This shrimp bowl recipe is a family favorite that’s ready in just 25 minutes! This easy weeknight dinner stars cilantro lime rice, juicy shrimp, black beans, and creamy chipotle ranch sauce.
Here’s a dinner recipe you’ll want to make again and again: this shrimp rice bowl! I created this recipe when Alex and I were working on inventing a few easy weeknight dinner ideas. After the first bite of that juicy spiced shrimp, tangy cilantro lime rice and that creamy, zingy chipotle ranch dressing, I knew we had something special.
This is one of my favorite bowl meals: while it’s basic, every element is seasoned to perfection. Every time I serve it (whether to family or friends), everyone gobbles it up!
5 Star Reader Reviews
”1,000/10 would recommend. My entire family ate it, no complaints – from the spouse, 3 year old, or 1 year old.” -Anne
“I have now made this recipe twice and it’s delicious. Thank you for sharing!” -Rosemary
Ingredients You’ll Need
It has several components, but you should be able to finish this healthy dinner recipe in 30 minutes or less. Here’s the breakdown of the elements in this shrimp rice bowl:
- Shrimp: You can bake, broil, or sauté the shrimp for this recipe! See below to determine your favorite method. I like using tail-on shrimp for the look, but you can use peeled for easier eating.
- Cilantro lime rice: This bowl features my favorite cilantro lime rice: and it really does step up the recipe vs plain rice!
- Black bean and corn salad: Here’s a fun trick for an impromptu black bean salad: mix beans, corn, and pico de gallo: no chopping involved!
- Chipotle ranch dressing: This healthy chipotle ranch is so easy to make, and you’ll want to drizzle it on everything! It’s got yogurt, mayo, and adobo sauce (see below).
Ways to Cook the Shrimp
There are a few different methods you can use for the shrimp here! Here are the pros and cons of each:
- Baked Shrimp: This method is easy and hands off! Pop the shrimp in the oven and cook 4 to 6 minutes. The only con? You have to preheat the oven.
- Broiled Shrimp: Even easier! It’s even quicker to broil shrimp, and you don’t have to preheat. The con? You’ll have to keep an eye on it in the last few minutes.
- Sauteed Shrimp: Super simple and quick: the fastest method for cooking shrimp! It also comes out more browned than the other methods. The con? You have to be hands-on the entire cooking time, and be good at quickly flipping the shrimp. Be careful not to overcook!
Tips for Buying Shrimp
There are lots of option at the store for shrimp, and it can get confusing! Here’s the type of shrimp I like to grab for this recipe:
- Find medium or large shrimp. Medium shrimp is sometimes labeled 41 to 50 count, and Large is labeled as 31 to 40 count.
- Use tail on or peeled. Tail on looks nice, but you do have to pull them off when eating. So use shelled if you like! Do not use shell on. If you accidentally buy shell on, remove it before cooking.
- Fresh or frozen. Both are essentially the same freshness since most shrimp are immediately flash frozen. Just make sure to thaw the shrimp in advance.
- Wild caught. Fish that is wild caught in your country is usually a sustainable choice. There are also quality options in well-regulated farms; see Seafood Watch Consumer Guide.
The Key: Chipotle Ranch Sauce
For the drizzle for this healthy shrimp bowls recipe, I created a spin on ranch using chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. They’re easy to find at most grocery stores near the Mexican ingredients. Here’s what to know:
- The dressing uses both mayonnaise and yogurt: the yogurt helps to cut down on calories but keeps it deliciously creamy.
- It has only 38 calories per tablespoon, vs 73 calories in store bought. So I’d call that healthy version. It’s also gluten-free, keto and low carb.
- You can customize the spice level. Use more adobo sauce if you love the heat, and less if you’re cooking for kids. Use 1 tablespoon for a mild ranch, and 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons for a medium spicy ranch.
