Description
This Garlic Butter Shrimp and Rice Stack is a quick and flavorful main dish combining juicy, garlic-infused shrimp with fluffy white rice. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or when you want a satisfying meal that feels special, the recipe layers tender shrimp cooked in a zesty butter sauce over a compact mound of rice, garnished with fresh parsley and lemon wedges for a bright finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Sauce
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Rice
- 2 cups cooked white or jasmine rice
Garnish (optional)
- Lemon wedges
- Extra parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the garlic butter shrimp: Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Cook the shrimp: Add the shrimp to the skillet along with smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Cook the shrimp for 2–3 minutes on each side until pink and opaque.
- Finish the sauce: Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the juice of half a lemon. Toss to coat the shrimp evenly in the garlic butter sauce, then remove the skillet from heat. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
- Assemble the rice stacks: Press cooked rice into a small bowl or ramekin to form compact mounds, then invert each mound onto serving plates.
- Add shrimp and garnish: Spoon the garlic butter shrimp and sauce over the rice stacks. Garnish with lemon wedges and extra parsley as desired. Serve immediately to enjoy warm and flavorful bites.
Notes
- For a low-carb alternative, swap white rice for cauliflower rice.
- Add sautéed spinach or steamed vegetables beneath the shrimp for extra color and nutrition.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to control the heat level to your preference.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the best brightness in the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 rice stack with shrimp
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 510 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg
