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Close-up photo of herb garlic shrimp served on top of creamy risotto shaped into a round mold, drizzled with sauce and garnished with fresh herbs.

Creamy Herb Garlic Shrimp Risotto – Restaurant-Quality in 30 Minutes!

Tender garlic shrimp served over creamy, buttery risotto with fresh herbs. Easy yet elegant—perfect for impressing at dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people
Calories 520 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Shrimp

  • 1 lb 450 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Salt & pepper to taste

For the Risotto

  • 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
  • 1 small onion or 2 shallots finely diced
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 –5 cups warm chicken or vegetable broth
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley or basil chopped
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Prepare the shrimp

  • Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds.
  • Add shrimp, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook 2–3 minutes per side until pink.
  • Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Remove shrimp and set aside.

Make the risotto

  • In a separate large pan, heat butter and olive oil.
  • Add onion/shallots and sauté until soft.
  • Stir in Arborio rice and cook 1–2 minutes.
  • Add warm broth ½ cup at a time, stirring continuously, until rice is creamy and al dente (18–20 minutes).
  • Stir in Parmesan, herbs, salt, and pepper.

Assemble

  • Plate the risotto using a molding ring if desired.
  • Top with garlic herb shrimp.
  • Drizzle leftover buttery garlic sauce over the top.

Notes

Helpful Tips

  • Use warm broth—cold broth slows cooking.
  • Stir often but allow brief rests to help rice absorb liquid.
  • Don’t overcook shrimp—they cook quickly and become rubbery.
  • Wide pan for risotto helps with even cooking.
 

Variations

  • Lemon Herb Risotto: Add lemon zest & extra parsley.
  • Spicy Garlic Shrimp: Add chili flakes or cayenne.
  • Creamier Version: Stir in 2 tbsp mascarpone.
  • Vegetable Add-ins: Peas, asparagus, mushrooms.
  • Swap Protein: Try scallops or chicken instead of shrimp.
 

Storage

  • Refrigerator: 2–3 days
  • Freezer: Not recommended (risotto texture suffers)
  • Reheat: Warm in skillet with splash of broth or cream
Keyword creamy risotto with shrimp, easy risotto recipe, herb garlic shrimp risotto, Italian seafood risotto, shrimp risotto recipe