When I moved to Oklahoma in 2007, I refused to eat any seafood for the first year. Having grown up in Maryland, I couldn’t bring myself to eat seafood in a landlocked state.
Now I buy frozen seafood from Costco and Sam’s Club, and I discovered 2 seafood markets in Tulsa that fly in fresh product daily.
I eat shrimp more than any other type of seafood because it cooks fast, and works well in many different dishes. I use the shells to make a delicious stock for my Spicy Garlic Shrimp Pasta and Easy Shrimp Scampi. And my Avocado Shrimp Ceviche is a huge hit with friends.
A couple of years ago I discovered a recipe for honey lime shrimp. Rather than eat a bowl of just shrimp, I created a full meal with Honey Lime Shrimp and Vegetables.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- You can mix it up with your favorite vegetables
- The marinade adds great flavor to the shrimp, and cooks down with the vegetables
- Skip the rice for a low-carb meal
I’m such a huge fan of Honey Lime Shrimp and Vegetables. I love the flavors and mix of textures, and it’s a pretty healthy meal. Marinating time aside, it can be on the table in less than 30 minutes.
TIPS ON BUYING SHRIMP
Frozen shrimp is almost always fresher than shrimp at the seafood counter. Why?
- When fishermen return to the dock, they immediately put the shrimp into ice and freeze them. The shrimp remains frozen until you’re ready to thaw it
- Almost all fresh shrimp at the seafood counter was previously frozen, and you have no way of knowing when it was thawed
- NOTE: If you have a fishmonger that gets daily deliveries, or you’re lucky enough to live near a market that sells product off the dock, then absolutely buy fresh!
Shrimp size is determined by the number of shrimp per pound. For example, a label of 31/35 means there are 31-35 of these shrimp per pound. Ignore the size name (like large/XL/jumbo) because brands can name sizes differently.
TO THAW SHRIMP: Place frozen shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge. The larger the shrimp, the longer it takes to thaw. In a pinch, place the shrimp in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes; drain the water, and pat the shrimp dry.
INGREDIENT TIPS FOR HONEY LIME SHRIMP AND VEGETABLES
I like to use 21/25 shrimp because it’s a large size that stands up well to the vegetables. Of course, you can use your favorite size.
The marinade for the shrimp couldn’t be easier and has only 4 ingredients: Raw Honey, garlic, fresh-squeezed lime juice, and Avocado Oil.
I prefer to use raw garlic, but you could use roasted garlic if you prefer.
Fresh is always best with lime juice. They’re plentiful, and with a Citrus Juicer they’re done in seconds.
How long do you marinate the shrimp? At least 1 hour, up to 4 hours. In a pinch, you can marinate for 15-30 minutes, but you won’t get nearly as much flavor.
Honey Lime Shrimp and Vegetables is a great way to get your daily dose of veggies. I always start with carrots, celery, and onion. And then I add asparagus, green beans, mushrooms, and zucchini.
What other veggies can you use? Broccoli, bok choy, snow peas, and snap peas. Any vegetable that stands up well to the saute will work well in this dish.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare marinade ingredients (honey, oil, lime juice and garlic) and add them to a bowl and combine.
Season shrimp with salt and pepper, and add to marinade. Transfer the bowl to the fridge for 1-4 hours.
Remove shrimp from the fridge so it comes to temperature while you prepare the vegetables.
Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion and cook for 4 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Next, add carrots and celery, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add asparagus and green beans, and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in about half of marinade and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and zucchini, and cook for 3 minutes.
Push vegetables to the side of the skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute per side. Toss everything together and cook for 2 more minutes.
To serve: Add rice to a serving bowl, and top with shrimp and vegetables.
SERVINGS AND LEFTOVERS
It’s no secret that I’m a carb fiend. And I’m not even shy about it. I don’t eat a ton of rice, but I do love it in this Honey Lime Shrimp and Vegetables. I think it just creates an entire meal, and the rice also absorbs that wonderful sauce as you eat.
What can I use instead of white rice? Try it with brown rice, quinoa, or orzo. Or skip all of them for a low carb meal.
How about leftovers? I’m personally not a fan of reheated shrimp, because I think it gets too rubbery. If you know you’re going to eat more the next day, you could marinate another batch of shrimp and cook it just before serving.
Honey Lime Shrimp and Vegetables
Honey Lime Shrimp & Vegetables is a delicious meal in a bowl. The easy marinade adds great flavor, and you can add in your favorite vegetables. After marinating, this dish is ready in under 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry long-grain white rice
- 1lb 21/25 shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup diced or thin sliced celery
- 1/4 cup diced or thin sliced carrots
- 1/4 cup diced onions
- 2 cloves raw garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 12 spears raw asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup baby portobello mushrooms, quartered
- 1/2 cup zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
Marinade for shrimp
- 1/3 cup olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/3 cup raw honey
- Juice of 2 large limes (about 1/4 cup)
- 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Cook rice, according to package directions
- Combine olive oil, honey, lime juice, and garlic in a large bowl, and whisk together
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper, and add to the marinade. Put the bowl into the fridge for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours
- Remove the shrimp from the fridge, and let rest while you prepare the vegetables
- Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large skillet
- Add onions to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute
- Turn the heat to medium. Add carrots and celery and saute for 5 minutes
- Add asparagus and green beans, and saute for 5 minutes. Add half of the marinade, and cook for 3 minutes
- Move the vegetables to the edge of the skillet
- Add the shrimp, and cook for 1 minute per side. Toss the shrimp and vegetables together and cook for 2 more minutes.
- TO SERVE: Portion out the rice into bowls, and top with the shrimp and vegetables
Notes
TIPS ON BUYING SHRIMP
Frozen shrimp is almost always fresher than shrimp at the seafood counter.
- When fishermen return to the dock, they immediately put the shrimp into ice and freeze them. The shrimp remains frozen until you’re ready to thaw it
- Almost all fresh shrimp at the seafood counter was previously frozen, and you have no way of knowing when it was thawed
- NOTE: If you have a fishmonger that gets daily deliveries, or you’re lucky enough to live near a market that sells product off the dock, then absolutely buy fresh!
Shrimp size is determined by the number of shrimp per pound. For example, a label of 31/35 means there are 31-35 of these shrimp per pound. Ignore the size name (like large/XL/jumbo) because brands can name sizes differently.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long do you marinate the shrimp? At least 1 hour, up to 4 hours. In a pinch, you can marinate for 15-30 minutes, but you won’t get nearly as much flavor.
What other veggies can you use? Broccoli, bok choy, snow peas, and snap peas. Any vegetable that stands up well to the saute will work well in this dish.
What can I use instead of white rice? Try it with brown rice, quinoa, or orzo. Or skip all of them for a low carb meal.
How about leftovers? I’m personally not a fan of reheated shrimp, because I think it gets too rubbery. If you know you’re going to eat more the next day, you could marinate another batch of shrimp and cook it just before serving.