10 One Pan Shrimp Dinner Recipes With Rice (September 2026)

A one-pan shrimp and rice dinner is a weeknight meal where the rice toasts in garlic and butter, simmers in seasoned broth, and the shrimp steam right on top for the last five minutes until everything is done in a single skillet. These one pan shrimp dinner recipes with rice all land in about 30 minutes and leave you with one pan to wash.

I cook shrimp and rice more than almost anything else in September, when the last of the garden tomatoes are still around and nobody wants to stand at a stove for an hour. Every recipe below is written to be cooked start to finish on a weeknight, with quantities measured and doneness cues you can actually see. If you like the one-dish idea, my best one pan dinner ideas cover a lot more ground, and the ground beef and rice one-pan recipes follow the same timing logic if shrimp is not your thing tonight.

At a Glance: One Pan Shrimp Dinner Recipes With Rice

Here is the short version so you can pick before you shop. Times are total, start to finish, and the difficulty ratings assume you have cooked rice before at least once.

Recipe	Time	Difficulty	Best for
1. Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Rice	32 min	Easy	A first one-pan shrimp dinner
2. Cajun Shrimp and Rice	30 min	Easy	Spicy, smoky weeknight meals
3. Tomato Basil Shrimp Rice	35 min	Easy	Late-summer tomatoes
4. Chipotle Lime Shrimp Rice	30 min	Medium	Smoky heat with a bright finish
5. Mushroom Parmesan Shrimp Rice	35 min	Easy	Comfort food on a cool night
6. Coconut Curry Shrimp and Rice	32 min	Medium	Dairy-free dinners
7. Spicy Tomato Shrimp Rice	32 min	Medium	Heat that builds in layers
8. Lemon Herb Shrimp Risotto	40 min	Medium	A creamier, fancier finish
9. Black Bean Shrimp and Rice	30 min	Easy	Hearty, filling, budget-friendly
10. Honey Garlic Shrimp and Rice	28 min	Easy	The fastest plate in the set

1. Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Rice

This is the one I make when someone new asks me how shrimp and rice works in a single pan. The rice toasts first in garlic butter, broth goes in, and the shrimp go on top under the lid. Bright, garlicky, and very hard to mess up.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 22 min · Total: 32 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Pat the shrimp dry and season with the lemon zest, half the lemon juice, the salt and the pepper.
2. Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant and pale gold.
3. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes, until the grains look slightly translucent and the edges are toasted.
4. Pour in the broth, stir once, and bring to a boil.
5. Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
6. Spread the shrimp in a single layer over the rice. Cover again and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until the shrimp curl into a C and turn opaque.
7. Remove from the heat and let it sit 5 minutes so the rice finishes steaming.
8. Drizzle with the remaining lemon juice, scatter the parsley, and spoon the rice and shrimp together.

Tip: Resist stirring during the simmer. Every peek lets steam out, and you end up with dry rice at the edges and wet rice in the middle.

Swap it: Use vegetable broth and a pinch of smoked paprika if you want the garlic profile without the chicken. Bottled lemon juice works, but fresh zest carries most of the aroma.

Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of broth, or in the microwave at half power in 60-second bursts, adding a teaspoon of water so the rice does not dry out.

2. Cajun Shrimp and Rice

Cajun shrimp and rice is the bold one. The seasoning does the work, and the pan gets hot enough to char the rice a little at the bottom, which is exactly what you want here. It is the plate I make when the week was long.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 8 min · Cook: 22 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning blend
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 green onions, sliced

Instructions

1. Season the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of the Cajun blend.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the shrimp 1 minute per side, until just pink. Transfer to a plate.
3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook 4 minutes, until soft.
4. Stir in the rice and the remaining Cajun blend plus the smoked paprika. Toast 2 minutes.
5. Add the broth and the hot sauce, stir once, and bring to a boil.
6. Cover, drop to low, and simmer 15 minutes without stirring.
7. Fold the shrimp back over the rice, cover, and steam 3 more minutes until the shrimp are opaque.
8. Rest 5 minutes off the heat, then scatter the green onions over the top.

