Jump to Recipe

If your weekdays feel chaotic, these Meal Prep Shrimp Bowls are your new best friend. You get a perfectly balanced, delicious meal that feels fresh even on day three. The shrimp cooks quickly, the cilantro-lime rice is fragrant, and the colorful veggies and zesty sauce make every bite a fiesta.

Recipe Overview

Why You’ll Love This Meal Prep Shrimp Bowls

Effortless weekday lunches: Ready-made gourmet lunch eliminates daily stress.
Flavor and texture balance: Juicy shrimp, fluffy rice, creamy avocado, and crunchy slaw.
Highly customizable: Swap beans or grains to make it your own.
Stays fresh: Holds up beautifully for 3-4 days with simple prep tricks.

Ingredients & Tools

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (size 26/30 works great)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
1 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Juice and zest of 2 limes, divided
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen/thawed, or canned)
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tbsp hot sauce (like Cholula or Sriracha)
1 tsp honey or maple syrup

Tools: Large skillet, medium saucepan with lid, small mixing bowls, 4 meal prep containers

Notes: Using broth for the rice adds savory depth, and smoked paprika gives the shrimp a warm, irresistible flavor. Don’t skip the fresh lime zest—it’s a flavor powerhouse.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories:	485 kcal
Protein:	32 g
Fat:	15 g
Carbs:	55 g
Fiber:	10 g

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

Pat your shrimp dry. This is the single most important step for getting a good sear on your shrimp instead of them steaming in their own moisture. Just a quick pat with a paper towel makes all the difference.
Don’t overcook the shrimp! Shrimp cook incredibly fast and become rubbery if left in the pan too long. You’re looking for them to turn pink and opaque, which usually takes just 1-2 minutes per side.
Let the rice rest. After the rice is done cooking, take it off the heat and let it sit, covered and undisturbed, for 10 minutes. This allows the grains to fully absorb the steam and become perfectly fluffy, not sticky.
Prep your avocado properly. To keep it from browning in the fridge, toss the sliced avocado with a little extra lime juice before adding it to your containers. The acid acts as a natural barrier against oxidation.

How to Make Meal Prep Shrimp Bowls

Step 1: Start with the cilantro-lime rice, as it needs a little time to rest. In your medium saucepan, combine the uncooked rice and broth. Bring it to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. After that, turn off the heat but do NOT remove the lid. Let it sit for 10 full minutes—this is the secret to fluffy rice.

Step 2: While the rice is cooking, mix your sauce and season the shrimp. In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt (or sour cream), hot sauce, honey, and the juice of half a lime. Set this aside. In another bowl, toss the raw, dried-off shrimp with one tablespoon of olive oil, the minced garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. You’ll notice the aroma is already fantastic.

Step 3: Now, let’s cook the shrimp. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the shrimp in a single layer. You should hear a nice sizzle. Cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, just until they’re pink and firm to the touch. Transfer them to a clean plate immediately to stop the cooking process.

Step 4: Back to the rice. After its 10-minute rest, fluff it gently with a fork. Then, stir in the chopped cilantro, the zest of one lime, and the juice of the remaining lime halves. The rice will be fragrant, vibrant, and ready to be the base of your bowls.

Step 5: It’s assembly time! Grab your four meal prep containers. Divide the fluffy cilantro-lime rice evenly among them. Then, create little sections for the other components: a scoop of black beans, a scoop of corn, a handful of the crunchy red cabbage, and a portion of the cooked shrimp. The trick is to keep the wetter ingredients, like the beans and corn, separate from the crispy cabbage to maintain texture.

Step 6: For the final touches, add your avocado slices and a generous drizzle of the creamy sauce you made earlier. If you’re prepping for more than a day or two, I highly recommend storing the sauce and avocado in separate small containers or baggies to add right before eating. This keeps everything super fresh.

