shrimp can get rubbery — a quick 60-second microwave or a splash of water in a skillet over low heat helps.