Perfect for a hearty weeknight meal, this Creamy Shrimp and Rice is ideal for seafood fans! This dish is velvety and delicious with comforting and nostalgic flavors.
The whole family will love this dish and it’s beyond easy to make, so you won’t spend too much time or energy in the kitchen. Pair with your favorite quick veggie side for the perfect meal any night of the week!
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🩵 About This Recipe
Recipe remodel time!
While this recipe has been on my site for years, I felt it was time to give it a bit of a facelift. The new pictures really highlight the colors of the dish, the beautiful red of the tomatoes, the warm pink shrimp, and the pop of green from the scallions.
This creamy rice and shrimp is a classic in our house. Not only is it super easy to make, it's also delicious and packed with nutrients. If you like shrimp, this is the perfect dish to add to your repertoire!
Best of all, you can make this dish all in one pan. There's nothing I hate more than spending time making a tasty meal only to spend another half an hour cleaning dishes after. With this recipe, you can avoid the hassle entirely!
And if you love shrimp dinners, try these tasty Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos or my 20 minute Creamy Coconut Shrimp!
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- minced garlic - adds a pop of extra flavor.
- white rice - serves as the base of this dish; you could substitute brown rice if you want some extra nutrition.
- white wine - helps to bring out the flavor of the shrimp.
- Better than Bouillon - adds additional seafood flavor so the shrimp doesn't have to do all the work!
- shrimp - use whichever size you prefer, and you can even cook it from frozen; shrimp is also a great choice because of how sustainable shrimp harvesting is!
- tomato - a little bit of acidity cuts through all of the creaminess and tomatoes are great for antioxidants.
- half & half - provides much of the creaminess of this dish.
- Parmesan cheese - for extra thickness and some salty, cheesy flavor!
🔪 Let's Make Creamy Shrimp and Rice!
Cook Rice
In a large saucepan, combine the garlic, rice, white wine, water, and fish/lobster bouillon base, then bring to a boil.
Cook Shrimp
Add in your shrimp (it's OK if it's from frozen) and mix it in.
Simmer
Add the rice, then reduce the heat and let your dish simmer for 20 minutes.
Make Creamy Sauce
Add the half & half and Parmesan cheese.
Stir and Serve
Right before you serve, stir in your chopped tomato. You may also sprinkle some chopped chives on top for added flavor!
👪 FAQs
Frozen shrimp tends to be easier to find and allows for more flexibility. I prefer to buy it peeled and de-veined; this removes a huge chunk of prep time and makes my life so much easier! If you do prefer fresh shrimp, I recommend buying it the day you plan to use it, maybe one day before just to ensure freshness.
The answer is pretty simple: just don't cook it for too long! As long as you don't let the dish simmer for too long or at too high a heat, your shrimp should come out perfectly every time.
Store your rice and shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. My favorite containers for food storage are food grade silicone zipper bags.
The most simple and effective way to reheat this dish would be to stick it in the microwave for a minute or so. If it hasn't fully heated, keep zapping in increments of 30 seconds until it's your desired temperature.
While not ideal, this dish could definitely be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for several months.
💭 Top Tips
When shopping for shrimp:
- Typically, the safer bet for shrimp is to buy them frozen, as this ensures they are fresh. It’s also easy to thaw and cook them right out of the bag!
- If you’re feeling adventurous and would rather try fresh shrimp, make sure the shrimp don’t smell like ammonia or have slimy shells. They should be firm with solid tails.
- For a recipe like this one, aiming for medium to large-sized shrimp is the suggested option. Mini shrimp might also be a tasty choice!
When shopping for tomatoes:
- Perfect tomatoes look plump and juicy, and their skins are smooth.
- The skin should be free of bump or bruises, but some cracking near the stem is perfectly normal.
- Ripe tomatoes have a lovely fragrance to them. If there’s no aroma whatsoever, this could mean the tomato was picked before it was ready and won’t ever ripen properly.
- Planning on using the tomatoes right away? Try to pick ones that are soft to the touch. But if you know you won’t need them for a couple of days, aim for tomatoes that are a bit firmer.
Keep It Handy
Don't have time for this creamy shrimp and rice recipe right now? Click on or tap the heart icon on the BOTTOM RIGHT of the screen to save it for later!
📖 Variations
- Though shrimp is what I'm suggesting, any kind of seafood would be delicious in this dish! Crab, lobster, or even squid would give you an interesting twist on this recipe.
- Feel free to vary the kind of rice you're using. Brown rice, for instance, has a bit of a different flavor and texture but also provides a bit more nutritional value.
- For even more flavor and to increase the healthiness of this meal, add in more vegetables! Some chopped asparagus or bell peppers would deepen the flavor profile and provide extra nutrients.
- If you prefer to cook your shrimp on the grill, feel free to grill them up first and mix them in at the end with your tomatoes and whatever other vegetables you enjoy!
🍴 Suggested Side Dishes
While this recipe pulls from every corner of the food pyramid, it might still be a good choice to serve it with a delicious side!
🍤 Additional Shrimp Recipes
Here are a few more more shrimp ideas for you!
Or for something in the seafood category but a little different, try this delicious recipe for Easy Baked Calamari Rings. It comes out crispy and crunchy and makes a great healthy appetizer or a light meal!