Storage & Freshness Guide

Fridge: Store assembled bowls (without sauce/avocado) for 3-4 days in airtight containers.
Freezer: Not recommended due to texture changes in shrimp, avocado, and fresh veggies.
Reviving: Reheat gently without sauce/avocado; add fresh toppings after warming.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

A simple side salad with a citrus vinaigrette — The bright, acidic notes from the vinaigrette will cut through the richness of the shrimp and sauce beautifully, adding another layer of freshness to your meal.
Warm, charred tortillas or tortilla chips — Perfect for scooping up any stray bits of rice, beans, and shrimp. It turns your bowl into a fun, interactive meal with a lovely textural contrast.
Quick-pickled red onions — Their sharp, tangy crunch is the ideal counterpoint to the creamy avocado and savory shrimp, elevating the entire bowl with just a few minutes of extra prep.

Drinks

A crisp, citrusy lager or pale ale — The beer’s carbonation and hop bitterness will cleanse the palate between bites of the flavorful, spiced shrimp, making each mouthful taste new again.
Sparkling water with lime — A non-alcoholic option that provides a refreshing, bubbly contrast without adding any sweetness, which lets the natural flavors of the bowl really shine.
A classic margarita (on the rocks!) — The tequila and triple sec complement the lime and cilantro in the rice perfectly, creating a full fiesta experience right at your dinner table.

Something Sweet

Mango sorbet or paletas — The sweet, tropical fruit flavor is a fantastic way to finish the meal, continuing the light and fresh theme while providing a cool, smooth contrast.
Churros with a dark chocolate dipping sauce — For when you’re really celebrating, the warm cinnamon sugar and rich chocolate are a decadent and utterly satisfying end to this Mexican-inspired feast.
Lime and coconut squares — The zesty lime curd and sweet

Meal Prep Shrimp Bowls

Cost Level $$

Category Shrimp Recipes

Difficulty Medium

Cuisine Mexican, fusion

Servings 4

Total Time 45 minutes

Dark Mode

Keep Screen On

Make your week easier with these delicious Meal Prep Shrimp Bowls! Ready in 45 minutes and perfect for 3-4 days of fresh lunches. Get the easy recipe here!

Ingredients

For the Shrimp and Seasoning:

1 lb raw shrimp (peeled and deveined, size 26/30 works great)
2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin

For the Rice:

1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)
1 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Juice and zest of 2 limes (divided)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

For the Bowls and Sauce:

1 can black beans (15 oz, rinsed and drained)
1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen/thawed, or canned)
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 avocado (sliced)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tbsp hot sauce (like Cholula or Sriracha)
1 tsp honey or maple syrup

Instructions

01
Start with the cilantro-lime rice, as it needs a little time to rest. In your medium saucepan, combine the uncooked rice and broth. Bring it to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. After that, turn off the heat but do NOT remove the lid. Let it sit for 10 full minutes—this is the secret to fluffy rice.
02
While the rice is cooking, mix your sauce and season the shrimp. In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt (or sour cream), hot sauce, honey, and the juice of half a lime. Set this aside. In another bowl, toss the raw, dried-off shrimp with one tablespoon of olive oil, the minced garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
03
Now, let's cook the shrimp. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, just until they’re pink and firm to the touch. Transfer them to a clean plate immediately to stop the cooking process.
04
Back to the rice. After its 10-minute rest, fluff it gently with a fork. Then, stir in the chopped cilantro, the zest of one lime, and the juice of the remaining lime halves.
05
It’s assembly time! Grab your four meal prep containers. Divide the fluffy cilantro-lime rice evenly among them. Then, create little sections for the other components: a scoop of black beans, a scoop of corn, a handful of the crunchy red cabbage, and a portion of the cooked shrimp.
06
For the final touches, add your avocado slices and a generous drizzle of the creamy sauce you made earlier. If you’re prepping for more than a day or two, I highly recommend storing the sauce and avocado in separate small containers or baggies to add right before eating.