Garlic Lime Shrimp with Coconut Rice
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Make these delicious garlic lime shrimp and win dinner tonight! A simple pan sauce adds garlicky, buttery, citrus flavor, and everything is served over fluffy coconut rice. Best of all, you can have the full meal on the table in less than 30 minutes, even starting with frozen shrimp.
Quick and easy dinners are always in season, right? This garlic lime shrimp has been a favorite of mine for years, one that I’ve tweaked and adjusted over time from a terrific recipe found in one of the very first cookbooks I owned, Food Made Fast: Weeknight.
Dinners like this are a good reason to always keep frozen shrimp on hand. They cook quickly and can be transformed into a satisfying dinner with just a handful of other ingredients. This one has almost-tropical vibes, with garlicky citrus shrimp, fresh lime, and the most enticing coconut rice for that little something extra.
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp with Coconut Rice
- Delicious garlic lime flavor infused into each bite of shrimp
- Fluffy, lightly creamy coconut rice tastes like a tropical treat
- Tastes gourmet but done in about 30 minutes
- Fancy vibes from everyday ingredients you can stash in the freezer and pantry
Ingredient Notes
Smart shrimp defrosting.
If starting with frozen shrimp, you can thaw them in the fridge overnight or quickly under cool running water just prior to cooking. To do this, remove all packaging, place shrimp in a large strainer, and run cool water over them for about 5 minutes until they are tender but still gray and slightly translucent. Don’t use hot water or it will start to prematurely “cook” the edges of the shrimp, which will give it an odd and uneven texture.
How To Make Garlic Lime Shrimp with Coconut Rice
To time this meal properly, start with the coconut rice. The shrimp are so speedy they will cook entirely while your rice simmers away.
Get the rice bubbling in a delightful combination of coconut milk and water, then get a skillet going for the main event. First, make a bright, happy sauce of lime, garlic, green onions, and butter. Then you’ll add the shrimp.
Watch carefully: shrimp are typically cooked through in less than five minutes. You’ll then be rewarded with tender, citrus-y shrimp swimming in a little sea of sauce that will send you scavenging through the kitchen for some crusty bread to swirl across the bottom of the pan.
While you’re quality-checking, the rice will finish cooking. Fluff with a fork, spoon it into some bowls, and top with the shrimp. Pour on some sauce—be generous, it’s a form of self-love! And dinner is served.
Variations & Serving Ideas
- Swap citrus vibes: Substitute lemon and parsley for the lime and cilantro, and serve over regular rice, quinoa, pasta, or another grain that you like.
- Lighten up the rice: While the coconut rice is delicious, it’s also optional; the same shrimp and sauce are also amazing served over cilantro lime rice.
- Serve as a protein bowl or salad: Use these shrimp as your protein in a build-your-own-bowl style dinner with rice, roasted veggies, and/or salad greens. Arugula, in particular, has a peppery bite and enough texture to hold its own.
More Easy Shrimp Recipes
In the mood for shrimp? Lemon asparagus pasta with shrimp, 15-minute garlic butter shrimp, shrimp marinara, and sheet pan chipotle lime shrimp fajitas are all heaven sent when you want a flavorful, light meal in a hurry.
Garlic Lime Shrimp with Coconut Rice
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons butter divided
- 1 and 1/2 cups jasmine rice uncooked
- 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
- 1 and 1/4 cups water
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 Tablespoons lime juice from 2-3 limes
- 1 pound uncooked shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 bunch green onions thinly-sliced
- 2-3 Tablespoons cilantro leaves chopped
Instructions
- First, start the rice. Melt 1 Tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the rice and cook for 30-60 seconds, just until the grains are coated. Stir in the coconut milk and water, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook about 20 minutes, just until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.5 Tablespoons butter, 1 and 1/2 cups jasmine rice, 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk, 1 and 1/4 cups water
- While the rice cooks, make the shrimp. Melt the remaining 4 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and lime juice, and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant and bubbling.6 cloves garlic, 2-3 Tablespoons lime juice
- Add shrimp to the skillet in an even layer. Sprinkle with salt and cook for 2-3 minutes, watching closely and flipping the shrimp with tongs as soon as they are pink and opaque on one side. Cook another 1-2 minutes on the other side. As soon as the shrimp are cooked through, turn off the heat and sprinkle with green onions and a bit of cilantro.1 pound uncooked shrimp, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 bunch green onions, 2-3 Tablespoons cilantro leaves
- When the rice is tender, fluff it with a fork, scoop portions onto plates, and top with the shrimp. Add spoonfuls of the garlic-butter sauce, and garnish with additional cilantro and lime zest, as desired.
Notes
- Shrimp: Save yourself time and buy pre-peeled, deveined shrimp. You can defrost frozen shrimp in just a few minutes right before you need to use them. Open the package and shake out the shrimp into a colander, then run them under cold water in the sink for 4-5 minutes. They’ll defrost perfectly and be ready to use!
- Shrimp Tails: You can cook this dish with the tails on or off the shrimp, depending on your preference. Obviously it’s easier to eat with the tails already off, but they do look pretty cooked on there, if presentation is a priority!
- Recipe: Adapted from Williams Sonoma, Food Made Fast.
This was so easy to make and so delicious! Definitely adding it to the rotation.
So happy to hear that you liked it- thank you!
A perfect weeknight dinner! I only had about 30 minutes to cook and enlisted my three kids to help. We got it done in no time and everyone loved the meal. I increased the servings to “6” for my family of 5 and we polished it off. I’ll definitely be adding this to my regular rotation. Thank you!
This was delicious and so easy! Thank you, Monica!
You’re so welcome – I’m glad it was a hit!
Yummy- for 2 of us I halved the recipe and it was perfect. I’ll use the rice preparation for other recipes. Thanks,
So happy to hear that, Robin! So glad you enjoyed this, and really grateful that you took the time to leave this helpful review.
If you read the nutrition information at the end you may choose not to make it. Sounds delicious though.
Hi Caroline, yes, the calories are pretty high in this estimate, which is only that. For our part we usually divide the rice among more portions, or our growing eaters take more and I (try to!) take a little less, but to each his own, for sure! Glad it sounds tasty to you; take care!
Your recipes look delicious and easy! Can you include your “variations” in the printable recipes?
Thank you!
Hi Minnow, thanks so much for that kind feedback! That’s a great idea and I will work to start doing that – thanks for the suggestion!
Peeled and pre-cooked frozen shrimp is one of my favorite freezer staples for so many yummy fast meals! Love it with this coconut rice recipe.
I had a similar dish at a restaurant and wanted to make a slightly healthier version at home. This was fantastic!
I love the flavors you have with this shrimp! Cannot wait to make it!
What a lovely and flavorful combination. Drooling over this!!
Perfect easy weeknight dinner. I used to be so afraid to use frozen shrimp bc I didn’t feel like I thawed it correctly but it really is just as easy as you say. It’s a healthy protein that my kids love!
Looks delish and simple. That’s my kind of meal! I can’ t wait to try this garlic lime shrimp with coconut rice!