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Brothy Rice with Shrimp and Chorizo

By Annie Petito

Published on March 2, 2026

Time

50 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Brothy Rice with Shrimp and Chorizo

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick1 onion, chopped fine1 teaspoon table salt 6 garlic cloves, minced1 cup arborio rice ¼ cup tomato paste 4 cups water 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice 1½ pounds large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, plus more for seasoning

Before You Begin

Be sure to use Spanish-style chorizo, which is dry-cured and only needs to be heated through. For the proper consistency, make sure to cook the rice at a gentle boil. Crusty bread is great for sopping up the broth.

Instructions

  1. Cook 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick, in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chorizo begins to render its fat, about 5 minutes. Add 1 finely chopped onion and 1 teaspoon table salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 6 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup arborio rice and stir to coat, about 1 minute. Stir in ¼ cup tomato paste and cook until paste is slightly darkened in color, 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. Add 4 cups water and 1 bottle clam juice, increase heat to high, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to maintain gentle boil; cover and cook until rice is tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to ensure rice is gently boiling.
  3. Uncover and whisk vigorously until broth has thickened slightly, 15 seconds. Stir in 1½ pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed, making sure all pieces are submerged. Cover and let stand off heat until shrimp are opaque and just cooked through, 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar. Season with salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste. Serve.
Brothy Rice with Shrimp and Chorizo
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Brothy Rice with Shrimp and Chorizo

Headshot of Annie Petito
By Annie Petito

Published on March 2, 2026

Save

Time

50 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon table salt
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice
¼ cup tomato paste
4 cups water
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
1½ pounds large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, plus more for seasoning

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon table salt
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice
¼ cup tomato paste
4 cups water
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
1½ pounds large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, plus more for seasoning

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon table salt
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice
¼ cup tomato paste
4 cups water
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
1½ pounds large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, plus more for seasoning

Why This Recipe Works

Simmering arborio rice in a richly flavored broth, using more liquid than needed to cook the rice, gives body to this comforting soup studded with chorizo and shrimp. We start by rendering Spanish-style chorizo in oil for a flavor base hinting of smoke and spice and then add onion, garlic, and arborio rice before stirring in a generous amount of savory tomato paste. We then add a combination of clam juice and water to cook the rice. Vigorously whisking the rice when it’s tender liberates enough of its starch to lightly thicken the broth. We add the shrimp off heat, which ensures that they cook gently and retain their delicate texture. We finish the dish with parsley and sherry vinegar for freshness and nutty acidity.

Before You Begin

Be sure to use Spanish-style chorizo, which is dry-cured and only needs to be heated through. For the proper consistency, make sure to cook the rice at a gentle boil. Crusty bread is great for sopping up the broth.

Instructions

  1. Cook 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick, in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chorizo begins to render its fat, about 5 minutes. Add 1 finely chopped onion and 1 teaspoon table salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 6 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup arborio rice and stir to coat, about 1 minute. Stir in ¼ cup tomato paste and cook until paste is slightly darkened in color, 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. Add 4 cups water and 1 bottle clam juice, increase heat to high, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to maintain gentle boil; cover and cook until rice is tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to ensure rice is gently boiling.
  3. Uncover and whisk vigorously until broth has thickened slightly, 15 seconds. Stir in 1½ pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed, making sure all pieces are submerged. Cover and let stand off heat until shrimp are opaque and just cooked through, 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar. Season with salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste. Serve.

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