Tomato paste, miso, and butter come together to create a silky smooth flavor-packed tomato sauce for the shrimp and veggies that then gets soaked up by the rice underneath. A generous squeeze of lemon brightens and fresh herbs brighten it all up, while toasted almonds add a delicious nutty crunch. This meal comes together in a pinch and is incredibly adaptable.
Ingredient highlight
Shrimp! These little nutrient-packed crustaceans are an excellent source of selenium, vitamin B12, iodine, choline, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, to name a few! They are also rich in the antioxidant astaxanthin, a carotenoid that gives shrimp (and lobster and salmon) their pink hue.
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 12 minutes Ingredients
- 2 cups white or brown rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp (fresh or thawed from frozen)
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 4 cups finely chopped veggies*
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed, chopped, or thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp mellow white miso paste
- 2 tbsp butter
- Chopped cilantro, for topping
- Chopped toasted almonds, for topping
- Lemon wedges, for topping
- *This works best with veggies that cook quickly like zucchini, fennel, bell pepper, and/or broccoli. I like them chopped very small so it all cooks in 2 minutes. If you chop them larger, just cook for a bit longer.
Instructions
- Cook the rice (instructions here for all varieties).
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 1-3 minutes (depending on how large the shrimp are) or until the shrimp are almost cooked through all the way and light golden on the bottom. Flip and cook for 1 more minute or until cooked through (no longer translucent in the center). Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
- To the skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, veggies, garlic, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir everything together and let cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-5 minutes, or until the veggies are softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 2 minutes to caramelize the tomato paste, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the water and shrimp.
- Remove about 2 tablespoons of liquid from the pan and add it to a small bowl with the miso paste and mash it up with a fork to dissolve. Add it back into the pan (scrape out every last bit) along with the butter. Stir until the butter is melted and incorporated into a silky sauce (turn the heat back on if the butter is not melting). If your sauce has reduced too much/you want it saucier, just add a splash of water to thin it out.
- Serve over a bed of warm rice and top with cilantro, almonds, and a squeeze of lemon.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 2 cups white or brown rice
- Peel and devein 1 lb shrimp, if needed
- Finely chop 4 cups veggies
- Smash, chop or thinly slice 2 cloves garlic
- Toast nuts, for topping
- Chop cilantro, for topping
- Cut lemon wedges, for topping
Substitutions:
- To make vegan/vegetarian, substitute the shrimp with 3 cups cubed/torn pieces of tofu (pressed). Pan-fry it in plenty of oil until golden. You could also substitute with 2 (15oz) cans of drained white beans.
- If you’re not into shrimp, you can easily substitute with cubed or ground chicken or even fish – just make sure it’s cooked all the way through before removing from the skillet.
- If you can’t do tomato paste, you could skip it entirely and substitute the water with coconut milk so it will turn into a coconut miso butter sauce. Grated ginger stirred in would be yummy!
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Shrimp/veggies: up to 2 days in the fridge
- Rice: up to 6 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover rice and shrimp/veggies in the microwave until warmed through. Top with herbs, nuts, and lemon.
- Serve the shrimp/veggies over rice noodles or pasta.
- Serve with crusty bread to soak up all of the sauce instead of rice.
- Put an egg on it!
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