Easy Healthy Lemon Garlic Shrimp (Printable version)

Succulent shrimp sautéed with lemon, garlic, and spices, paired with brown rice and crisp vegetables.

# What you need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon

→ Rice & Vegetables

08 - 2 cups cooked brown rice
09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
11 - 1 avocado, diced
12 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

→ Garnish & Sauce

13 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
14 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. In a medium mixing bowl, combine shrimp with olive oil, minced garlic, sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, lemon zest, and half of the lemon juice. Toss until evenly coated.
02 - Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add marinated shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until pink and opaque throughout. Remove from heat and drizzle with remaining lemon juice.
03 - While shrimp cooks, divide cooked brown rice equally among 4 serving bowls. Top each portion with halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced avocado, and fresh chopped parsley or cilantro.
04 - Arrange hot cooked shrimp over each bowl. Drizzle with Greek yogurt if desired and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 15 minutes flat, which means you can actually enjoy your evening instead of spending it at the stove.
  • The shrimp stays tender and succulent while tasting bright and alive, not heavy or boring.
  • You can swap ingredients without guilt—use whatever rice or vegetables you have on hand and it'll still taste intentional.
02 -
  • Overcooked shrimp becomes a rubbery disappointment, so pull them off the heat the second they turn opaque—they continue cooking slightly from residual heat even after you remove the pan.
  • The lemon juice does two things: it seasons the shrimp and it prevents it from sticking to the pan, so don't feel like you're being wasteful by using enough of it.
03 -
  • Buy your shrimp the day you plan to cook them, and if they smell like ammonia, don't use them—fresh shrimp should smell like the ocean, clean and briny.
  • Cook your rice ahead of time so you can focus entirely on the shrimp, which only takes a few minutes and demands your attention.
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