1sleeve Ritz crackers, coarsely crushed (about 30 crackers or 1 ½ cups crumbs)
4tablespoonsmelted butter
Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley, chives, or other herbs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 3-quart or 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, stir together rice, shrimp, condensed soup, chicken broth, and mayonnaise. Add the cooked vegetables; stir gently to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
Transfer the shrimp and rice mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top.
In a separate bowl, stir together Ritz cracker crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle over top of the casserole.
Bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes (or until hot, bubbly, and golden brown on top).
Notes
Usemicrowaveable rice for a shortcut. If you’re using Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice, microwave the rice according to the package directions before adding it to the dish. Each pouch contains about 2 cups of rice, so you’ll need about 1 ½ packets for this recipe.
For another shortcut, purchase cooked shrimp from the grocery store. If starting with frozen cooked shrimp, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using in the dish.
You can thaw frozen shrimp quickly by running it under cold water in a colander for a few minutes. Pat the shrimp dry before adding it to the casserole filling.
Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
Season the filling with extra herbs or spices. Good options include chives, parsley, thyme, oregano, or basil, as well as garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika.