Easy Mediterranean Shrimp and Rice Skillet
This shrimp and rice recipe is a one-pan dinner everyone will love! It’s flavor-packed with juicy shrimp, tender rice, lemon, garlic, and spinach.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4
Ingredients For Easy Mediterranean Shrimp and Rice Skillet
⭐4 garlic cloves, minced
⭐1 tablespoon olive oil
⭐6 cups (5 ounces) baby spinach (or chopped standard spinach)
⭐1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
⭐1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
⭐1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
⭐1/2 teaspoon onion powder
⭐1 teaspoon dried dill
⭐3/4 pound medium shrimp, deveined and tail on (thawed if frozen)
⭐1/4 teaspoon cumin
⭐1/8 teaspoon cayenne
⭐1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles
⭐Juice of 1/2 lemon plus lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions For Easy Mediterranean Shrimp and Rice Skillet
⭐In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté 1 minute until fragrant but not browned. Add spinach and cook until it wilts, about 2 minutes.
⭐Add 3 cups water and bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the rice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder and dried dill. Once it’s simmering, cover and cook for 13 minutes, uncovering and checking every so often to make sure that the heat is not higher than a simmer.
⭐Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the shrimp with the cumin, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
⭐After 13 minutes, check to make sure the water is completely cooked out (if not, cook a minute or two longer). Set the heat to low and add the shrimp to the top. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 10 minutes, until the shrimp is opaque.
⭐To serve, squeeze the lemon juice on top and sprinkle with feta cheese. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.
Tips for making Easy Mediterranean Shrimp and Rice Skillet
This shrimp and rice recipe is so simple to put together! There are just a few things to note to make this recipe a success:
Don’t use brown rice as a substitute. Brown rice has a much longer cook time and isn’t a good substitute here. (Is brown rice really healthier? Read more here.)
Make sure the rice is fully cooked before adding the shrimp. You’ll want all of the water to be absorbed before adding the shrimp on top.
Allow the seasoned shrimp to cook covered on low heat until pink and tender. This steams the shrimp, making them perfectly juicy. You’ll mix the shrimp with spices first, which adds just the right hit of savory flavor.
Garnish with lemon wedges. Sprinkle it all with lemon juice, then serve with more lemon wedges. The bright yellow against the pink shrimp and green spinach really makes the dish pop!
NUTRITIONAL INFO:
Serves 4 Calories Per Serving: 399.9%Total Fat 6.6gSaturated Fat 2.1g22%Total Carbohydrate 59.3g8%Dietary Fiber 2.1gSugars 0.7g50%Protein 25g25%Vitamin A 224.8µg16%Vitamin C 14.1mg14%Calcium 177.3mg14%Iron 2.6mg0%Vitamin D 0.1µg21%Magnesium 87.5mg13%Potassium 593.2mg17%Vitamin B6 0.3mg7%Vitamin B12 0.2µg