This Grilled Shrimp Bowl is the answer to your weeknight dinner prayers. It’s incredibly flavorful, packed with healthy ingredients, and comes together in under 30 minutes. Forget boring salads; this vibrant bowl combines perfectly charred, juicy shrimp with fresh veggies and your favorite base for a meal that’s both satisfying and delicious. We’ve crafted this recipe to be simple, customizable, and absolutely foolproof.
The star of the show is a zesty cilantro-lime marinade that infuses the shrimp with so much flavor before it even hits the grill. Assembling your own bowl is half the fun, making it a perfect meal for families or anyone who loves to personalize their food. Whether you’re a seasoned grill master or a beginner, this Grilled Shrimp Bowl recipe is designed for success.
Why You’ll Love This Grilled Shrimp Bowl Recipe
- Quick & Easy: From start to finish, this entire meal is ready in less than 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights.
- Healthy & Wholesome: Packed with lean protein, fresh vegetables, and whole grains, it’s a meal you can feel good about eating.
- Amazingly Flavorful: The simple yet powerful marinade creates shrimp that are tangy, savory, and slightly sweet.
- Completely Customizable: Easily swap the base, vegetables, or toppings to suit your taste or use up what you have in your fridge.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses simple, fresh ingredients that are easy to find. The marinade comes together in minutes and provides the perfect flavor base for the shrimp.
For the Cilantro Lime Shrimp Marinade
- Large Shrimp: You’ll want about 1 pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined. Tail-on or tail-off works, but tail-on makes for a nicer presentation.
- Olive Oil: Forms the base of our marinade, helping to bind the flavors and prevent sticking.
- Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed is always best for that bright, citrusy punch.
- Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the acidity and helps create a beautiful char on the grill.
- Garlic: Minced fresh garlic provides a savory, aromatic depth.
- Cilantro: Freshly chopped cilantro is essential for the signature flavor.
- Seasonings: A simple mix of chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper.
For the Bowl Assembly
- Base: We love quinoa, but white rice, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice work wonderfully. Check out our recipe for Crispy Roasted Cauliflower for a great low-carb option.
- Black Beans: Canned black beans, rinsed and drained, add fiber and protein.
- Corn: Grilled or roasted corn adds a sweet, smoky element.
- Avocado: Sliced or diced for that creamy, healthy fat.
- Red Onion: Thinly sliced for a sharp, crunchy contrast.
- Toppings: Extra cilantro, lime wedges, cotija cheese, or a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream.
How to Make the Perfect Grilled Shrimp Bowl
Follow these four simple steps for a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Step 1: Marinate the Shrimp
In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add the peeled and deveined shrimp and toss gently to coat. Let the shrimp marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature. Don’t marinate for more than 30 minutes, as the lime juice can start to “cook” the shrimp.
Step 2: Prepare the Bowl Components
While the shrimp is marinating, prepare the rest of your bowl ingredients. Cook your chosen base (quinoa or rice), chop your vegetables, and rinse your beans. This is the perfect time to get everything organized for quick assembly.
Step 3: Grill the Shrimp
Preheat your grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. If using wooden skewers, make sure you’ve soaked them in water for 20 minutes. Thread the shrimp onto the skewers. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp are pink and opaque. The edges should have a nice char. Be careful not to overcook them!
Step 4: Assemble Your Bowl
Now for the fun part! Add a scoop of your base to each bowl. Top with the grilled shrimp and arrange the black beans, corn, avocado, and red onion around it. Garnish with your favorite toppings like extra cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime, and a sprinkle of cotija cheese.
Tips for Success
- Don’t Over-Marinate: The acid in the lime juice will change the texture of the shrimp if left for too long. 15-20 minutes is the sweet spot.
- Pat Shrimp Dry: Before adding the shrimp to the marinade, pat them dry with a paper towel. This helps the marinade adhere better and ensures a good sear.
- High Heat is Key: A hot grill cooks the shrimp quickly, keeping them tender and juicy inside while creating a perfect char outside.
- Use Two Skewers: For easier flipping, thread shrimp onto two parallel skewers. This prevents them from spinning around when you turn them. If you love grilling, you might also enjoy our popular Grilled Steak Bowl recipe.
Delicious Variations and Customizations
One of the best things about a Grilled Shrimp Bowl is its versatility. Feel free to mix and match ingredients based on your preferences.
- Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or some finely diced jalapeño to the marinade for a kick of heat.
- Different Grains: Swap quinoa or rice for farro, couscous, or even mixed greens for a lighter, salad-style bowl.
- Add More Veggies: Bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, or sautéed zucchini are fantastic additions. For more vegetable inspiration, see our guide on making Healthy Sautéed Vegetables.
- Sauce it Up: Drizzle your finished bowl with a chipotle aioli, a creamy avocado dressing, or your favorite salsa.
What to Serve with Your Shrimp Bowl
This bowl is a complete meal on its own, but if you’re looking to serve it as part of a larger spread, it pairs beautifully with tortilla chips and guacamole or a side of fresh pico de gallo. For a complementary flavor profile, consider our Cilantro Lime Salmon (coming soon) for a surf-and-turf style feast.
Storage and Meal Prep Instructions
This Grilled Shrimp Bowl is perfect for meal prep. To store, keep the components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the grilled shrimp, base, and firmer vegetables together. Keep the avocado and any sauces separate until you are ready to serve to maintain freshness. Assemble just before eating. You can enjoy the bowls cold or gently reheat the shrimp and base.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! This bowl is excellent for meal prep. Store the grilled shrimp, base, and other toppings in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Assemble just before serving for the best results.
For the best texture and flavor, marinate shrimp for 15-20 minutes. Do not exceed 30 minutes if your marinade is citrus-based, as the acid can start to break down the protein and make the shrimp mushy.
Yes, it is very healthy! It’s a balanced meal with lean protein from the shrimp, complex carbohydrates from quinoa or brown rice, healthy fats from avocado, and plenty of fiber and vitamins from the vegetables.
While our shrimp is very flavorful on its own, these bowls are great with a drizzle of chipotle aioli, a creamy avocado-lime dressing, or even a simple salsa. The sauce can be customized to your taste.
A shrimp bowl typically consists of a base like quinoa or rice, topped with cooked shrimp, and various fresh ingredients like black beans, corn, avocado, and red onion. Our recipe features delicious grilled shrimp with a cilantro-lime marinade.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoyed this recipe, you will surely love our other easy and flavorful dishes. For another fantastic shrimp dish, try this Honey Garlic Shrimp Recipe.
Grilled Shrimp Bowl Recipe
Grilled Shrimp Bowl (Easy, Healthy & Flavorful)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to create the marinade.
- Add the peeled and deveined shrimp to the bowl and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate for 15-20 minutes.
- While the shrimp marinates, prepare all other bowl components: cook your base, chop vegetables, and gather toppings.
- Preheat your grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat. Thread the marinated shrimp onto skewers.
- Grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side, until they are pink, opaque, and slightly charred. Remove from heat.
- Assemble the bowls. Start with a layer of your chosen base, then top with the grilled shrimp, black beans, corn, avocado, and red onion. Garnish as desired before serving.
Notes
Storage: Store components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
We hope you love this easy and healthy Grilled Shrimp Bowl! If you make it, please let us know what you think by leaving a comment below. We’d also love to see your creations—share a photo on Pinterest!