Tip: Sear the shrimp first and add them back at the end. Cooked from the start in the broth, they turn into small pink erasers by the time the rice is done.

Swap it: Add smoked sausage or andouille with the vegetables for dirty rice, or use Old Bay in place of the Cajun blend if that is what is in your cupboard.

Storage: Good for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. The rice picks up more spice overnight, so hold back a little hot sauce until you reheat. Reheat covered over low heat.

3. Tomato Basil Shrimp Rice

This is the one to cook in late summer while the tomatoes taste like something. The tomatoes collapse into a loose sauce while the rice cooks, so you get seasoned rice and a real tomato flavor without a second saucepan.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 25 min · Total: 35 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion 3 minutes, then add the garlic and oregano for 30 seconds.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring twice, until they slump and release juice.
3. Mash about half the tomatoes with the back of a spoon so the sauce has body.
4. Stir in the rice and toast 2 minutes, then add the broth and salt.
5. Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer on low 15 minutes.
6. Stir the cream through the cooked rice, then lay the shrimp on top.
7. Cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp curl and turn pink.
8. Fold gently and finish with the torn basil, keeping the lid off so the basil stays bright.

Tip: Add the basil after the heat is off. Basil that simmers for ten minutes turns black and tastes like nothing.

Swap it: Fresh tomatoes need no salt. With canned or out-of-season tomatoes, cut the salt to a quarter teaspoon and add a small splash of balsamic at the end.

Storage: 3 to 4 days refrigerated. The cream sauce tightens when cold, so warm it gently with a splash of broth and stir before serving.

4. Chipotle Lime Shrimp Rice

Chipotle and lime pull in opposite directions on purpose: the chile is smoky and deep, the lime is sharp and fresh, and the rice sits in the middle soaking up both. This is a skillet I make for people who think fish is too mild.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 chipotle in adobo, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 avocado, sliced

Instructions

1. Toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce and set aside.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Soften the onion 4 minutes.
3. Add the rice, cumin and the remaining adobo. Toast 2 minutes until the grains smell nutty.
4. Add the broth, stir, cover and simmer 15 minutes on low.
5. Cook the shrimp in a separate dry hot pan for 90 seconds per side, just until pink, then set aside.
6. Fluff the rice, drizzle with lime juice and honey, and stir to coat.
7. Fold the shrimp through, rest 3 minutes, and top with cilantro and avocado.

Tip: Use the adobo sauce sparingly and taste the broth before salting. A single chipotle in adobo is already fairly salty, and the broth usually is too.

Swap it: Two chipotles in adobo make it noticeably hotter. For a milder version, use a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a pinch of ground cumin instead.

Storage: 3 to 4 days in the fridge, cilantro and avocado stored separately. The lime flavor dulls overnight, so add a fresh squeeze when reheating.

5. Mushroom Parmesan Shrimp Rice

On a cold night this is the one. Mushrooms cook down and drink the broth, Parmesan thickens everything into something close to a risotto, and the shrimp ride along in the sauce. It is the most forgiving recipe in the set.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 25 min · Total: 35 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
• 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Brown the shrimp in 1 tablespoon of the butter over high heat, 1 minute per side. Set aside.
2. In the same pan, melt the rest of the butter and add the mushrooms. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, until they release water and then dry out and brown.
3. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning for 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the rice and toast 2 minutes, then add the broth and salt.
5. Cover and simmer 15 minutes on low until the liquid is gone.
6. Stir in the cream and Parmesan. The sauce should look glossy and coat the back of a spoon.
7. Fold in the shrimp, rest 3 minutes, and top with more Parmesan and the parsley.

Tip: Do not crowd the mushrooms. If they sit in a pile they steam instead of browning, and you lose the whole point of adding them.

Swap it: Use half-and-half for a lighter sauce, or skip the cream and double the Parmesan with a tablespoon of cream cheese stirred in at the end for a dairy-free version.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated. Reheat covered over low heat with a splash of broth, stirring often so the cream sauce does not split.

