Cajun Shrimp Taco Bowls (Printable)

A vibrant bowl with spicy shrimp, rice, crisp veggies, creamy avocado, and tangy lime sauce for a flavorful meal.

# What you need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
04 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/4 tsp salt
06 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Rice

08 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
09 - 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ Vegetable Toppings

11 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1 cup corn kernels, fresh, frozen, or canned and drained
13 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
14 - 1 cup shredded lettuce
15 - 1 avocado, sliced
16 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Sauce

17 - 1/3 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
18 - 1 tbsp lime juice
19 - 1/2 tsp hot sauce (optional)
20 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ For Serving

21 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# Directions:

01 - Combine rice, water or broth, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
02 - Whisk together sour cream or Greek yogurt, lime juice, hot sauce if using, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
03 - Pat shrimp dry. Toss with olive oil, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and minced garlic until evenly coated.
04 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp 2 to 3 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove from heat.
05 - While shrimp cooks, prepare cherry tomatoes, corn, red onion, lettuce, avocado, and cilantro.
06 - Divide rice among 4 bowls. Top each with shrimp, vegetables, avocado slices, and cilantro. Drizzle with sauce and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The Cajun shrimp gets crispy-edged and tender in under five minutes, which is honestly the dream for weeknight cooking.
  • Everything comes together in one skillet while rice simmers quietly on another burner, so you're not juggling chaos.
  • That lime crema saves you; it's creamy, bright, and transforms each bite into something way more interesting than the sum of its parts.
02 -
  • Wet shrimp will never get that beautiful caramelization you're after; the water keeps the pan temperature too low, so dry them completely or you'll wonder why yours don't look like the picture.
  • The lime crema sits quietly in a bowl waiting for you, which means you can make it hours ahead and actually reduce your stress during cooking.
03 -
  • Cook the shrimp last and serve immediately; there's a two-minute window where they're perfect, and a three-minute window where they're still okay, but timing matters more than you'd think.
  • Make the crema early and chill it in the refrigerator; the temperature contrast between cold sauce and warm shrimp somehow makes everything taste brighter and more intentional.
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