Description
A light and flavorful Italian-inspired shrimp and rice casserole that combines succulent shrimp, fresh herbs, tomatoes, and zesty lemon for a healthy, easy-to-prepare meal perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Rice Base
- 1 lb 16/20 shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 1 cup long grain rice (uncooked)
Vegetables and Herbs
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small, sweet Italian red onion, diced
- 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, roughly minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, roughly minced
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Seasonings and Liquids
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep Rice: Preheat oven to 400˚F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Add uncooked rice and half of the Italian seasoning to the dish, stirring to combine, and set aside.
- Sauté Onion: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until somewhat softened.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in 1/4 cup of the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet bottom to add flavor.
- Add Tomatoes and Herbs: Stir in drained diced tomatoes, half of the cherry tomatoes, the remaining half of the Italian seasoning, half of the fresh herbs, and the remaining wine. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish Sauce: Stir in the remaining fresh herbs, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Remove skillet from heat.
- Assemble Casserole: Place shrimp over the rice in the casserole dish. Pour the tomato-herb mixture evenly over the shrimp.
- Bake: Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and shrimp are opaque.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove foil, top casserole with remaining cherry tomatoes, garnish with fresh herbs as desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use medium-sized shrimp (16/20 count) for best texture and cooking time.
- Make sure to drain canned tomatoes well to avoid excess liquid in the casserole.
- Covering the dish tightly with foil ensures even cooking of the rice and shrimp.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.
- Substitute white wine with chicken broth for a non-alcoholic version.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Casserole
- Method: Baking, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
Keywords: Shrimp casserole, Italian shrimp recipe, healthy shrimp dinner, one dish meal, baked shrimp and rice
