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Arroz de tamboril (Portuguese monkfish rice)

Arroz de tamboril is a Portuguese simmered rice made with monkfish and shrimp, flavored with tomato and sweet paprika. It serves 4, takes 50 minutes, rates as easy, and costs about €5.10 per serving. The key to success is a homemade broth made from the shrimp heads and shells, which gives the rice its depth of flavor.

Tonight, a Portuguese style simmered rice with monkfish, shrimp, and tomato, nice and juicy, served straight from the pot.

Arroz de tamboril (Portuguese monkfish rice)
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€5.10
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall

Arroz de tamboril is the kind of Portuguese rice you bring to the table still bubbling in its pot, with that deliberately juicy consistency that sets it apart from a dry rice dish. The monkfish stays firm even after cooking, the shrimp add sweetness, and the tomato sauce spiked with sweet paprika coats every grain without drowning it.

It's a dish for when you have a bit of time on your hands, a lazy Sunday or a low effort dinner for guests, since everything cooks in a single pot. It needs to be eaten right off the heat, which makes it a communal kind of meal, set in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Monkfish, cut into chunks 600 g
  • Raw whole shrimp 300 g

Pantry

  • Carolino or short grain riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Red bell pepper 1
  • Fresh cilantro 6 sprigs

Allergens Fish, Shellfish

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the shrimp, keeping the heads and shells, and sear them in a spoonful of oil. 5 min

    Crush the heads in the pot, they release all their flavor.

  2. Pour in a liter of water, let it simmer for ten minutes, then strain the broth. 10 min

    Press firmly on the shells in the strainer to get every bit of juice.

  3. Cook the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and tomatoes in the remaining oil with the paprika. 12 min

    A well reduced sauce flavors the rice without making it soggy.

  4. Add the rice and the hot broth, bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat with the chunks of monkfish. 15 min

    Stir only once or twice, the rice should stay creamy.

  5. Add the peeled shrimp for the last two minutes and sprinkle with cilantro.

    Turn off the heat before adding the cilantro so it keeps its freshness.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick carolino rice or, failing that, a short grain rice, it absorbs the broth better and gives the dish its signature creamy texture.
  • Keep the broth hot before pouring it over the rice, cold liquid would interrupt the cooking and stretch out the time needed.
  • Taste the broth before adding it and adjust the salt then, it's much harder to fix the seasoning once the rice is in.

The variations

  • Swap the monkfish for cod or ling, both firm fish that hold up well during cooking.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the monkfish and shrimp with heart of palm pieces and chickpeas, and use a vegetable broth instead of the shrimp stock.
  • To save time, use store bought fish stock instead of making it from the shells, you'll cut about fifteen minutes off the total.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • A simple green salad
  • Bread for soaking up the sauce

Storage

Keep leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 1 to 2 days at most, this fish dish doesn't keep long. Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of water or broth to bring back some moisture to the rice. Freezing isn't recommended, the texture of the rice and seafood would suffer too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the shrimp broth ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. Just reheat it thoroughly before pouring it over the rice so you don't interrupt the cooking.

What rice should I use if I can't find carolino rice?

A classic short grain rice, like the one used for risotto, works very well. Avoid long grain rice, it won't absorb the broth the same way and will leave the dish drier.

Can I swap the monkfish for another fish?

Yes, cod or ling make good substitutes since they're both firm fleshed fish. Avoid delicate fish that would fall apart while the rice cooks.

Why shouldn't you stir the rice too much while it cooks?

Stirring too often releases the rice's starch and makes it gluey, while arroz de tamboril should stay creamy without turning into mush. One or two stirs are enough to keep it from sticking to the bottom.

How long does it take to make an arroz de tamboril?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in an arroz de tamboril?

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an arroz de tamboril cost?

About €5.10 per serving, or €20.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, shellfish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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