Creamy Garlic Prawns
⭐ Did you make this recipe? Awesome! I would love to hear from you. Please give it a star rating and review below! 👇
📋 Recipe Card
Creamy Shrimp and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup uncooked white rice (not instant rice)
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 ½ cups water
- 3 teaspoons Better than Bouillon (fish or lobster base)
- 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined, can be fresh or frozen)
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- ¼ cup half & half
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives (optional)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the garlic, rice, white wine, water, and fish/lobster bouillon base and bring to a boil.2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 cup uncooked white rice, ½ cup white wine, 2 ½ cups water, 3 teaspoons Better than Bouillon
- Add the seafood (OK if it is still frozen) and mix.1 pound shrimp
- Once it returns to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the rice is cooked.
- Add half & half and Parmesan cheese.¼ cup half & half, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Right before serving, stir in the chopped tomato. Sprinkle with chopped chives (optional).1 medium tomato, chopped, 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Notes
- If you don't have Better Than Bouillon, you can substitute fish stock. In a pinch, chicken broth will do, and the dish will still be tasty but it will definitely change the flavor.
- I recommend using frozen shrimp, but fresh works too. I like frozen because then I have the flexibility to move my dinner plans around if something comes up without having to worry about the fresh seafood spoiling.
- Use pre-cooked shrimp to reduce cooking time. Add it during the last 5 minutes of simmering to warm through without overcooking.
- No white wine? Substitute chicken broth, vegetable stock, or water with a splash of lemon juice.
- Stir in some fresh or frozen chopped bell pepper while simmering to add more color and another layer of flavor. Or try spinach, frozen peas, or asparagus for extra nutrition and color.
- Swap half & half with heavy cream for a richer dish or use coconut milk for a subtle tropical flavor.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent the rice from sticking. Add a splash of water, broth, or milk to loosen the consistency. Or you can microwave in short intervals, stirring occasionally.
- You can also freeze leftovers, although I don't really recommend it because it affects the texture of the shrimp. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Ideas for using leftovers:
- Make fritters by mixing the leftovers with an egg and breadcrumbs, form into patties, and pan-fry until crispy.
- Hollow out bell peppers, stuff them with the creamy rice and shrimp mixture, and bake until the peppers are tender.
- Make fried rice by chopping the shrimp into smaller pieces and stir-frying the leftovers with soy sauce, sesame oil, and any extra veggies you have on hand.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in July 2014, and was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in January 2025.
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Happy cooking!
heidi says
Dang! This looks so good. I love those creamy sauces with food.
Kristin King says
Thanks, Heidi! Creamy sauces are favorites of mine, too!
Cheryl says
This would be an awesome recipe for my pescetarian daughter so I am adding it to my pescetarian cookbook on yumprint. I found this delicious recipe on Share Your Stuff Tuesdays and I would love it if you would come share it on my recipe link party The Yuck Stops Here. You can find us on my blog Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos from now until Sunday evening at 8pm ET. Hope to see you there! HUGS
Kristin King says
Thanks Cheryl, I stopped by and linked up! 🙂
Jess says
This looks so yummy!
Thanks for joining the Link Up this week!
Kristin King says
Sure thing, Jess! Thanks for stopping by!
Melinda @Home.Made.Interest says
Stopping by from Wine'd Down Wednesday. Yum! Pinning 🙂 Shrimp and rice are my favorite.
Kristin King says
Thanks, Melinda! Yeah, shrimp and rice are a great weeknight dinner! 🙂
Lynsey @ Eternally Wanderlyn says
This recipe looks incredible! I'm not a big sea food fan, but I know my manfriend would love this dish. 🙂
Kristin King says
Thanks Lynsey! 🙂 I appreciate you stopping by!
Kelly says
This looks and sounds amazing, yum!
xx Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
Kristin King says
Thanks, Kelly! And thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Bernadette says
Hi Kristin. Your picture has sold me on the recipe! I will make it next week for company. Am I right one uses uncooked shrimp? I would imagine I could use cooked shrimp and just add it at the end? Thank you.
Kristin King says
Hi Bernadette! Yes, you could totally use precooked shrimp. I have done it myself and it turns out just as good! Just add the shrimp when there are about 5 minutes left, which gives them enough time to warm up but not so much time that they get overcooked. I hope your company and your family enjoy it! 🙂
Plungingsilk says
My husband would love this. I love this pop of color with red. Imagine like I am wearing all white on my blog post one day with Red lips. Ha!
http://plungingsilk.wordpress.com
Kristin King says
Haha! Food styling is a little like fashion styling, I guess! Mixing and matching colors and textures can make or break a presentation in either area! 🙂 Thanks, Lata!
Mary Ellen says
This dish looks like a wonderful dinner that my family would love! I need to try it soon. I hate looking back at my old pictures too. Redoing them seems like the best option, sometimes even a little editing will make it better too.
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
Your recipe looks delicious to me! I know what you mean about the food photos though...I was reluctant to post any recipes for the longest time because I wasn't happy with my photos. It's still a work in progress but much better these days. Pinned (scheduled)! I definitely want to try this!