Fiesta Lime Shrimp Bowl

Name: Fiesta Lime Shrimp Bowls
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 23 min
Ingredients: 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); 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)

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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.

shrimp bowl with cilantro lime rice, corn, tomatoes, jalapeno and cilantro

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Ingredients for fiesta lime shrimp bowls
How to Make A Shrimp Bowl
Tips for Cooking Shrimp
Recipe

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)

two images showing shrimp marinating with mexican spices in a bowl and lime being squeezed over perfectly cooked shrimp

How to Make A Shrimp Bowl

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

What shrimp to buy

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.

Shrimp is a gray color when it's raw

Before cooking, the raw shrimp will be a gray color (so don't buy the already cooked shrimp from the seafood counter:)).

How to know when shrimp is done cooking

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.

How to thaw frozen shrimp

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.

close up of fiest lime shrimp on a rice bowl with corn, avocado, jalapeno, tomato and fresh cilantro

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!

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