Easy Garlic Salmon Shrimp Risotto

Make this easy garlic salmon shrimp risotto recipe for dinner this week! It comes together in only one pan, with very little effort and it’s pretty addictive.

Made without wine, the risotto with shrimp and salmon needs a good amount of garlic and only a few other ingredients like risotto rice and vegetables. Comforting and delicious, your family will for sure love this one-pan dinner recipe.

This simple risotto recipe is gluten-free, kid-approved from a very picky eater and so good you will want to eat too much of it. I know it, because I’ve done it.

Salmon And Shrimp Risotto

I’ve been thinking about making this risotto with shrimp and salmon for about a week before it became reality. Some people envision outfits, their wedding days, concerts, their career, having fun with friends…I remember when I was one of those people.

Now I only envision dinner and more importantly making family dinner. Not even so much eating it, as making it. Although, who makes an entire pan of tasty salmon, shrimp and rice and doesn’t eat at least 1/3 of it? Come on.

You will love how easy this risotto recipe is. Almost everything cooks together beautifully in one pan. Not a lot of work, and it turns out so good and there’s so much of it…I love it. In the last few minutes, I put some mozzarella and Parmesan and garlic in the recipe, and it’s just wonderful. Everyone, even my son, loves this rice dish.

What Rice To Use For Risotto

When making risotto, use short-grain rice. The variety I usually use is arborio rice and it really helps to create that creamy texture that makes risotto so comforting. Using other varieties of rice might be okay, but it will not result in the same texture that just makes you want to crawl in and take a nap (okay, maybe that’s just me, I love naps).

Ingredients

Simplicity makes this risotto dish! I tried to sneak in some vegetables, because of my son, but you can use whatever you have, just remember to keep it simple. Here’s the list of ingredients we used:

• risotto rice (like arborio rice)
• shrimp – we need peeled and deveined (I used frozen)
• salmon fillet
• shredded carrot and zucchini
• garlic, basil and onion
• cheese like Parmesan and mozzarella
• olive oil and water

How To Make Risotto With Shrimp And Salmon

The beauty of this risotto is that everything cooks together in one pan, almost at the same time.

We start with sauteeing some onions and then we’ll add the rice, water and salmon. No shrimp yet, we wanna add this one almost at the end when the rice is almost done.

Let the rice, vegetables and salmon simmer for a while at a low/medium temperature until the rice has soaked up all the water and is cooked.

Please remember to check on your rice throughout that process, because you might need to add some water. Usually, two-three cups should be enough.

Once the rice is ready, stir it, breaking the salmon apart and stirring in the shrimp, basil, more garlic and the cheeses. If needed add a little bit more water (I did not have to!).

After a 3-4 more minutes of cooking, you’re done! Serve with some greens on the side and you’ve got yourself a delicious healthy dinner!

Is Shrimp Risotto Healthy?

Risotto is definitely a healthier option than fried food or fast food. The cooking is done at lower temperatures and with moist heat, which is in general the healthier way to prepare food.

This shrimp risotto is also rich in protein, omega-3’s and we did a good amount of vegetables like onions, zucchini, garlic and carrots.

However, something to keep in mind is that risotto rice has a higher glycemic index which can spike your blood sugar. If you do have insulin resistance or other issues with your blood glucose, you can choose an easy low-carb option with cauliflower rice. I know it doesn’t sound mouthwatering, but it is delicious, I didn’t trust it either before I tried it.

This is what I usually do since I struggle with insulin resistance. I try to keep my servings of rice pretty low and instead have more vegetables on the side or if I have cauliflower, make half of the rice – cauliflower rice as I did here. This simple change makes a huge difference for your blood sugar, yet tastes pretty similar.

Tips:

• Keep an eye on your rice for the water content – you don’t want it to burn on the bottom!
• If you want to use stock and not water, you’re welcome to do it here!
• The rice was super tasty with the cheese, but if you’re eating dairy-free, you totally can skip it.
• Spice it up! Add some crushed red pepper or your favorite spicy sauce if you’re more adventurous!

We, 3 people, ate everything in one night and did have seconds with some vegetables on the side. So this risotto recipe makes a ton. I hope you enjoy the salmon and shrimp risotto as well if you do try it!

More Easy Shrimp Recipes

• Super Tasty Shrimp Coconut Curry Soup
• Easy Avocado Shrimp Salad
• Mediterranean Beef And Rice Recipe

This recipe was originally published in October 2019 and updated with new tips and photos in September 2022.