One-Pot Mediterranean Shrimp and Rice Recipe
Mediterranean cuisine is chock full of vibrant spices, zesty recipes, and colorful dishes that are both healthy and delightfully delicious. Ever tried a mouth-watering spinach risotto? You have Italian-Mediterranean food to thank for that!
The best part is, these dishes are also pretty simple to recreate at home. To start, we’re giving you a simple recipe for One-Pot Mediterranean Shrimp and Rice.
It consists of shrimp, asparagus, rice, olive oil, and some select spices, but the recipe is totally flexible. You can swap out the vegetables for whatever you’ve got lying in your pantry, so don’t sweat it. This is one dish you can make when you’re feeling a little lazy to go all-out but still want a restaurant-worthy dinner.
Ingredients
Ready to start your one-pot Mediterranean journey? These ingredients might just be lying around in your kitchen cupboards.
- 1 pound peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp, large size
- 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound)
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup basmati or other long-grain white rice
For the spices, you’ll be needing the following:
- 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley or basil leaves
Instructions
Now’s the time to get our hands working. Follow these instructions carefully to create the perfect one-pot Mediterranean shrimp and rice.
Step 1. Start by trimming the ends of your asparagus, then cut it into 1-inch pieces. Set aside in a bowl.
Step 2. Take your large lemon and start grating the zest. Mince or grate your garlic cloves as well. Add both to the same bowl used in step 1.
Step 3. Add the shrimp (this should be around 31 to 40 per pound), 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano. Mix in your red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, gently tossing to coat the shrimp.
Step 4. Now’s the time to cook your rice. Add 1 cup basmati rice and 2 cups of the vegetable broth into a large pot over high heat, bringing it to a boil. Bring the pot to a simmer by reducing the heat to low, stirring occasionally to make sure the bottom grains do not get burnt. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the rice is tender or the broth is absorbed.
Step 5. While you wait for your rice to cook, you can halve the zested lemon and chop your basil leaves or parsley.
Step 6. Take your shrimp and asparagus mixture and scatter it across your rice while still on heat, making sure to include any leftover marinade. Cover your pot and continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes on low heat until the asparagus appears a brighter green color and the shrimp has turned pink enough. By this point, you can remove the heat.
Step 7. Finally, take half of the lemon and squeeze out the juice into your shrimp. Stir in half of the feta cheese and chopped herbs then let sit for two minutes. Add in the remaining feta, herbs, and black pepper. Ready to serve!
See, that wasn’t so difficult, was it? Restaurant-quality meals don’t have to be super complicated. Whenever you feel like treating yourself to a unique rice meal, you can always come back to this one-pot recipe.
Eager to try out other delicious rice-based meals? Check out our other rice recipes to get a few ideas for your next meal!
