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These shrimp rice bowls are loaded with juicy blackened honey shrimp, fluffy rice, charred corn, fresh tomatoes, avocado, and a creamy avocado cilantro sauce. I made these for girls night recently and everyone loved them, so I knew I had to share the recipe!
If you love rice bowls, check out these salmon avocado rice bowls!
Table of Contents
What I love most about these bowls is that they feel fresh and colorful but are still super satisfying. You get a little sweetness and smokiness from the honey blackened shrimp and charred corn, and a creamy sauce that brings everything together.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for entertaining – I made these for girls night and they were such a hit. I love setting out all the toppings and letting everyone build their own bowl.
- Easy to prep – Most of the components can be prepared before you cook the shrimp.
- Tons of flavor – Blackened seasoning, honey, lime, cilantro, avocado, and charred corn make these anything but boring.
- Easy to customize – Add your favorite toppings, switch up the rice, or adjust the spice level to your liking.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Shrimp – I recommend using large raw shrimp that have already been peeled and deveined to save time.
- Blackened seasoning – Use your favorite store-bought blend and adjust the amount depending on how salty and spicy it is. You can also use any type of seasoning blend, it doesn’t have to be blackened seasoning!
- Honey – Just one tablespoon adds a little sweetness and helps create a delicious glaze on the shrimp.
- Rice – White rice, jasmine rice, or basmati rice all work well here. Use whichever you prefer. Although, I really like Jasmine rice for this.
- Corn – Fresh corn on the cob is my favorite because you can get a nice char on it. Canned corn works too. Just drain it well, warm it up, and season it with salt and pepper.
- Cherry tomatoes – Slice them in half and season them simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Avocado – You’ll need avocado for both the creamy sauce and the bowls.
- Cilantro – Adds tons of fresh flavor to the avocado sauce.
- Mayonnaise – Makes the avocado sauce extra creamy.
Make the Rice and Sauce First
My biggest tip for making these shrimp rice bowls is to get everything else ready before you cook the shrimp.
I like to start with the rice, then make the avocado sauce and prep all of the toppings. A rice cooker is an absolute dream for a recipe like this because it keeps the rice warm while you prepare everything else. You don’t have to worry about timing the rice perfectly with the rest of the meal.
Once the rice is going, make the avocado sauce, char the corn, slice and season the tomatoes, and slice the avocado.
The shrimp should be the very last thing you cook. Shrimp cook incredibly quickly and are so much better served hot and freshly cooked. If you make them first and then spend 20 minutes preparing everything else, you risk serving cold or rubbery shrimp.
Once everything else is ready, cook the shrimp, assemble the bowls, and serve immediately.
Tips for the Best Shrimp Rice Bowls
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. Depending on their size, they only need a couple of minutes per side. Once they’re opaque and cooked through, they’re ready.
- Pat the shrimp dry before seasoning them. Removing excess moisture helps them sear instead of steam.
- Taste your blackened seasoning before going heavy with it. Some brands contain much more salt than others.
- Prep everything before cooking the shrimp. I can’t stress this one enough! Your rice, sauce, corn, tomatoes, and avocado should be ready to go before the shrimp hit the skillet.
- Adjust the avocado sauce to your liking. Add extra lime for more acidity or a splash of water if you want a thinner, drizzleable consistency.
What Else Can I Add?
That’s the beauty of rice bowls, you can really make them your own. Black beans, pickled red onions, shredded lettuce, jalapeños, cotija cheese, cucumber, or even crushed tortilla chips would all be delicious additions.
Can I Use Frozen Shrimp?
Absolutely. Frozen shrimp work perfectly for this recipe. Thaw them completely, drain off any excess liquid, and pat them very dry before adding the blackened seasoning.
Can I Make These Ahead of Time?
You can prep most of the components ahead of time, but I recommend cooking the shrimp right before serving.
The rice can be cooked ahead and reheated, and the corn and tomatoes can also be prepped in advance. The avocado sauce is best made the same day. Store it tightly covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the bowls.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover shrimp, rice, corn, and tomatoes in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the avocado, avocado sauce, and other cold toppings separate from the ingredients you’ll be reheating.
Reheat the rice and shrimp until warmed through, then add the cold toppings and avocado sauce just before serving.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Also, please consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Shrimp Rice Bowls
Ingredients
For the Avocado Sauce
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon water, plus more as needed
- Salt, to taste
For the Shrimp
- 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2-3 teaspoons blackened seasoning, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey
For the Bowls
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 3 ears corn, husks removed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add the avocado, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, and water to a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed to reach your desired consistency. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
- Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel, then season with the blackened seasoning.
- Char the corn in a hot skillet or on a grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred on all sides. Allow it to cool slightly, then carefully slice the kernels off the cob. Alternatively, use canned corn. Drain it well, warm it in a skillet, and season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the cherry tomatoes with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Season the sliced avocado with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until almost fully cooked. Add the honey and toss to coat. Cook for an additional 30-60 seconds, or until the shrimp are fully cooked and lightly caramelized. Remove from the heat.
- Divide the cooked rice evenly among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with the blackened honey shrimp, charred corn, cherry tomatoes, and sliced avocado.
- Drizzle generously with the avocado sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. Depending on their size, they only need a couple of minutes per side. Once they’re opaque and cooked through, they’re ready.
- Pat the shrimp dry before seasoning them. Removing excess moisture helps them sear instead of steam.
- Adjust the avocado sauce to your liking. Add extra lime for more acidity or a splash of water if you want a thinner, drizzleable consistency.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
