Description
This Seafood Delight Rice Skillet combines fresh seafood with creamy Arborio rice, all enhanced by zesty lemon and aromatic herbs. It’s a quick and elegant one-skillet meal that brings the flavors of the Mediterranean to your table.
Ingredients
- Large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Bay scallops or quartered sea scallops
- Fresh mussels or littleneck clams, scrubbed clean
- Calamari rings and tentacles, cleaned
- Firm white fish (cod, haddock, or halibut), boneless and skinless (optional)
- Arborio rice
- Medium yellow onion, finely diced
- Several cloves of minced garlic
- Red or yellow bell pepper, finely diced (optional)
- Low-sodium seafood broth
- Non-alcoholic white wine alternative or dry white grape juice
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Fresh dill
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh oregano
- Lemon zest
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Butter
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep Your Ingredients (15 minutes): Thoroughly clean and pat dry all your seafood. Peel and devein shrimp. Scrub mussels/clams and discard any open ones that don't close when tapped. Dice your onion and bell pepper (if using) finely. Mince the garlic. Chop your fresh herbs. Zest your lemon, then cut it into wedges for serving. Warm your seafood broth in a separate saucepan over low heat.
- Start the Base (8-10 minutes): Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Toast the Rice (2-3 minutes): Add the Arborio rice to the skillet with the aromatics. Stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until the edges of the rice grains become translucent.
- Deglaze & Build Flavor (3-5 minutes): Pour in 1/2 cup of non-alcoholic white wine alternative or white grape juice. Stir constantly until the liquid is almost completely absorbed. Add about half of your lemon zest and half of your chopped fresh thyme and oregano.
- Gradually Add Broth (18-22 minutes): Begin adding the warm seafood broth, about 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Allow each addition of broth to be almost fully absorbed before adding the next. Continue this process until the rice is al dente.
- Cook the Seafood (5-7 minutes): Once the rice is nearly done, increase the heat slightly. Stir in the scallops and white fish (if using). Cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and calamari rings. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp turn pink. Nestle the mussels or clams into the rice mixture. Cover the skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the mussels/clams have opened.
- Finish & Serve (2 minutes): Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the remaining fresh parsley and dill, the rest of the lemon zest, and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Add a tablespoon of butter for extra richness, if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh herbs and lemon wedges.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
Keywords: Don't overcook the seafood; add delicate proteins only in the last few minutes of cooking. Always warm your seafood broth before adding it to the rice. Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor.