These shrimp taco bowls are the best kind of summer meal: quick, fresh, and won’t heat up the kitchen. The shrimp are intensely seasoned with paprika and cumin, then grilled and served in bowls with taco fixings and a tangy cilantro dressing.
Shrimp has been one of my favorite dishes for as long as I can remember, and these Grilled Shrimp Taco Bowls treat shrimp like the pretty little superstars they are!
This bowl is packed with healthy Mexican-inspired ingredients like black beans, corn, tomatoes, and lettuce, all served on rice with a tangy cilantro dressing.
Let’s talk about the spicy cilantro dressing
Speaking of dressing, this tangy cilantro dressing couldn’t be easier to make, but its flavor is complex: spiciness comes from a jalapeño, tartness from lime and apple cider vinegar, and a fresh herbal flavor from the cilantro.
If you don’t like too much heat, simply remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeño – this way you get all the fresh green flavor of the chili without burning it.
A quick spin in a mini blender or mini food processor produces a creamy texture—dairy-free!
Which shrimp to buy
I use 21 to 25 shelled shrimp in this recipe. The shelled shrimp are less expensive and I have had better luck with the freshness of this type of shrimp than the ones that are already peeled and deveined.
How to assemble the shells
These shrimp taco bowls are fun to serve up buffet style so everyone can choose exactly what they want. If you want to make it this way, just arrange your ingredients in little bowls and let people customize their dinner!
If you’d rather assemble the bowls together and serve them that way, start with about 1/2 cup of rice per bowl, then add the black beans, corn, tomato, avocado, radishes, romaine lettuce, and shrimp. Drizzle with spicy cilantro dressing and garnish with chopped chilies, cilantro, and lime.
To serve this as a green salad in place of a rice bowl, simply halve (or omit) the rice and toss six cups of romaine with half a cup of cilantro dressing and garnish with beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, radishes, and shrimp.
More bowls to try!
- Black bean burrito bowls
- Zucchini Pasta Chicken Pesto Bowls
- Pressure Cooker Chipotle Chicken and Rice Bowls
- Mediterranean chickpea shells with tahini sauce
- Grilled Chicken Burrito Bowls
Grilled Shrimp Taco Bowl
ingredients
- For the grilled shrimp:
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1 tbsp smoked paprika (sweet or hot)
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1 tablespoon sweet paprika
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1 tablespoon ground cumin
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (optional)
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1 pound shelled shrimp (21-25 pieces), thawed if frozen, peeled and deveined
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1/4 cup neutral oil (I used avocado oil)
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Heat-resistant oil such as rapeseed or grapeseed oil for brushing grill grates
- For the spicy coriander dressing:
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2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
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2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
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3/4 cup neutral flavored oil (I used avocado oil)
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1 garlic clove, peeled
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1 cup coriander leaves and stems, wrapped
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1 jalapeño, stem removed
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Salt to taste
- For the bowls:
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1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
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1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained and rinsed
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1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
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2 cups of cooked rice
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2 cups shredded romaine
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1 medium-ripe avocado, thinly sliced or cut into chunks
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4 radishes, thinly sliced
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2 teaspoons neutral oil, like canola or avocado oil
- Serve:
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2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeño, to serve
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1/4 cup tablespoon finely chopped cilantro, to serve
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Lime wedges for serving
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salt and pepper to taste
method
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Combine the spices and shrimp:
In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika and chipotle powder. In a larger bowl, toss the shrimp with the oil, then add the spices. Stir with a large spoon until evenly coated.
Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to overnight.
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Prepare grill:
When you’re ready to grill the shrimp, preheat a gas or charcoal grill over high heat for 15 to 20 minutes. If your grill has a thermometer, make sure it reads at least 500oF.
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Make the dressing:
Place all the dressing ingredients, except the salt, in the bowl of a mini chopper or blender. Pulse 3 to 5 times until ingredients are slightly broken up, then blend on high to achieve a creamy consistency. (The dressing can be made up to two days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.)
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Seasoning black beans:
In a small bowl, mix black beans with 2 teaspoons oil and salt and pepper to taste.
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Grill shrimp:
Shake off excess marinade and thread the shrimp onto two metal skewers. Using two skewers makes it easy to flip the shrimp on a very hot grill.
When your gas or charcoal grill is hot, use tongs to oil the grill grates with a small folded piece of paper towel dipped in oil.
Place the skewers on the grill. Using tongs, gently press down on the skewers to encourage nice grill marks and a fantastic charred flavor.
After about 3 minutes, flip the skewers and cook on the other side for 1 to 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are almost completely translucent. They will continue to cook for a few minutes after being removed from the grill.
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Assemble bowls:
Divide the rice among four bowls, then top each bowl with black beans, corn, tomatoes, radishes, romaine lettuce, avocado, and shrimp.
Serve with small bowls of lime, chopped chillies and chopped coriander.
