This Portuguese Arroz de Camarão is the kind of comforting one pot meal you’ll want to make again and again. Juicy shrimp, rice and a flavourful Portuguese refogado come together with tomato, white wine, pimenta moída and homemade shrimp broth for a simple but incredibly flavourful dinner. 🇵🇹❤️
If you love my one pot Portuguese meals, save this one because it is definitely going to become part of your dinner rotation!
Jump to:
- What Is Arroz de Camarão? 🇵🇹
- Why You’ll Love This Portuguese Shrimp Rice ❤️
- Ingredients for Arroz de Camarão 🍤
- How to Make Portuguese Arroz de Camarão
- Sandra’s Tips for the Best Arroz de Camarão 👑
- Substitutions and Variations
- Arroz de Camarão FAQs
- More Portuguese Recipes You’ll Love 🇵🇹
- Made My Arroz de Camarão? ❤️
- Portuguese Arroz de Camarão 🍤 One Pot Portuguese Shrimp Rice
What Is Arroz de Camarão? 🇵🇹
Arroz de camarão simply means shrimp rice, but like so many Portuguese recipes, the magic is in how we build those layers of flavour.
And for me, that starts with a good refogado.
If you’re Portuguese, you already know the smell. 😂 Olive oil hits the pot, followed by onion, garlic and peppers, and suddenly everyone in the house wants to know what you’re making.
Refogado is essentially the Portuguese version of a soffritto. It is the flavour base behind SO many of the dishes we grew up eating. Every family makes theirs a little differently, but the idea is the same: slowly cook those aromatics in olive oil and give them time to release all that flavour before adding anything else.
For this arroz de camarão, I build on that refogado with tomato sauce, pimenta moída, Sazón and dry white wine. Then instead of using plain water to cook the rice, we’re taking the shrimp shells and turning them into a quick shrimp water.
Yes, it is one extra step, but trust me on this one. Don’t throw away those shrimp shells! That is where so much flavour is hiding.
And if you’re looking at this thinking, Sandra, I just want dinner on the table 😂 I’ve got you too. You can absolutely substitute seafood stock and make this recipe even easier.
Why You’ll Love This Portuguese Shrimp Rice ❤️
This is everything I love about Portuguese home cooking. Simple ingredients, big flavour and one pot on the stove.
The rice absorbs the tomato, wine, shrimp broth and all that flavour from the refogado while the shrimp cook right into it. It’s comforting without being heavy and impressive enough to serve to company while still being easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
And you already know how much I love a recipe that means fewer dishes to wash. 😂
Ingredients for Arroz de Camarão 🍤
For the shrimp and broth
Shrimp: Peel and devein your shrimp, but keep those shells! You’ll use them to make the shrimp water that gives this rice so much flavour.
4½ cups shrimp water: Made using the shrimp shells, parsley, garlic and onion. This becomes the cooking liquid for the rice and is one of my favourite ways to add extra seafood flavour without adding a ton of extra ingredients.
For the refogado and rice
Olive oil: You can’t start a proper refogado without a good drizzle of olive oil.
1 whole onion, chopped: The base of our refogado and the beginning of all that flavour.
4 garlic cloves, minced: Because four cloves of garlic is always better than two. 😂
1 whole red bell pepper, chopped: Adds sweetness, colour and flavour to the refogado.
1 bay leaf: Do NOT forget the bay leaf! It’s one of those little ingredients that makes a difference in Portuguese cooking.
1 packet Sazón: Adds colour and another layer of seasoning to the rice. If you prefer not to use Sazón, you can substitute it with saffron.
Salt, to taste
White pepper, to taste: I love white pepper here because it gives the rice that little peppery bite without overpowering the shrimp.
1 to 1½ tablespoons pimenta moída: This is one of my Portuguese kitchen staples and adds that unmistakable Portuguese pepper flavour. Adjust it depending on how spicy and flavourful you like your rice.
¾ cup tomato sauce: Gives the rice its beautiful colour, richness and tomato base.