Storing Leftovers and Meal Prep Tips
- Cooked shrimp lasts 3 days in the refrigerator. So you can cook in advance and use for lunches and dinners throughout the week.
- You can make the rice in advance, then reheat. But rice does become dried out in the refrigerator. To reheat it, place on the stovetop or in the microwave with a few tablespoons water. It will re-absorb the water and become moist again!
- Make the dressing up to 1 week in advance. Then refrigerate! It will likely last even longer.
Want more rice bowl ideas? Try my top 10 rice bowl recipes!
Dietary Notes
This shrimp bowl recipe is pescatarian and gluten-free. For dairy-free and vegan, substitute vegan mayonnaise for the yogurt or go to Chipotle Sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Just make sure to thaw the shrimp completely before cooking. I thaw frozen shrimp by placing them in a colander and running cold water over them for about 5 minutes. Pat them dry with paper towels before tossing with the oil and spices. Check out my full guide on how to cook frozen shrimp for more tips.
No worries! Both my parents don’t like cilantro, so I’m often substituting for them! You can easily substitute parsley for the cilantro in the rice, or simply season the rice with butter, salt, and a squeeze of lime juice.
Shrimp cook very quickly and are done when they turn opaque and pink throughout. For medium-large shrimp, this usually takes 1-2 minutes per side in a skillet.
Yes! The recipe is already gluten-free and pescatarian. To make it dairy-free, substitute vegan mayonnaise for the yogurt in the chipotle ranch, or use my easy chipotle sauce recipe instead, which is dairy-free.
Shrimp Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice
Pin RecipeThis shrimp bowl recipe is a family favorite that’s ready in just 25 minutes! This easy weeknight dinner stars cilantro lime rice, juicy shrimp, black beans, and creamy chipotle ranch sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the shrimp bowl
- 1 recipe Cilantro Lime Rice
- 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, deveined (tail on or peeled)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon each kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin
- 1 can black beans
- 1 15-ounce can corn
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- For serving: avocado slices, cherry tomatoes (optional)
For the chipotle ranch dressing (or Chipotle Sauce for vegan)
- ½ cup plain whole milk yogurt (or use mayo for dairy-free)*
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 each teaspoon each dried dill, garlic powder and onion powder
- 1/4 each teaspoon each kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chilis**
Instructions
- Start the rice: Start the Cilantro Lime Rice (open the rice recipe in a separate tab).
- Cook the shrimp: Thaw the shrimp, if using frozen. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or preheat the broiler (or you can sauté it: keep reading!). Pat the shrimp dry. Mix it in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and spices. Place the shrimp in an even layer on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, if you’re baking). Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until juicy and opaque, about 4 to 6 minutes depending on the size of the shrimp. Or for broiling, broil for 3 to 6 minutes, until juicy and opaque, rotating the tray as necessary for even cooking. If you prefer, you can sauté the shrimp: In a large skillet, heat the butter on medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until just opaque and cooked through, turning them with tongs.
- Make the beans and corn: Meanwhile, drain and rinse the beans. Drain the corn. In a medium bowl, mix the beans, corn, and pico de gallo with ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Make the chipotle ranch dressing: Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Serve: To serve, place the rice, black bean corn salad, and shrimp in a bowl. Add avocado and cherry tomatoes, if using. Drizzle with dressing and top with extra chopped cilantro (leftover from the rice).
Notes
*Make sure the yogurt has a creamy consistency. Most yogurt brands we’ve used work, but we found one brand that was very runny which didn’t work well for salad dressing. You can also use Greek yogurt, but since it’s thicker, add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the dressing comes to a creamy consistency.
**Customize to your heat level. For a mild version, use 1 tablespoon adobo sauce.
More Shrimp Recipes to Try
- Sautéed Shrimp
- Easy Shrimp Stir Fry Recipe
- How to Boil Shrimp
- 40 Easy Shrimp Recipes
- Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Sauce
- Honey Garlic Shrimp
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