Cajun Shrimp and Rice

Cajun Shrimp and Rice is a one-skillet meal that's bursting with rich, smoky cajun flavors.  Made with Cajun Shrimp, plus onions, bell peppers, celery, tomatoes, rice, and Cajun Seasoning, this delightful meal is the perfect family dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes with just one pan.

Love cajun shrimp? Also, try my Cajun Shrimp Pasta, and my Cajun Shrimp Burger.

Cajun Shrimp and Rice Skillet

This Cajun Shrimp and Rice Skillet is a perfect 30-minute meal for your family dinner.  If you are looking for a fresh, tasty, and unique way to serve shrimp, you can't go wrong with the rich, smokey cajun flavors in this one.  This dinner is a true flavor explosion that everyone will love.  Plus, you can't beat that it's all made very simply in one skillet, mostly with hands-off time.

This meal looks fussy but comes together with just a few simple ingredients and pantry staples.  You might be surprised that it is still very quick and easy!

It starts with my Cajun Shrimp recipe and then you easily cook traditional Cajun vegetables like onion, bell pepper, and celery in the same pan.  Then you add the rice, and cajun seasoning to the same pan and it's all cooked in just 30 minutes.

The result is a customizable dish rich with flavors and textures.  It's also healthy with the vegetables cooked into the rice plus the shrimp add lots of healthy protein to the dinner.

Why You'll Love this Cajun Shrimp and Rice...

• Cajun Shrimp and Rice is a one-skillet meal that's ready in 30 minutes.
• The rich, smokey cajun flavors are on point!  You can use my DIY Cajun Seasoning or use your favorite store-bought one.
• It's filled with fresh vegetables!
• This is a healthy low-calorie dinner that tastes rich and cozy.
• It's less than 420 calories with 30 grams of protein.
• You can customize the diner with veggies and meat you have on hand!
• This basic recipe has a medium spice level, but you can add more if you like heat.

Ingredients:

Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Cajun Shrimp and Rice, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.

• Shrimp: You'll need a pound of raw, peeled, and deveined large shrimp that are cooked in butter and cajun seasoning on the skillet.  You'll follow my Cajun Shrimp recipe to get this Cajun Shrimp and Rice started.
• Onion: Cajun cooking often begins with cooking onions in a skillet, and this recipe is no different.  I like to use a sweet onion.
• Bell Pepper: You'll need chopped bell pepper, which is another ingredient often found in Cajun food.  This
• Celery: Celery adds a nice flavor and crunch to the dish and adds more vegetables to it too!
• Garlic: I like to use fresh chopped garlic for this to bring out the flavors in the rice.
• Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: Look for a 14.5-ounce can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes, which adds more depth of flavor than a can of regular diced tomatoes.  You can substitute regular diced tomatoes if you can't find it.
• Long-Grain Rice: Long Grain Rice works great for this recipe.  Different types of rice need different amounts of liquid and cooking times, so if you make a substitution, check your package and adjust the amount of liquid for the 1 ½ cups of rice.
• Vegetable Broth: To really bring out the flavors of the dish, I cook the rice in a vegetable broth instead of water.  If you are not a pescatarian, you can also use chicken broth.
• Cajun Seasoning: Cajun Seasoning is a zesty, smoky blend of smoked paprika, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and cayenne.  You can buy a store-bought one or use my homemade Cajun Seasoning.  It's easy to mix up your blend and it's made with ingredients that are probably already in your spice cabinet.
• Olive Oil: I like to use olive oil to cook down the onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic cloves, but you can also use butter or whichever cooking oil fits your diet.
• Salt and Black Pepper: You'll need to adjust the salt and pepper to taste because cajun seasoning blends have different amounts of salt on them.

Instructions:

This is an overview of the instructions to make this Cajun Shrimp and Rice, but the full detailed printable recipe is below in the recipe card.

