Creamy, spicy, and packed with flavors & textures – this Nonna Luna’s Rice recipe is unlike anything you may have tasted before. Starting with a good amount of butter (our favorite!) and adding in the rice, you allow it to soak up that savory, warm flavor before adding chicken broth. As the rice cooks separately, and maintains a soft texture as opposed to a classic risotto, the frozen shrimp, lemon, cream, and hot sauce gets combined with fresh garlic, salt, and pepper.
Altogether, this dish is soul-warming and oh so satisfying. We always recommend opting for the more petite shrimp options for this recipe, if you can find them! And, don’t worry about fresh shrimp – the frozen works just as well.
Let us know your thoughts on this! In our opinion, it’s one of the best forkfuls out there. Enjoy!
Nonna Luna’s Rice
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups parboiled long-grain rice, such as Uncle Ben's
- 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp hot sauce (we prefer Frank's Red Hot)
- salt
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 lbs small frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1-2 lemons)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium nonstick saucepan, heat 1/2 of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken stock and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and rest covered for 5 minutes.
- In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic. Add the shrimp, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. Stir in the cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Using a fork, fluff the rice and arrange on a platter. Spoon the shrimp cream sauce over the rice and serve.
