Shrimp Burrito Bowls pack all the bold, vibrant flavors of a burrito without the tortilla. Loaded with seasoned shrimp, rice, beans, veggies, and toppings, they’re naturally gluten free and endlessly customizable. Quick, easy and satisfying, deconstructed shrimp burritos make the perfect weeknight dinner or meal prep option.
I love chopping vegetables. There's something so soothing about it. Give me a glass of wine and a good podcast, and I would happily chop vegetables for hours. But, the reality of life is that there is rarely enough time to spend hours chopping vegetables and listening to podcasts every day. So that's where burrito bowls and buddha bowls come in. With this recipe you still get some chopped vegetables, but shrimp burrito bowls are quick and easy. It's a deconstructed shrimp burrito in a bowl. And there is something really soothing about deconstructing things too.
Ingredients
- Shrimp
- Avocado
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sweet corn
- Black beans
- Long grain rice of choice (ex. Jasmine)
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Homemade taco seasoning (or store bought) plus garlic powder and onion powder
- Optional chipotle almond dip (or store bought like Bitchin' Sauce or Trader Joe's)
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions
- Gluten free - this recipe is naturally gluten free, so no adjustments are necessary.
- Vegan - omit the shrimp or substitute pan-fried (or air fryer) tofu or sweet potatoes for the shrimp.
- Different veggies - any cold or hot veggies can be added. Roasted sweet red, yellow or orange peppers work great. Got extra zucchini from the garden? If you slice it really thinly, you don't even need to cook it first. Just quarter it, slice it thinly and add it in. Broccolini, cauliflower, the options are endless.
- Rice - you can use any rice for these shrimp burrito bowls. Jasmine rice is my favorite, all-around white rice. You can use another long grain white rice, brown rice or wild rice though.
- Dressing - if you want to make a vinaigrette dressing, you can use the chipotle lime vinaigrette from my Southwestern Cobb Salad recipe.
Variations
- Spicy - to make this bowl spicy, top with a spicy blender salsa or add thinly sliced jalapeños as a garnish.
- Different proteins - you can certainly change up the protein. Leftover chicken, carne asada, carnitas, pan fried tofu. So many options!
- Quick, quick version - for an even quicker version, you can use rotisserie chicken and microwave packets of cilantro rice.
Storage
Store any leftover shrimp burrito bowls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Next Level Tips
- If you want an even lighter dinner or meal prep with fewer carbs, you can use cauliflower rice or even turn this recipe into a Mexican shrimp salad by substituting your favorite mixed greens for the rice.
- Cheese and shrimp can make a strange combination, but if you want to take these shrimp burrito bowls to the next level, try Cojita cheese. It's salty and crumbly and pairs great with shrimp.
- Rice cookers make the best rice, but there's not always room in the kitchen for single use appliances. If you don't have a rice cooker, the next best way to cook rice is in an Instant Pot. If you don't have an Instant Pot, follow the directions on the package of rice or use microwaveable packets.
- Serve with some Pico de Gallo or quick blender salsa for an extra layer of flavor.
- Shrimp burrito bowls are great for meal prep too!
FAQ
I love the peeled and de-veined frozen shrimp at Costco. They taste great ,and usually they're well priced. But don't forget to check the grocery store butcher section. Sometimes shrimp goes on sale. This is also an option if you are making this bowl for one and only want a small amount of shrimp. You can also use precooked shrimp, but precooked shrimp can be rubbery so that's not recommended.
We add more garlic powder and onion powder to the taco seasoning to make it taste more like a burrito than a taco. If you want to use straight taco seasoning, that works too!
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with shrimp burrito bowls:
Shrimp Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked rice of choice ex. Jasmine
- ¼ cup cilantro finely, chopped plus more for optional garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice plus rest of lime cut in wedges for garnish
- 1 pound shrimp thawed, deveined and peeled
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning homemade or store bought
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 can black beans rinsed
- 2 cups canned or cooked corn
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
- 2 medium avocados diced
- chipotle almond dip optional homemade or store bought
- salt to taste
Instructions
Cook the cilantro rice
- If you're using a long grain white rice and a rice cooker or an Instant Pot, add 1 cup of uncooked rice and cover with 1 and ½ cups of water. Turn on the rice cooker or set the Instant Pot to the Rice option. For brown or wild rice, cook according to the package instructions.
- When the rice is done, turn off the rice cooker or release the pressure on the Instant Pot and turn off. Allow the rice to cool for several minutes and then fluff the rice and stir in ¼ cup of finely chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon of lime juice and salt to taste. Save any remaining chopped cilantro and lime wedges for garnish.
Cook the shrimp
- Pat the thawed shrimp dry.
- Combine the taco seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder and sprinkle over both sides of the shrimp.
- Heat a large skillet to medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and swirl it around. Add the shrimp in a single layer to the oiled skillet. Cook for 2 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook 1 to 3 minutes on the second side. Cook just until all the shrimp turn opaque and pink. Immediately remove the shrimp from the pan (to prevent further cooking) and set them aside.
Prep the veggies and prepare the bowls
- Drain and rinse the beans. If using canned corn, drain the corn. Dice the avocado and slice the cherry tomatoes in half or quarters.
- Add ¼ of each of the shrimp, rice, beans, corn, avocado and tomatoes to each bowl.
- Drizzle the optional chipotle almond dip over the bowls. Most store bought chipotle almond dip is naturally on the thin side, perfect for drizzling. [If using homemade chipotle almond dip, add ½ cup of chipotle almond dip to a small bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of water and stir well. Continue adding water until the desired consistency is reached.] Top with additional cilantro as garnish. Serve with any leftover lime wedges. Enjoy!
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