Cajun Shrimp and Rice

Cajun Shrimp and Rice Skillet, your new favorite simple weeknight dinner hero! With a perfect blend of flavorful shrimp, lots of veggies, and well-seasoned rice, this dish promises to be a hit with the entire family. Ready in 30 minutes!

If you're looking for more fantastic shrimp recipes you should try this family favorite Italian Olive Oil Shrimp Salad, and this party hit, Retro Creamy Shrimp Dip.

YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE!

If you're looking for a quick, delicious, and satisfying meal that brings the vibrant flavors of Louisiana to your dinner table, look no further than this Cajun Shrimp and Rice Skillet with Veggies recipe. Packed with wholesome ingredients and a delightful medley of spices, this one-pan wonder is perfect for busy weeknights or weekend gatherings.

Let's Get Cooking!

INGREDIENTS and SUBSTITUTIONS:

Detailed measurements and ingredients can be found within the recipe card at the end of this post.

What kind of shrimp should I buy?

• Use large shrimp, 21-25 count (which means there are 21-25 shrimp in a pound).  Large shrimp work super well in this recipe, they stay juicy and can soak up all of the cajun spices perfectly. I opted to dice my shrimp for easier eating, this is optional. Medium or jumbo shrimp will also absolutely work.
• Purchase raw – Do not use pre-cooked shrimp for this recipe. You can purchase raw and deveined and peeled, or devein and peel them yourself which is the more economical option.
• Frozen shrimp is your dinner in a hurry bestie! You will always find a bag of wild frozen shrimp in my freezer. You can easily defrost frozen shrimp by using the quick thaw method: Either 1) Add shrimp to a colandar and run it under COLD water until defrosted and then cook immediately. This takes 5ish minutes. Or 2) Add shrimp to a resealable bag and submerge in a bowl of ice water for 10-20 minutes changing the water if the temperature warms. Or the Overnight thaw method: simply transfer your bag of shrimp to the refrigerator and let it defrost overnight

Sourcing Quality Shrimp:

Here are the 3 questions I ask when purchasing shrimp:

1. Is the shrimp wild or farmed?
2. Is it fair trade certified?
3. Has it been treated with chemical additives (this is a common practice for both wild and farmed fish)

There are some domestic shrimp farms that I would recommend, but international farmed shrimp I would not. 

The New York Times article “What are We Supposed to Think About Shrimp” is a great starting point if you want to learn more about quality sourcing.

I buy my seafood from two places exclusively:

1. Vital Choice – you can read every detail about their sourcing practices on their website. Not only do I trust the product, but I literally every piece of fish I've received from them has been extraordinary, including the wild shrimp that I used in this recipe.
2. My local fishmonger – Once per week, we have a local fishmonger that has a stall at our farmers market. He fishes off of the coast of Long Island and brings his catch to market weekly. He never has salmon, nor should he as it isn't found off the coast of Long Island, but he does sell a variety of fish and shellfish weekly.

INGREDIENT LIST:

• Bell Peppers – Choose red, yellow, or green bell peppers, or mix and match for a burst of color. Slice them into strips, and then cut those strips into a small dice.
• Zucchini – Opt for a firm and fresh zucchini, if you grow zucchini in your garden
• Large Onion – A sweet or yellow onion works best. Dice it finely for a delicate flavor distribution.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is essential to elevate the dish's taste. Finely mince the cloves for even distribution.
• Shrimp (21-25 count) – Choose deveined and peeled shrimp for convenience. Tail-on or tail-off, it's up to your preference.
• Basmati Rice (4-5 Cups Cooked Rice) – Choose your favorite long-grain rice for the best results. Cook the rice separately according to the package instructions and set it aside for later use. I prefer long-grain rice for this dish because the grain remains distinct when cooking rather than sticking together.
• Olive Oil – This versatile oil brings a smooth and mild flavor to the dish.
• Cajun Seasoning – Prepare or buy a high-quality Cajun seasoning blend without additives for an authentic taste.

TOOLS YOU WILL USE:

• Cutting Board
• Knife
• High-Sided Deep Saute Pan (in the photos I am using my prize possession, a matte white Le Creuset saute pan)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1: Prepare the rice according to package instructions, basmati rice to water ratio for stovetop method is 1 cup rice to 1.5 cups water. I also use a pressure cooker (I personally own an Instant Pot) the ratio to cook basmati rice in the pressure cooker is 1:1, set to manual and cook for 6 minutes, and allow for 10 minutes natural release.

Step 2: Prepare the shrimp – saute the shrimp in olive oil and cajun seasoning until cooked through (about 3 minutes) remove shrimp from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Step 3: Saute veggies – Add veggies to the same pan (it is already loaded with a bunch of flavors from sauteeing the shrimp!) and saute until tender. If the pan is too dry add additional olive oil.

Step 4: Add cooked rice to pan and gently toss with veggies

Step 5: Add more spice! This dish should be supremely seasoned, add more cajun spice and olive oil to season the rice.

Step 6: Add shrimp back to pan – and toss until well incorporated. Taste for seasoning, add more as needed.

Step 7: Add hot sauce! I love the vinegar acidic heat of Louisiana hot sauce, this dish is complete when doused in hot sauce (IMHO). Add freshly diced scallions and enjoy!

RECIPE TIPS:

• Don't overcook the shrimp – shrimp is ready when it is no longer opaque and it begins to curl up. When shrimp is overcooked the texture changes completely and can become hard and/or spongy.
• Don't be afraid of the quantity of cajun seasoning used! My homemade cajun seasoning is not too spicy, affording you the ability to add more flavor without just adding spice. This dish should be super flavorful but does not need to be super spicy.
• Cook the rice separately – This is not the traditional way to cook cajun shrimp and rice, but I consider it the preferred way. One-pot dishes that cook veggies and rice together typically result in overcooked veggies and well-cooked rice. Adding the rice to the dish once it has already been cooked assures that all elements of the dish are cooked to perfection.

FAQ:

Why do you cook the rice separately?

This technically is not a one-pot dish because I prefer to cook the rice separately. Although you could easily use pre-cooked or leftover rice! Because I added more veggies to this dish (hey there zucchini and bell peppers!) I wanted to make sure the veggies retained texture. If everything was cooked together in one pot the veggies would almost certainly be overcooked.

How do I know when my shrimp is done?

There are two tell tale signs to know when shrimp is done:

1. Color – When shrimp is raw it is translucent and has a greyish tone, as it cooks it turns opaque with pink and red accents. It is done and ready to be removed from the pan when it is no longer grey, no longer translucent, and fully opaque.
2. Shape – As shrimp cook they turn in on themselves creating a C or O shape. Color is a better indicator of doneness than shape, but if your shrimp is rod straight, I can guarantee it is not cooked. if it is shriveled into an unrecognizable circle, it is overcooked – but there is a lot of variance in between.

MORE WEEKNIGHT HERO RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE:

Easy Instant Pot Risotto

Buffalo Chicken Sheet Pan Nachos

Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Pasta

Sheet Pan Salmon and Broccoli

Vegetarian Stuffed Sweet Potato

I can’t wait for you to try this! When you make it, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @abrapappa or use the hashtag #abraskitchen so I can feature your photo! 

If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!