Sheet-Pan Shrimp and Rice Dish Offers Crispy Texture

Melissa Clark's recipe layers flavors and textures in this easy weeknight dinner inspired by shrimp fried rice.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Melissa Clark's recipe for Sheet-Pan Scallion Shrimp With Crispy Rice takes inspiration from shrimp fried rice, using short-grain rice that gets wonderfully crispy when roasted on a sheet pan. The dish features bright flavors from scallions, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, and a burst of acidity from fresh green chiles and lime juice.

Why it matters

This easy sheet-pan dinner offers a creative way to achieve the coveted crispy, caramelized rice texture often found in dishes like Persian tahdig or Korean nurungji, without the labor-intensive traditional cooking methods. The recipe provides a flexible, weeknight-friendly approach to creating a flavorful and textural meal.

The details

Clark's recipe calls for using short-grain rice, which develops a soft chew at the center and crispy edges when roasted on a sheet pan. Long-grain rice can also be used, but it will brown more quickly. The key is to use rice that was cooked the day before, as it contains less moisture and crisps up better than fresh-cooked rice. To further enhance the browning, Clark recommends massaging the oil into the rice to coat every grain before roasting. The shrimp is added to the pan only for the last 5-10 minutes, so it has time to blush pink without overcooking.

  • The recipe calls for using rice that was cooked the day before.
  • The shrimp is added to the sheet pan for the last 5-10 minutes of roasting.

The players

Melissa Clark

A food writer and cookbook author who developed this sheet-pan shrimp and rice recipe.

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What they’re saying

“In many cultures, rice that sticks at the bottom of a pot isn't a flaw, it's a feature. Those crispy, caramelized shards are often the best part, but getting them right is an art.”

— Melissa Clark (The New York Times)

The takeaway

This sheet-pan shrimp and rice dish offers a creative, weeknight-friendly approach to achieving the coveted crispy, caramelized rice texture often found in more labor-intensive traditional recipes, making it an appealing option for home cooks looking to add a new, flavorful and textural dish to their repertoire.