Easy Healthy Lemon Garlic Shrimp (Printable version)

Succulent lemon garlic shrimp over brown rice with crisp vegetables for a quick, nourishing bowl.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1 pound 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

# Directions:

01 - Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. In a medium 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. Add marinated shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2-3 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 evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced avocado, and fresh chopped herbs.
04 - Arrange hot shrimp over the prepared bowls. Drizzle with Greek yogurt if desired and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 15 minutes flat, which means you can make it on a Tuesday without losing your mind.
  • The shrimp stays juicy and the vegetables stay crisp, so every bite actually tastes like something.
  • You feel genuinely good after eating it, not guilty or sluggish.
02 -
  • Dry shrimp before they hit the pan or they'll release water and steam themselves into rubber, which I learned the hard way and have never forgotten.
  • Don't cook them past the moment they turn opaque because shrimp goes from succulent to sad in about 30 seconds flat once it's overdone.
03 -
  • Toast your brown rice for a minute in a dry pan before cooking it the first time, which sounds weird but gives it a nuttier flavor that makes the whole bowl taste more intentional.
  • If you're meal prepping, keep the avocado separate and add it right before eating so it doesn't oxidize and turn that sad gray color that looks unappetizing.
Go back