Arroz con Camarones is one of those meals that feels like a celebration, even on an ordinary night. It’s bold, buttery, and loaded with juicy shrimp in every bite!
What is arroz con camarones?
Arroz con camarones (Spanish for "rice with shrimp") is a seafood rice dish popular throughout Latin America, especially in coastal regions of Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. Each country has its own variation, but they all feature the combination of tender shrimp and flavorful rice cooked with vegetables and spices.
Unlike paella, which often includes a wider variety of seafood and uses a specific kind of rice, this shrimp dish uses just shrimp and pantry staples like long grain white rice!
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Ingredients
You just need a handful of ingredients to make this easy arroz con camarones recipe. Here's what you'll need:
- Rice: Long grain rice works best for this dish as it stays fluffy and doesn't clump together. My number one tip for the rice is to make it ahead of time and allow it to chill before using it. This will prevent gummy or sticky rice. For added flavor, you can cook it in chicken stock or seafood stock. Make sure to add a dash of achiote or paprika to make the rice a yellow color!
- Shrimp: Use peeled and deveined shrimp for ease. I always use raw shrimp, but if you use precooked shrimp you should add them in at the end instead!
- Salt & Pepper: To season the shrimp!
- Garlic Powder: I also use some garlic powder to season the shrimp for a deeper savory flavor.
- Achiote Oil: Achiote oil is commonly used in Ecuador to give color to food. It is just regular cooking oil that is steeped with achiote seeds. If you don't have achiote oil or can't find it, then you can use regular oil (like olive oil or avocado oil) with a dash of ground achiote (or ground annatto), or you can use paprika instead!
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are best for the best flavor!
- Onion: For a depth of savory flavor! Make sure it is finely chopped.
- Bell Pepper: Colorful bell peppers are best for a bit of sweetness and color. Green pepper can be used but will give a slightly more bitter flavor.
- Tomato: Roma or plum tomatoes work well as they're less watery. To be honest, I never peel my tomatoes because I don't think it is worth the extra time invested. If you don't want tomato skin pieces in the rice, then feel free to peel the tomato!
- Cumin & Paprika: For a warm, earthy flavor and added color.
- Butter: Butter adds a richness and allows the rice to crisp up a little in the pan!
- Soy Sauce: For added umami flavor.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro brightens the final dish. If you're among those who dislike cilantro, parsley makes a good substitute.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Easy Arroz con Camarones
- Prep the Rice: Start by preparing the rice. Cook it with a dash of achiote powder, achiote oil, or paprika for the yellow color. Once finished, place in a bowl in the fridge or freezer to chill.
- Season the Shrimp: In a bowl, season the raw shrimp with salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
- Sear the Shrimp: Place a large wok or large skillet on the stove over medium heat, add the oil with achiote powder/paprika. Once hot, add the shrimp to the pan. Sear for about 2-3 minutes on each side until pink. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté the Refrito: In the same pan, add the onion, bell pepper, tomato and garlic. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and paprika and stir well.
- Add Butter: Add the butter to the pan.
- Add Rice: Once melted, add the chilled yellow rice back to the pan, breaking it up and stirring well.
- Add Shrimp: Next, add the cooked shrimp back to the pan.
- Add Soy Sauce: Add the soy sauce, stir well.
- Top with Cilantro & Serve: Finish it off with chopped cilantro, serve and enjoy! I always serve it with tomato and onion curtido on top of the rice for a bright flavor.
Hint: It is important not to overcook the shrimp! Sear them until pink and then just let them heat through again with the rest of the ingredients before serving.
Tips for Success
- Use day-old (or chilled) rice! If you have time, prepare the rice a day ahead and refrigerate. Cold, day-old rice works really well, but freshly made and chilled rice will also work. If you toss hot rice into this shrimp rice recipe, it will probably turn out mushy (or “sopudo” as they say in Ecuador).
- Layer the flavors. Build flavor at each step by seasoning the shrimp, sautéing the vegetables until fragrant, and blooming the spices with the vegetables. If you want even more flavor, you can buy shrimp with the shells on and save the shells to create a quick broth that you use to cook the rice with! But that does take quite a few extra steps.
- Mise en place! Mise en place is the French way of saying, have everything in place and ready before starting a recipe. So be sure to have all ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking, as this dish comes together quickly once you begin.
Recipe Variations
- Arroz con mariscos: You can make an arroz de mariscos by adding even more seafood to the mix including scallops, mussels or fish.
- Add chorizo: For a deep, smoky flavor inspired by paella, you can add diced Spanish chorizo to the mix by cooking it in the skillet before adding the shrimp!
- Add more veggies: For a more veggie-forward shrimp rice, add peas, diced carrots and corn kernels.
- Use homemade shrimp stock: For extra flavor, you can cook the rice in shrimp broth by simmering the shrimp shells in water, then straining the liquid and using it to cook the rice. It adds a delicious depth to the dish! I usually skip this step to keep things simple, but it’s a great option if you’re using shell-on shrimp and don’t mind the extra effort.
Storage
Refrigeration: Store leftover arroz con camarones in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: The best way to reheat is in a skillet with a splash of water or broth to restore moisture. Microwave reheating works too, just cover the dish and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, frozen shrimp work perfectly in this recipe! Thaw them completely before using, then pat dry with paper towels to ensure proper searing. Frozen shrimp are often flash-frozen shortly after catching, so they can be fresher than "fresh" shrimp at some supermarkets.
When serving arroz con camarones, it goes amazingly with a refreshing tomato and onion curtido salad and some fried sweet plantains (plátanos maduros). Some other common sides include sliced avocados, black beans and patacones (twice-fried green plantains)!
If you are a shrimp fan like me, be sure to try my other shrimp recipes like Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche or camarones al ajillo!
More Recipes to Try
- Encocado de Pescado
- Mexican Picadillo
- Moro de Lentejas (Lentil Rice)
- Estofado de Carne Recipe
- Colombian Empanadas
Easy Arroz con Camarones Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked rice with achiote or a dash of paprika.
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1-2 tablespoon Achiote oil or regular oil with ground achiote or paprika
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 onion
- 1 bell pepper red, orange or yellow
- 1 tomato diced and peeled if desired
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- a few sprigs of cilantro freshly chopped
Instructions
- Start by preparing the rice. Cook it with a dash of achiote powder, achiote oil, or paprika for the yellow color. Once finished, place in a bowl in the fridge or freezer to chill.2 cups uncooked rice
- In a bowl, season the raw shrimp with salt, black pepper and garlic powder.1 lb shrimp, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Place a large wok or skillet on the stove on medium heat, add the oil with achiote powder/paprika. Once hot, add the shrimp to the pan. Sear for about 2-3 minutes on each side until pink. Remove and set aside.1-2 tablespoon Achiote oil
- In the same pan, add the onion, bell pepper, tomato and garlic. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and paprika and stir well.3 cloves of garlic, 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 1 tomato, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon paprika
- Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the chilled rice back to the pan, breaking it up and stirring well. Next, add the cooked shrimp back to the pan.1 tablespoon butter
- Add the soy sauce, stir well.1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Finish it off with chopped cilantro, serve and enjoy.a few sprigs of cilantro
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