½ cup dry white wine: Used to deglaze the pot and add acidity and depth to the refogado.
2 cups long grain white rice: The rice absorbs all that beautiful shrimp, tomato and refogado flavour as it cooks.
Fresh parsley, to taste, optional: I love adding this right at the end for freshness and colour.
Fresh lemon, to taste, optional: A squeeze at the end brightens everything up beautifully. 🍋
How to Make Portuguese Arroz de Camarão
- Prepare the shrimp 🍤
Peel and devein your shrimp, reserving all of those shells.
Use the shells to prepare your shrimp water. You’ll need 4½ cups for the rice. Add a hand full of parsley, 3-4 cloves of garlic and half an onion to the water.
This does add an extra step, but it’s worth it because you’re taking something that would normally be thrown away and using it to build even more flavour into the dish.
- Start your refogado
Add a generous drizzle of olive oil to a large pot over medium heat.
Add your chopped onion and red pepper and allow them to soften. Add the 4 cloves of garlic and bay leaf and continue cooking until everything is soft and fragrant.
This is not the part we want to rush! A good refogado is the foundation of the entire dish.
- Build the flavour
Add your Sazón, salt, white pepper and 1 to 1½ tablespoons of pimenta moída.
Stir in the ¾ cup tomato sauce and let everything cook together so those flavours become part of the refogado.
- Deglaze with white wine 🍷
Pour in ½ cup dry white wine and scrape up all that flavour from the bottom of the pot.
Let the wine cook down slightly before moving on.
- Add the rice
Add 2 cups long grain white rice and stir it through the refogado, coating every grain in that beautiful tomato and pepper mixture.
- Add the shrimp water
Pour in your 4½ cups shrimp water and stir everything together.
Bring it to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and allow the rice to cook and absorb all that flavour.
You want a beautiful, flavourful Portuguese rice here, so keep an eye on the consistency as it cooks.
- Add the shrimp
Add the shrimp toward the end of cooking so they stay juicy and tender rather than becoming overcooked.
Once the shrimp are pink and cooked through and your rice is tender, remove the bay leaf and taste for seasoning.
Finish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon if you like. 🍋🌿
Serve it hot and enjoy!
Sandra’s Tips for the Best Arroz de Camarão 👑
● Save those shrimp shells. Making your own shrimp water gives this dish so much more flavour.
● Don’t rush the refogado. Give the onion, red pepper and garlic time to soften and develop flavour.
● Use a dry white wine. You want acidity without adding sweetness.
● Add the shrimp near the end. Shrimp cook quickly, and adding them too early can make them tough.
● Taste before adding more salt. The Sazón and pimenta moída already bring seasoning to the dish.
● Adjust your pimenta moída. I use around 1 to 1½ tablespoons, but this is where you can make the recipe your own.
● Serve it right away. Rice will continue absorbing liquid as it sits.
Substitutions and Variations
Can I Make Arroz de Camarão Without Homemade Shrimp Water?
Absolutely!
Making the shrimp water is an extra step that I think adds incredible flavour, but I also know sometimes we just need to get dinner on the table.
Substitute the 4½ cups shrimp water with seafood stock for an easier version.
What Can I Use Instead of Sazón?
If Sazón isn’t something you use in your kitchen, you can substitute saffron instead.
Can I Make It Spicier? 🌶️
Yes! Add additional pimenta moída according to your taste. I usually use around 1 to 1½ tablespoons, but Portuguese cooking is all about tasting as you go.
What to Serve With Arroz de Camarão 🥗
Honestly, this is one of those meals that doesn’t need much else.
I love serving it family style straight from the pot with lemon wedges, fresh parsley and some good Portuguese bread on the table.
A simple green salad or tomato and onion salad on the side is perfect if you want something fresh to balance the richness of the rice.
And obviously, a glass of Portuguese vinho never hurts. 🇵🇹🍷
How to Store and Reheat
Arroz de camarão is best enjoyed freshly made because the rice will continue absorbing the broth as it sits.
