Easy Healthy Lemon Garlic Shrimp (Printable Version)

Succulent shrimp in lemon garlic sauce over brown rice with fresh vegetables for a nourishing meal.

# What You'll 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 and 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

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 bowl, combine shrimp, olive oil, minced garlic, sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, lemon zest, and half the lemon juice. Toss until evenly coated.
02 - Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 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 evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced avocado, and fresh chopped herbs.
04 - Arrange hot shrimp over each bowl. Drizzle with Greek yogurt if desired and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's done faster than ordering takeout, yet feels elegant enough to serve to someone you're trying to impress.
  • The shrimp stays tender because you're not overthinking it, and the lemon keeps everything tasting bright instead of heavy.
  • You can prep the vegetables while the skillet heats, so there's almost no downtime where you're just standing around.
02 -
  • Overcooking shrimp by even a minute turns it tough and bouncy—if you're not sure, pull it off the heat a touch early because residual warmth keeps cooking it.
  • The vegetables underneath stay cool while the shrimp is hot, creating this temperature contrast that makes every bite feel balanced and intentional.
03 -
  • Buy frozen shrimp if fresh isn't available or affordable—thaw them in the fridge overnight and you'll never know the difference once they're seared.
  • The Greek yogurt is optional but it's worth trying at least once, because that cool tang against the lemon and warm shrimp creates a flavor moment that surprises people.
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