Cajun Shrimp Bowls

Embrace the ultimate summer ease with these 15-Minute Cajun Shrimp Bowls, a vibrant and flavorful dinner that requires just 5 minutes of stove time. They’re a quick, fresh, and endlessly customizable meal, combining spicy shrimp, cool toppings, and a zesty chipotle sauce for a light yet satisfying dish.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

As a food stylist and chef, I appreciate recipes that are as beautiful as they are practical. These shrimp bowls are my summer staple because they deliver incredible flavor with minimal effort. The magic lies in a simple 3-ingredient sauce and store-bought shortcuts, allowing me to create a colorful, restaurant-worthy dinner that keeps me out of the kitchen and enjoying the warm evening.

Ingredients

For the Chipotle Sauce

• 1/2 cup sour cream, crème fraîche, or Mexican crema
• 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, minced
• 1 lime, juiced, plus lime wedges for serving
• Salt, to taste

For the Bowls

• 1 pound medium fresh or frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups cooked rice (frozen rice works well here)
• 2 cups store-bought shredded cabbage
• 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup store-bought or homemade pineapple or mango salsa
• 1/2 cup shredded cotija or queso fresco cheese, optional

Step-by-step instructions for making the recipe

1. Make the chipotle sour cream: In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, minced chipotle chile, and lime juice. Season with salt to taste. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a tablespoon of water. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Season the shrimp: In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the Cajun seasoning, olive oil, and a pinch of salt until they are evenly coated.
3. Cook the shrimp: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the shrimp in a single layer for 1 minute, then flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until opaque and cooked through.
4. Remove the shrimp from the pan and let them cool slightly. You can chop them into smaller pieces if desired.
5. Assemble the bowls: Divide the cooked rice evenly among four bowls.
6. Top the rice with the cooked shrimp, shredded cabbage, black beans, pineapple or mango salsa, and cotija cheese (if using).
7. Drizzle each bowl generously with the chipotle sour cream sauce and serve with a lime wedge on the side.

Mia

Cajun Shrimp Bowls

Embrace the ultimate summer ease with these 15-Minute Cajun Shrimp Bowls, a vibrant and flavorful dinner that requires just 5 minutes of stove time. They’re a quick, fresh, and endlessly customizable meal, combining spicy shrimp, cool toppings, and a zesty chipotle sauce for a light yet satisfying dish.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 479

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Chipotle Sauce

• 1/2 cup sour cream, crème fraîche, or Mexican crema
• 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo minced
• 1 lime juiced, plus wedges for serving
• Salt to taste

For the Bowls

• 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups cooked rice frozen rice works well here
• 2 cups store-bought shredded cabbage
• 1 can black beans 14-ounce, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup store-bought or homemade pineapple or mango salsa
• 1/2 cup shredded cotija or queso fresco cheese optional

Equipment

• Large Sauté Pan

Method

 

1. Make the chipotle sour cream: In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, minced chipotle chile, and lime juice. Season with salt to taste. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a tablespoon of water. Refrigerate until ready to use.
   1/2 cup sour cream, crème fraîche, or Mexican crema, 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, 1 lime, Salt
2. Season the shrimp: In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the Cajun seasoning, olive oil, and a pinch of salt until they are evenly coated.
   1 pound medium shrimp, 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon olive oil, Salt
3. Cook the shrimp: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the shrimp in a single layer for 1 minute, then flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until opaque and cooked through.
4. Remove the shrimp from the pan and let them cool slightly. You can chop them into smaller pieces if desired.
5. Assemble the bowls: Divide the cooked rice evenly among four bowls.
   2 cups cooked rice
6. Top the rice with the cooked shrimp, shredded cabbage, black beans, pineapple or mango salsa, and cotija cheese (if using).
   2 cups store-bought shredded cabbage, 1 can black beans, 1 cup store-bought or homemade pineapple or mango salsa, 1/2 cup shredded cotija or queso fresco cheese
7. Drizzle each bowl generously with the chipotle sour cream sauce and serve with a lime wedge on the side.
   1 lime

Notes

For a thinner, drizzle-able sauce, add a tablespoon of water to the chipotle sour cream. Feel free to customize your bowl with extra toppings like avocado, grilled corn, or tortilla chips for crunch.

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