6. Coconut Curry Shrimp and Rice

Coconut curry shrimp and rice has the shortest ingredient list on this page and the fastest sauce. The rice cooks in the same liquid that becomes the curry, so there is nothing to drain and nothing to transfer. It is the recipe I pack for weeknights when I am tired.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 8 min · Cook: 24 min · Total: 32 min · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat the coconut oil in a wide skillet. Cook the onion 4 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, curry powder and turmeric for 1 minute.
2. Add the rice and stir to coat it in the spices for 1 minute.
3. Pour in the coconut milk and broth. Stir once, then bring to a boil.
4. Cover, drop to low, and simmer 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
5. Stir the peas into the rice.
6. Arrange the shrimp on top, cover again and steam 5 to 6 minutes, until they curl into a C.
7. Squeeze the lime over the pan and scatter the cilantro. Serve from the skillet.

Tip: Stir the coconut milk before you pour it in. The cream separates in the can, and a thin top layer gives you a pale curry with no body.

Swap it: This is already dairy-free. For more heat, add a tablespoon of sriracha with the garlic, or use mild curry powder and finish with chili crisp at the table.

Storage: 3 to 4 days refrigerated. The rice keeps absorbing sauce, so when reheating, loosen it with a splash of broth or coconut milk over low heat.

7. Spicy Tomato Shrimp Rice

This one builds heat in three layers instead of all at once: crushed red pepper in the oil, a tomato sauce cooked down until it darkens, then a final hit of hot sauce at the end. You control the heat level by choosing where to stop.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 8 min · Cook: 24 min · Total: 32 min · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, plus more to serve
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the red pepper flakes and cook 20 seconds.
2. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes, then the garlic and smoked paprika for 30 seconds.
3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and salt. Simmer 10 minutes, until the sauce darkens and thickens enough to leave a trail when you drag a spoon through it.
4. Stir in the rice and coat it in the sauce for 1 minute.
5. Add the broth, cover and simmer 15 minutes on low until the liquid is absorbed.
6. Cook the shrimp in a hot dry pan 90 seconds per side, then fold them into the rice.
7. Rest 3 minutes, then finish with hot sauce and cilantro.

Tip: Cook the tomato sauce longer than feels necessary. Under-reduced sauce leaves the rice wet, and no amount of resting fixes it.

Swap it: Dial the heat down by skipping the red pepper flakes and using sweet paprika. Go the other way with chipotle in adobo in place of the smoked paprika.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat with a splash of broth, and add the hot sauce fresh so it does not turn flat.

8. Lemon Herb Shrimp Risotto

A risotto takes longer because you add the liquid slowly, but it is the most forgiving thing in this list because the rice never has to survive a hard sear. Stir it, taste it, and stop when you like the texture. Forty minutes, one pan.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 30 min · Total: 40 min · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups chicken broth, kept hot
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons butter, cold, cubed
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and chives

Instructions

1. Brown the shrimp in the oil over high heat, 1 minute per side. Set aside.
2. In the same pan, melt the butter and soften the shallot 3 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir 2 minutes, until the grains look glassy at the edges.
4. Add the wine and stir until it is almost gone.
5. Add the hot broth one ladle at a time, stirring, and waiting until each addition is nearly absorbed before adding the next.
6. After about 18 minutes, the rice should be tender with a slight bite. Taste it and stop when you like it.
7. Fold in the shrimp, the lemon zest and juice, the Parmesan and the cold butter.
8. Rest 2 minutes, then fold in the herbs. It should spread slowly across the plate, not stand up.

Tip: Keep the broth hot in a small saucepan beside you. Cold broth drops the pan temperature every time you add it, and you lose several minutes recovering.

Swap it: Arborio gives the classic loose texture. Shorter grain rice makes it firmer, brown rice takes another 10 minutes and needs more broth. For a dairy-free version, skip the butter and Parmesan and finish with olive oil and lemon.

Storage: Risotto reheats differently from other rice on this page. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 days only, then warm it with 3 to 4 tablespoons of broth over low heat, stirring, until creamy again.

