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Square overhead shot of southern shrimp and rice casserole
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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!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword shrimp and rice casserole
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 450kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

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.
    Sauteing vegetables in a cast iron skillet
  • 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.
    Stirring together shrimp and rice filling
  • Transfer the shrimp and rice mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top.
    Sprinkling cheese on top of casserole
  • In a separate bowl, stir together Ritz cracker crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle over top of the casserole.
    Adding Ritz cracker topping to casserole
  • Bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes (or until hot, bubbly, and golden brown on top).
    Serving spoon in a white dish of shrimp and rice casserole

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