Savannah Shrimp and Rice Casserole
Southern comfort food at its best! This shrimp and rice casserole is creamy, cheesy, and finished with a buttery Ritz cracker topping!
Servings 8 people
Calories 450kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper
- ½ cup diced celery
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (about 1 teaspoon total)
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 1 lb. cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, coarsely crushed (about 30 crackers or 1 ½ cups crumbs)
- 4 tablespoons melted 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
- Use microwaveable 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8 of the casserole | Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 770mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 367IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 1mg