Fiesta lime shrimp bowls are seasoned with bold spices and fresh lime juice, served over a bed of cilantro lime rice and fresh veggies. This meal prep recipe can be on your dinner table in less than 25 minutes.
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One of my favorite things about seafood for an easy dinner is how quick it cooks. This blackened salmon is done in 15 minutes and these shrimp and rice bowls can be done in under 25.
It's no secret we're obsessed with Mexican in our house (see cilantro lime chicken, one pot taco pasta, carne asada tacos and crispy instant pot carnitas carnitas). We love a good Taco Tuesday meal any day of the week. This recipe features all the best fiesta ingredients.
Ingredients for fiesta lime shrimp bowls
For the shrimp marinade:
- Olive oil (or avocado oil)
- Lime juice
- Spices: smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper
- Fresh cilantro
For the shrimp bowls:
- White rice (sub brown rice, quinoa or lettuce for a salad)
- Red onion
- Tomato
- Jalapeno
- Avocado
- Fire roasted corn
- Cilantro
- Creamy jalapeno dressing (I also like Tessemae's cilantro lime ranch if you want store bought)
How to make shrimp bowls
Be sure to head to the recipe card below for step by step instructions and a video showing you how to make this!
- Start by marinating the shrimp. Add the olive oil, lime juice, spices and cilantro to a bowl. Pat the shrimp dry, then add it to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- While it's marinading, assemble the shrimp bowls. Make the rice according to package instructions (I like minute rice), then top with fresh ingredients.
- To cook the shrimp, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (no oil needed). When it's hot, add the shrimp to the pan in an even layer and cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Remove the shrimp from the heat and stir the shrimp to fully coat it in any sauces that are in the pan.
- Add the shrimp to your assembled bowl and top with more lime juice, fresh cilantro and creamy cilantro ranch if desired.
Tips for cooking shrimp
To save time, buy shrimp that's already peeled and deveined. Most of the time the shrimp at the seafood counter is already previously frozen, so I like to opt for the shrimp that's in the freezer section. You can buy it with the tail on or off. The tail looks pretty and you can cook the shrimp with them on, but you'll want to take them off to eat them.
Before cooking, the raw shrimp will be a gray color (so don't buy the already cooked shrimp from the seafood counter:)).
Keep an eye on the shrimp the entire time because of how quickly it cooks (5-6 minutes total). It will turn an opaque and pink color when it's done and curl to form a loose "C" shape.
You can either place it in the fridge on a paper towel overnight or my favorite option, transfer the shrimp to a sealed plastic bag and put it in a large bowl full of cold water then place another bowl on top to weigh it down. This method takes about 1-2 hours to thaw.
If you love this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating and comment with a review. I'd love to hear and connect with you!
More favorite shrimp recipes:
Recipe
Fiesta Lime Shrimp Bowls
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 tablespoon lime juice (about 1 large lime)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you want it more spicy)
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled and deveined
For the bowls:
- 2 cups uncooked white rice (I like Minute Rice but you can also use quinoa, brown rice or lettuce)
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 cup diced cherry tomatoes
- 1 jalapeno sliced (optional)
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 large avocado sliced
- 1 (15 ounce) can fire roasted corn drained
- To serve: Homemade creamy jalapeno ranch or store bought cilantro ranch
Instructions
- Start by marinating the shrimp. Add the olive oil, lime juice, spices and cilantro to a bowl medium bowl. Pat the shrimp dry, then add it to the marinade and toss to fully coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- While it's marinading, assemble the shrimp bowls. Make the rice according to package instructions (I like minute rice), then top with desired toppings.
- To cook the shrimp, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (no oil needed). When it's hot, add the shrimp to the pan in an even layer and cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. The shrimp will turn an opaque and pink color and form a loose "C" shape when it's done. Remove the shrimp from the heat and stir to fully coat it in any sauces that are in the pan.
- Add the shrimp to your assembled bowl and top with more lime juice, fresh cilantro and creamy cilantro ranch if desired. See recipe notes for meal prepping.
Dave says
Awesome! Very light and refreshing, but filing.
Molly Thompson says
Thanks, Dave! Glad you liked it. Thanks for sharing your feedback!
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Brandie says
These shrimp bowls were amazing! My husband said to definitely put them on the favorites list and have them on repeat. It was fun to try something new and have it be such a hit! Thanks!
Molly Thompson says
Ahhh that's the best news!! We love them too. I'm so glad you tried them. It's always good when a new recipe is a hit!
Renée says
This dish is so so yummy! It’s so fast and easy. I love that it’s healthy and gluten free and dairy free. Everyone should try this. It has a little spice to it but I’m sure that part can be fixed if needed.
Molly Thompson says
Thank you! A delicious recipe that is gluten-free and dairy-free are our favorites!