Creamy dairy free vegetable risotto is made with cauliflower rice so it’s paleo friendly and keto approved, and so rich and satisfying. I topped it off with quick cast iron shrimp cooked in a smoky herb butter sauce. It’s the ultimate date night (or any night) meal, done in minutes!

I’m not going to lie to you… cauliflower rice doesn’t always scream my name as the most appetizing. But I sure love its ability to transform given a little creamy sauce, some flavor, some texture. I love it for paleo and keto recipes.

Frozen cauliflower rice gets a big transformation in this recipe. It is so good I could honestly eat it every day!

I’m dubbing this the ultimate paleo, keto date night recipe (especially for you seafood lovers). It’s restaurant quality in terms of flavor, but is so easy. You won’t be spending the whole night in the kitchen cooking & cleaning up a mess!

My Favorite Shrimp & Where to Buy It!

Let’s talk shrimp real quick. My hands down favorite, which you’ll know about if you’ve been here awhile, is the Red Argentinian Shrimp from Trader Joe’s. It’s in the frozen section, it’s wild caught, and the shrimp are big and tender and taste like lobster & shrimp had a juicy baby. They are SO good.

I always thaw the shrimp first really quick in the sink or in a large bowl filled with room temp water. They defrost really fast – around 30 minutes or less- and are ready to cook in any shrimp recipe. Trust me and hunt them down if you haven’t yet… they are amazing!

I can’t wait to see you guys make this! Comment below & leave a review if you do. And be sure to tag me on Instagram @justjessieb!

More recipes like this to try, that would be great for Valentine’s Day or any special dinner:

Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Smoky Herb Butter Shrimp with Vegetable Risotto

Creamy dairy free vegetable risotto is made with cauliflower rice, and so rich and satisfying. I topped it off with quick cast iron shrimp cooked in a smoky herb butter sauce for the ultimate date night (or any night) meal, done in minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: dinner, Main Course, main dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower, risotto, seafood, shrimp
Servings: 4
Calories: 313kcal

Ingredients

For the Risotto

  • 1 cup green beans trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
  • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 Tbsp butter or ghee
  • 12 oz cauliflower rice fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 cup milk see notes
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast see notes
  • salt & pepper to taste

For the Shrimp

  • 1 lb large wild caught shrimp
  • 2 Tbsp butter or ghee
  • 1/2 tsp dried Italian herb blend
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Risotto

  • Melt the butter or ghee in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the green beans and mushrooms and sauté until green beans are just tender crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the veggies from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
  • To the same warm pan over medium heat, add the cauliflower rice and sauté for about 5 minutes to soften (I cook mine directly from frozen, but fresh works too). Stir in the milk and nutritional yeast, and reduce the heat to medium low. Continue to cook until the milk is absorbed and cauliflower is fluffy and creamy.
  • Stir in the cooked mushrooms and green beans, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add an extra drizzle of milk if you want extra creaminess.

For the Shrimp

  • Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season on both sides with Italian herbs, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt & pepper.
  • Heat the butter or ghee in a large skillet over medium high. I like using a cast iron, but any skillet will work. Add the shrimp to the skillet spaced apart and not overcrowding the pan (so they get some color and don't just steam). Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until just opaque.
  • Serve hot over top of the vegetable risotto, with remaining browned butter from the pan spooned over top. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Thin French green beans work well in this recipe as they cook quickly.  I use fresh but frozen could work if needed, just drain any extra liquid.
  • Any milk will work in this recipe, but the thicker/creamier the better.  I like full fat coconut milk (we buy ours online in a carton here) or Original flavor Nutpods.  Heavy cream would be great if you do dairy.
  • Nutritional yeast thickens the texture a bit so the risotto isn’t runny, and adds great flavor.  We buy ours at Trader Joe’s or online here.  Substitute parmesan cheese if you do dairy, it will act the same and taste delicious!
  • Our favorite shrimp is the Wild Caught Red Argentinian shrimp from Trader Joe’s.  We buy in the frozen section and thaw just before using.  Any jumbo shrimp you love will work!  Scallops would be great too.
  • For strict dairy free, substitute avocado oil for the butter or ghee.

Nutrition

Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 913mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g
Filed   keto, one dish meals, Paleo, seafood, side dishes, Whole 30