Easy Cilantro Lime Shrimp
Cilantro Lime Shrimp is a family favorite! Juicy shrimp over zesty cilantro-lime rice with black beans, avocado, and a flavorful cilantro-lime sauce. A high-protein, flavor-packed meal!
Servings: 4 servings
Cost: $13.42
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
Cilantro-Lime Shrimp
For the Bowls
- 1 (8 to 10-ounce) package cilantro-lime rice mix see note 2
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 large ripe avocado chopped
- Lime wedges optional, for serving
Cilantro Lime Sauce—See Note 3
- 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup fresh cilantro loosely packed, plus more for serving if desired
- 1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeño seeds/ribs removed
- 1/2 cup full-fat mayo
- 1/2 cup sour cream lite/fat-free works great
Instructions
- Prepare the rice according to package directions. As soon as the rice is done cooking, fluff and stir in the drained and rinsed black beans. Or warm beans separately if you want to serve as a side in the bowl (as pictured).
- Pat both sides of the shrimp completely dry, then gently toss in a large bowl with the cumin, garlic powder, Creole seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Hold off on salt/pepper for now. Cover and place in the fridge while preparing the rest of this dish.
- Sauce: Zest and juice 1–2 limes to get 1/2 teaspoon zest and 4 tablespoons juice. Add the juice and zest to a blender or food processor along with the minced garlic, cilantro, jalapeño (add more for a spicier sauce or add slowly if you’re worried about the heat), and mayo. Add salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper). Blend or pulse until smooth. Add sour cream and pulse once more to combine. Taste and adjust the sauce to preference (more lime, garlic, salt/pepper). Refrigerate until ready to eat.
- Remove shrimp from fridge and add salt and pepper. (Creole seasoning has salt, so don’t add too much extra—I add 1/4 teaspoon of each.) In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over high heat. Once butter is melted, using tongs, add half the shrimp in an even layer so the shrimp is not overlapping. (It will steam if the pan is too crowded.) Cook for 1 minute, then use tongs to flip each shrimp and cook the other side for 1 more minute or until cooked through (shrimp cooks quickly—see note 4!). Transfer cooked shrimp to a clean plate.
- In the same pan, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 more tablespoon butter. Add in the remaining shrimp, cooking for 1 minute per side (or until cooked through). Use tongs (never a spoon) to place shrimp in the pan and flip. Transfer all the cooked shrimp to a plate.
- Layer the ingredients into bowls, beginning with the prepared rice mixture. Then add shrimp, desired bowl toppings (avocado, additional cilantro, black beans), and finally a good drizzle of the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed and enjoy promptly! Drizzle some extra lime over bowls if desired.
Video
Notes
Note 1: I choose extra-large shrimp, sized at 26/30 (26–30 shrimp in a pound). Pick shelled, peeled, and deveined shrimp. If using frozen, thaw according to package directions and thoroughly dry before using.
Note 2: To keep things quick and easy, I use a packaged rice mix, but if you’d like to make your own cilantro lime rice, prepare 1 cup of rice as you normally would, then mix through 1–2 tablespoons lime juice, 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, and salt as needed (until flavors are vibrant!).
Note 3: I love lots of this sauce! If you aren’t a big sauce fan, halve these quantities. It stores well for 5–7 days in the fridge (stir before using). This sauce is great to make ahead—it gets more flavorful as it sits!
Note 4: Shrimp is done when the thickest part (the crevice in the back of the shrimp) turns from translucent to opaque. Another sign is if the shrimp turn pink and the tails turn bright red.
Nutrition Note: Calories include the shrimp and sauce but not any bowl toppings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.4g | Protein: 25.2g | Fat: 32.2g | Cholesterol: 204.1mg | Sodium: 331.5mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.3g