If you have leftovers, allow them to cool and transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate promptly and enjoy within 1 to 2 days.
To reheat, add a small splash of seafood stock or water before gently reheating to loosen the rice again. Make sure the shrimp and rice are heated thoroughly before serving.
Because shrimp can become rubbery when reheated repeatedly, I recommend only reheating the portion you plan on eating.
Arroz de Camarão FAQs
What does arroz de camarão mean?
Arroz de camarão translates simply to shrimp rice in Portuguese. It’s a comforting seafood and rice dish built around a flavourful refogado.
What is a Portuguese refogado?
A refogado is a foundational Portuguese cooking technique where aromatics such as onion and garlic are gently cooked in olive oil to create the flavour base for a dish. Think of it as our Portuguese version of soffritto. 🇵🇹
What kind of rice should I use for arroz de camarão?
For this version, I use long grain white rice. It works beautifully for an easy, approachable one pot arroz de camarão.
Do I have to make shrimp stock from scratch?
No. While using the shrimp shells, parsley, garlic and onion to make the 4½ cups of shrimp water adds amazing flavour, you can substitute seafood stock when you want to make the recipe quicker.
Why do you add white wine?
The ½ cup dry white wine helps deglaze the pot after making the refogado and adds acidity and another layer of flavour to the finished rice.
When should I add the shrimp?
Add your shrimp toward the end of the cooking time. Shrimp cook very quickly, so this helps keep them juicy and tender.
More Portuguese Recipes You’ll Love 🇵🇹
If you love easy Portuguese comfort food like this arroz de camarão, make sure you check out some of my other favourites:
● Arroz de Marisco
● Arroz de Bacalhau
● Arroz de Feijão
● One Pan Frango Assado
● Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá
Made My Arroz de Camarão? ❤️
If you make this Portuguese Arroz de Camarão, I want to hear about it! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and comment below to let me know how it turned out.
And if you’re making one of my recipes, tag me on Instagram @rainha_da_cozinha so I can see it and share your creations! 🇵🇹❤️
Make sure you’re following along for more easy Portuguese recipes, one pot dinners and all the food we grew up loving.
Keeping our traditions alive, one meal at a time. ❤️🇵🇹
Portuguese Arroz de Camarão 🍤 One Pot Portuguese Shrimp Rice
Ingredients
- 1-1 ½ lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined reserve shells
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Sazón packet or saffron
- salt to taste
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1-1 ½ tablespoon pimenta moída
- ¾ cups tomato sauce
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- 4 ½ cups shrimp water, made from reserved shrimp shells boiled with parsley, garlic and onion
- fresh parsley optional
- juice of lemon optional
Instructions
- Prepare the shrimp. Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving all of the shells.
- Make the shrimp water. Add the reserved shrimp shells to a pot with 4 ½ cups of water and simmer to extract their flavour with a handful of parsley, 3-4 cloves of garlic and half of an onion. Strain, discard the shells and measure out 4½ cups of shrimp water. Set aside and keep warm.
- Make the refogado. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook until they begin to soften.
- Add the garlic and bay leaf and continue cooking until everything is soft and fragrant.
- Season with the Sazón or saffron, salt, white pepper and 1 to 1½ tablespoons pimenta moída. Stir in the tomato sauce and allow everything to cook together for a few minutes.
- Pour in the ½ cup dry white wine to deglaze the pot. Stir well, scraping up all the flavour from the bottom, and allow the wine to cook down slightly.
- Add the 2 cups rice and stir well so every grain is coated in the refogado.
- Pour in the 4½ cups warm shrimp water. Stir, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and cook until the rice is almost tender.
- Add the shrimp toward the end of cooking and gently stir them into the rice. Continue cooking just until the shrimp are pink and cooked through and the rice is tender.
- Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the salt, white pepper or pimenta moída as needed.
- Finish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy! 🍋🌿
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