9. Black Bean Shrimp and Rice

Black beans stretch a pound of shrimp into a genuinely filling dinner, and the beans season the rice as they cook. This is the budget pick of the group and the one my kids ask for by name, which I resent a little.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 avocado, diced

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Soften the onion and bell pepper 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, cumin and chili powder and cook 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the rice and toast 2 minutes, then add the broth and half the lime juice.
4. Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer 15 minutes on low without stirring.
5. Fold in the beans, corn and the remaining lime juice. The liquid should be gone and the beans hot through.
6. Cook the shrimp in a hot dry pan 90 seconds per side, then fold them over the rice.
7. Rest 3 minutes and finish with the cilantro and avocado.

Tip: Rinse the beans well and add them after the rice has absorbed its liquid. Going in early means they crush and turn the whole pot creamy.

Swap it: Pinto beans work the same way. For a hot version, add a teaspoon of minced chipotle in adobo with the garlic.

Storage: 3 to 4 days refrigerated. Add the avocado only at serving time so it does not go brown in the container.

10. Honey Garlic Shrimp and Rice

Honey garlic is the fastest thing here, and the glaze is the reason. It hits the hot pan at the very end and turns glossy in about a minute, which is also about how long the shrimp can take before they turn rubbery. Work fast at the end.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 8 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 28 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon shredded ginger
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Cook the jasmine rice in the broth while you make the glaze: bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, then rest 5 minutes off the heat.
2. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl.
3. Melt the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the shrimp 90 seconds per side, until pink and just firm, then remove them.
4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 20 seconds.
5. Pour in the honey mixture and let it bubble for 45 to 60 seconds, until it thickens to a glaze.
6. Return the shrimp and toss for 20 seconds to coat.
7. Spoon the glazed shrimp over the rice, scatter the scallions and sesame seeds, and serve.

Tip: Watch the glaze, not the clock. It is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and stops running off the shrimp.

Swap it: Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version, or maple syrup instead of honey. A tablespoon of sriracha in the glaze turns it into a different recipe entirely.

Storage: 3 to 4 days refrigerated, shrimp and rice stored together. Reheat covered over low heat; the glaze will tighten, so add a teaspoon of water before covering.

Tips for Making These

A few things carry across all ten recipes and are the difference between a good plate and a disappointing one.

• Buy 21 to 25 per pound for any method that cooks shrimp in the broth. The number is a count, not a size, so 21 to 25 per pound means fewer, larger shrimp. Anything from 31 to 40 is fine for the seared-and-added-back methods, where the shrimp only see a hot pan for 90 seconds a side.
• Toast the rice in fat before any liquid goes in. Two minutes in butter, oil or coconut oil gives you nutty flavor and helps the grains stay separate instead of turning into a single sticky mass.
• Pat the shrimp dry, and do not crowd the pan. Wet shrimp steam. Crowded shrimp drop the pan temperature, and you get pale grey curls in a pool of water instead of a sear.
• Use a 12-inch skillet and do not stir during the simmer. The rice needs room to expand, and every lift of the lid lets steam escape, which dries the outer ring and leaves the center wet.
• Add the shrimp late. Most shrimp reach 145°F (63°C) in three to five minutes depending on size. Anything longer, and the protein turns tight and chewy before the rice has finished absorbing.
• Rest the pan 5 minutes off the heat before serving. The carryover heat finishes the rice and takes the edge off the shrimp. Skipping it is the most common reason a one-pan rice dish feels underdone in the middle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Start with the garlic lemon shrimp and rice on this page. It teaches the whole method in one dish, and once you have the timing down for it, the other nine are small changes on the same sequence: toast the rice, add liquid, cover, then steam the shrimp at the end.

Once that one works, pick by mood. Cajun for a smoky weeknight, coconut curry when you want something dairy-free, black beans when the fridge is nearly empty. Every one of these one pan shrimp dinner recipes with rice comes back to the same rule: keep the pan covered, watch the shrimp turn into a C, and let it rest before you serve it. My hamburger and rice one-pan recipes use the same timing if you want a version without seafood.