Step One: Prepare the Cajun Shrimp

1. In a large saute pan with a lid, follow the instructions to make the cajun shrimp.
2. Cook the shrimp in the butter until they turn opaque and curl.
3. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

Step Two: Prepare the Vegetables and Rice

1. In the same pan, add the olive oil. Over medium-high heat, saute for 3 minutes.
2. Add the bell pepper and celery to the pan and cook for about 3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the rice and cajun seasoning and saute for 1 minute.
4. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
5. Add the vegetable broth and diced tomato. Stir well. Bring the pot to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat on the pot to low and cover the pot. Let sit and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Step Three: Plate the Dinner

1. Divide the rice mixture on four plates and add the cajun shrimp on top.
2. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Variations

I love this Cajun Shrimp and Rice as written, but here are some fun variations.

• Mix Up the Veggies: Other fun veggies you can add to this are carrots or green onions.  You could also amp up the vegetables by adding a side of Roasted Broccoli or Green Beans to it.
• Mix up the Protein: This dish can also work with chicken or andouille sausage.
• Make it Vegetarian: You can leave off the shrimp to make this dish vegetarian.
• Make it Cheesy: Mix in some cheese or melt it on top.  Gouda, mozzarella, sharp cheddar, or colby jack would all be delicious.
• Make it Spicy: Add more cayenne pepper or hot sauce.

FAQ

Can I make it in the Crock Pot?

This recipe was originally a Crock Pot Cajun Shrimp and Rice recipe.  I feel like this dish cooks better on the stove, but you can still prepare this in the slow cooker.

Start by spraying your crock pot with cooking spray.  Stir together the rice, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic and cajun spices.  Cover and cook on high for 1 ½ -2 hours.  You can prepare the cajun shrimp recipe on the stove or add it to the slow cooker in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Cajun Shrimp and Rice

This Cajun Shrimp and Rice is such a fabulous one skillet meal that's perfect for families.  You can keep it mild, or spice it up depending on your crowd, and the flavors taste like a gourmet meal, not one that comes together in less than 30 minutes.

This is a well-rounded meal, but you can serve it with a side of veggies or a salad too.  Here are some ideas from Running in a Skirt to round out your

Serve it With:

• Chopped Kale Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad
• Arugula and Pear Salad
• Healthy Kale Ceasar Salad
• Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Garlic Green Beans
• Asparagus Tomato and Feta Salad

More Cajun Recipes To Try:

• Homemade Cajun Seasoning
• Healthy Cajun Remoulade
• Cajun Shrimp 
• Cajun Shrimp Pasta
• Cajun Shrimp Burger

More Shrimp Recipes to Try:

25+ Healthy Shrimp Recipes including Shrimp Taco Bowls, Shrimp Terikai, and Shrimp Fajitas

If you make this Cajun Shrimp & Ricee, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!

Cajun Shrimp and Rice

Julie Wunder

Cajun Shrimp and Rice is a one-skillet meal that's bursting with rich, smoky cajun flavors.  Made with Cajun Shrimp, plus onions, bell peppers, celery, tomatoes, rice, and Cajun Seasoning, this delightful meal is the perfect family dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes with just one pan.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Cajun

Servings 4

Calories 417 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup onion, diced
• ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups long grain white rice
• 3 cup vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
• 1 recipe cajun shrimp
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

 

• In a large saute pan with a lid, follow the instructions to make the cajun shrimp. The recipe link is in the notes. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, add the olive oil. Over medium-high heat, saute for 3 minutes.
• Add the bell pepper and celery to the pan and cook for about 3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the rice and cajun seasoning saute for 1 minute.
• Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
• Add the vegetable broth and diced tomato. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Bring the pot to a boil,
• Reduce the heat on the pot to low and cover the pot. Let sit and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork.
• Divide the rice mixture on four plates and add the cajun shrimp on top. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

Storage & Leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.  Reheat the rice and shrimp separately in the microwave, so as not to overcook the shrimp.

Freezing

This tastes best fresh, but you can freeze it.  Transfer the cooled dish to an airtight container and freeze in the freezer for up to three months.

 

Cajun Shrimp

To start the recipe, follow my Cajun Shrimp recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 417kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 30gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 183mgSodium: 309mgPotassium: 503mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1544IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 136mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Cajun Shrimp and Rice

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