Easy Shrimp and Rice Casserole

This easy shrimp and rice recipe is an old family favorite.  A delicious one-pot, one-pan meal with shrimp, trinity, cream of mushroom soup, cream of cheddar soup, cooked rice, and Cajun seasoning.  

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Welcome to My Kitchen Serenity!  I’m excited to share with you this easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love.  This shrimp and rice casserole would be great for dinner tonight or any special occasion! 

Delicious shrimp cooked with butter, onion, bell pepper, and celery, then combined in a creamy sauce with rice and just the right amount of Cajun seasoning.  This delicious recipe was inspired by my sweet Aunt Louise (Nanny).

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Is your family a rice or potato family?  Our family is a rice family.  Growing up, we ate rice way more often than we ate potatoes!  It probably has something to do with our rich Louisiana Cajun family heritage. 

Both sets of my grandparents (and many generations before them) were born and raised in St. James Parish, Louisiana.  My mother and grandmothers are/were exceptional cooks. We grew up on all sorts of rice dishes such as jambalaya, shrimp creole, crawfish etouffee, and seafood gumbo.

We eat a lot of seafood, especially during Lent.  Growing up, my dad would do a shrimp boil in our kitchen; pouring the boiled shrimp right into the kitchen sink to drain and cool.  If we weren’t eating shrimp, we were eating catfish, or some sort of fish every Friday. I vividly remember the fish courtbouillon (coo-bee-yawn) that he made.

I also remember my mom would make elbow macaroni with tuna in a red sauce.  Kinda like a tuna spaghetti-mac.  Delicious!

Ingredients for Cajun Shrimp and Rice Casserole

1 pound medium to large, raw shrimp – peeled and deveined (frozen shrimp is fine – thaw before using)

1 10-ounce bag frozen seasoning blend (pre-chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery)

2-1/2 cups cooked rice

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 10.5-ounce can of cream of mushroom soup

1 10.5-ounce can of cream of cheddar soup

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere’s or Slap ya Mama)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Check out my Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya recipe! You’ll love every spicy, savory bite of chicken, sausage, rice, and the perfect blend of seasonings.

How to Make Cajun Shrimp and Rice Casserole

Quick Tip #1:  Buy shrimp that are already peeled and deveined. 

Quick Tip #2:  Buy the frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery.  Save yourself some chopping time!  But if you prefer to use fresh vegetables, use about 1 cup of chopped onion, 1/2 cup of chopped bell pepper, and 1/4 cup chopped celery. 

Step 1.  Saute the veggies in the butter for about 5 minutes.  Longer if using fresh onion, bell pepper, and celery – just until tender.

Step 2.  Add the shrimp, garlic, and seasonings.  Simmer for about 5 minutes  

Step 3. Stir in the soups and cooked rice (see below “How to Cook Perfect Rice”).  Mix it all up really well.  

Step 4.  Pour into a casserole dish.

Step 5. Bake covered for about 30 minutes at 350 F.   Look at the rich, golden brown color!

Step 6. Serve with french bread and a salad.  Enjoy with a few dashes of hot sauce, if you prefer! 

How to Cook Perfect Rice

First, you need to buy extra-long grain rice.  Why?  Because it won’t get sticky or mushy; especially after all the cooking/baking that it has to go through for this recipe.  You want the rice to be firm, yet thoroughly cooked.

Place 2-1/2 cups of water in a 2-quart heavy sauce pan.  Add 1/2 to 1 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp butter to the water.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in 1-1/4 cup of raw rice.  Immediately place the lid on the pan, and turn down the heat to low.  Let the rice simmer for about 20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.  No peeking!  When the rice is done, remove the pan from the heat.  Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.

How Long Will Cooked Shrimp and Rice Casserole Last in the Refrigerator?

Any leftovers should last 2-3 days in the refrigerator.  Store in an airtight, covered container.  I like to use the BPA-free glass containers with locking lids.  Check out this 20 piece set of glass food storage containers with snap locking lids. Love these containers!

How to Reheat Cooked Shrimp and Rice Casserole

Personally, I would heat the shrimp and the rest of the casserole separately.  Remove the shrimp from the leftovers and set aside.  Heat the rice casserole to your liking, then warm the shrimp separately.  Don’t overheat the shrimp too much or they will become rubbery. What a shame!  Combine the warmed shrimp with the rest of the rice casserole and enjoy.

Shrimp and Rice Casserole

Delicious shrimp, with onion, bell pepper, and celery, combined in a creamy sauce with rice and plenty of seasonings. A taste of southern creole in your very own kitchen.  

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
• 1 10-oz bag frozen seasoning blend (pre-chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery)
• 2-1/2 cups cooked rice
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 10.5 oz can cream of cheddar soup
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, or to taste (Tony Chachere's or Slap ya Mama)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• In a large pan, saute the onion, bell pepper, and celery mixture in the butter for 5 minutes.
  
• Add the shrimp, garlic, cajun seasoning, and black pepper. Simmer for about 5 more minutes.
• Add the soups and cooked rice. Mix well. Pour into casserole dish.  Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes.

Notes

If you're in a rush, use the pre-cooked rice that comes in a pouch. You may have to buy two pouches for a total of 2-1/2 cups cooked rice.

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Please leave me a comment if you make this recipe.  I’d love to hear from you.