If you are looking for a simple recipe that doesn’t take a lot of time to make, but still tastes delicious then you have to try this Cajun Shrimp & Rice Recipe.
Cajun seasoned shrimp are cooked in melted butter and then mixed in with a creamy sauce. Then cooked white rice is added to the mixture for a complete and delicious dinner for two!
Best of all, it all comes together in just a few minutes. In fact, dinner will be on the table in under 15 minutes.
And for a busy weeknight or on days you just don’t feel like standing in the kitchen for hours, this recipe is a life saver!
By following these tips, you will save both time and effort in the kitchen and still have a delicious dinner that can be served any day of the week. Not to mention that this recipe is so good that it can be served for a special occasion as well!
Time Saving Tips
Shrimp
This Cajun Shrimp & Rice recipe calls for a half of pound of shelled and deveined shrimp. Although you could purchase a half of pound of raw shrimp at the seafood counter of your local grocery store, you will have to spend time removing the shell, tail and the vein.
This process can be very time consuming. However, you may be able to find a one pound package of frozen raw shrimp where this is already done for you.
Check in the seafood freezer section of your grocery store. There you may find a bag of peeled and deveined frozen shrimp.
Just be sure that you are purchasing shrimp that has not been previously cooked. Fortunately, it is easy to tell the difference between raw and cooked shrimp.
Cooked shrimp will have that iconic pink color. Where raw shrimp will be gray in color.
Rice
There are several ways that you can save time when it comes to making rice for your Cajun Shrimp & Rice dish. First, you can take the real easy way out and buy a bag of rice that you steam in the microwave.
These store bought pouches are ready to eat in under 3 minutes! However, if you are like me and have a bag of long grain white rice in your pantry you can still save time when it comes to cooking rice.
Although there are instructions on the back of the package to cook the rice on the stovetop, I rarely make it that way. Instead, I use my 3 quart Instant Pot that makes perfect, light & fluffy rice every time.
One cup of rice is added to the pot along with one cup of water. Set the cook timer for 4 minutes and walk away.
By the time that you get the ingredients out of the refrigerator and prepare the shrimp and sauce, the rice will be hot & ready. Best of all, there is no standing over the stove watching the pot closely go make sure that the starchy bubbles don’t seep out from under the lid.
You can also use a rice cooker. It is a great appliance to use when you are planning meals for the week. Instead of making enough rice for a specific recipe, make 2-3 cups of rice instead.
Refrigerate it and reheat when you make Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs, Orange Chicken & this Cajun Shrimp recipe. It is a great way to save time because you are only cooking the rice one time instead of three.
Parmesan Cheese
It is best to use fresh grated Parmesan cheese for this recipe rather than the shaker Parmesan cheese. A block of Parmesan cheese will last for months if kept in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
Although it takes just minutes to run the block over a microplane or cheese grater, you could also do this step ahead of time as well. Just be sure to put the fresh grated cheese in a closed container until you are ready to use it.
Cajun Shrimp & Rice Recipe
*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 pound raw large shrimp, (shelled, deveined, tail removed)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- pinch of ground black pepper
- pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
For Serving
- 2-3 cups cooked white rice
- diced green onion, for garnish
- Sriracha sauce, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
If you are using an Instant Pot to make your white rice, do it before you start making the Cajun Shrimp. Add one cup of rice and one cup of water into the Instant Pot bowl.
Secure the lid and pressure cook on High pressure for 4 minutes. Once the cook time is up, let it sit undisturbed until the rest of the recipe is complete.
While the rice is cooking, place the peeled and deveined shrimp in a medium size bowl and drizzle the top with extra virgin olive oil. Toss to coat.
Then sprinkle Cajun seasoning over top of the shrimp and toss until the individual pieces of shrimp are completely coated in the seasoning. Set aside.
Cook The Shrimp
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the butter. When it melts add the shrimp in a single layer and cook until opaque, turning only once.
It is important to not overcook the shrimp. Otherwise your Cajun Shrimp & Rice dinner will be tough and difficult to chew.
However, it is easy to tell when shrimp is ready by the color of the flesh. Once it is no longer gray, and has turned white or pink in color, it is done.
Transfer the cooked shrimp to a clean plate and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the heavy cream to the pan and deglaze the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spatula.
This will help to release any stuck bits on the bottom of the skillet. Once the cream begins to bubble (this will only take a minute or two) reduce the heat to low and add the finely grated Parmesan cheese.
Stir the mixture until the cheese melts. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Add the cooked shrimp and cooked white rice back to the skillet and stir to coat.
Optional Garnishes
Serve immediately and garnish with diced green onions if desired.
I also like to add a little heat by drizzling Sriracha sauce on top of my serving. You could also add Sweet Thai Chili sauce for a sweeter flavor that pairs well with the Cajun seasoning.
Enjoy! Mary
Follow My Facebook Page For Great Recipes For Two! I Cook For Two Facebook Page
To receive FREE recipes delivered directly to your email, be sure to sign up for the iCookfortwo newsletter. A sign up form is located in the middle of this article. If you have any questions, comments, or want to submit an idea for a recipe for two, feel free to email at mary@icookfortwo.com
Cajun Shrimp & Rice
Creamy Cajun shrimp tossed with white rice and ready to eat in under 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound raw shrimp (shelled, deveined, tail removed)
- 1/2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- pinch of ground black pepper
- pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
- 2-3 cups cooked white rice, for serving
- diced green onion, for garnish
Instructions
- Place shrimp in a medium size bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle cajun seasoning over top of the shrimp and toss to coat.
- Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Add butter. When it melts add the shrimp in a single layer and cook until opaque, turning only once, Transfer cooked shrimp to a clean plate and reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add heavy cream to pan and deglaze the bottom with a wooden spatula to release any stuck bits on the bottom of the skillet. Once the cream begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and add the finely grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.
- Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add cooked shrimp and cooked white rice back to the skillet and stir to coat.
- Garnish with diced green onions if desired
Notes
- Drizzle the top with Sriracha sauce or Sweet Thai Chili for added flavor.
Recipe courtesy of iCookfortwo.com
Nutrition Information
Yield 3Amount Per Serving Calories 692Total Fat 24gSaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 157mgSodium 1165mgCarbohydrates 93gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 23g
Nutritional Information is to be used as a general guideline only . Nutritional calculations will vary from the types and brands of the products used.