• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Bowls Are The New Plates
  • Browse Recipes
  • By Diet ⌄
    • Dairy Free
    • Low Calorie
    • Low Carb
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
    • Whole 30
  • By Cuisine ⌄
    • American
    • Indian
    • Italian
    • Japanese
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican
    • Middle Eastern
  • By Ingredient ⌄
    • Quinoa
    • Chicken
  • By Category ⌄
    • Quick & Easy
    • Blog Favorites
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Quick & Easy

    Shrimp Taco Bowl with Creamy Chipotle Sauce

    Whitney Bond Posted Mar 3, 2021 This post may contain affiliate links.

    • Facebook247
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    Jump to Recipe
    grilled shrimp in bowl with greens
    cooked shrimp in bowl with avocado and cabbage, drizzled with chipotle sauce
    grilled shrimp in bowl with toppings
    cooked shrimp in bowl with avocado and cabbage, drizzled with chipotle sauce
    grilled shrimp in bowl with toppings
    grilled shrimp in bowl with greens

    Incredibly flavorful and easy to make in less than 30 minutes, this Shrimp Taco Bowl is guaranteed to become a new weeknight favorite! It's gluten free, dairy free and easily made whole30 and keto approved!

    grilled shrimp in bowl with toppings

    Step up your Taco Tuesday game with this Shrimp Taco Bowl! It's packed with flavorful ingredients like chili lime grilled shrimp, cilantro lime quinoa and creamy chipotle sauce!

    But it's also super healthy, packed with protein and contains no gluten or dairy! With a couple simple swaps, you can also make it whole30 compliant and low carb, perfect for those on a keto diet.

    You can swap in or out the toppings to make it your own. Or make it just as the recipe says for a bowl that's packed with a combination of creamy and crunchy toppings!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients you'll need
    • Step by step instructions
    • How to make the bowls vegan
    • How to make the bowls low-carb
    • How to make the bowls whole30 compliant
    • How to meal prep the bowls
    • More Mexican style bowls to try
    • Recipe
    • Comments
    cooked shrimp in bowl with avocado and cabbage, drizzled with chipotle sauce

    Ingredients you'll need

    • Tamari - gluten free soy sauce helps enhance the other flavors in the shrimp marinade.
    • Lime juice - In this bowl, the shrimp is marinated in lime juice and the toppings for the bowl are tossed in lime juice. This adds a bright, zesty flavor to the bowls! I always recommend fresh-squeezed whenever possible as it has the best flavor.
    • Olive oil - you could also use another vegetable oil if you prefer. But you will want to use one that can hold up to high temperatures, as you'll be grilling the marinated shrimp over high heat. Avocado, peanut, canola or sunflower oil will all work well for this recipe.
    • Garlic cloves
    • Chili powder
    • Crushed red pepper flakes
    • Shrimp - I prefer to always buy already peeled and deveined shrimp at the grocery store. This cuts out a step and saves you time. For this recipe, I used 41-50 count shrimp size, this a medium shrimp size. What this means is you get 41-50 pieces of shrimp per pound. For this recipe, you can also use a 31-35 which is a large shrimp size, or a 21-25 which is a jumbo shrimp size.
    • Cilantro lime quinoa - this fresh and zesty spin on quinoa is the perfect base for these bowls!
    • Cabbage - for this recipe I used a combination of red and green shredded cabbage to top the bowls. Feel free to use one or the other, or both! The cabbage adds a delicious crunch to the bowls.
    • Red bell pepper - green, orange or yellow bell peppers will also work for this recipe. I prefer the red for it's bright pop of color and crunch on top of the bowls!
    • Jalapeno - fresh sliced jalapenos add a kick of spice to these bowls. Not a fan of spice? No problem, you can totally leave them out of the bowl!
    • Avocado - what would a taco bowl be without fresh sliced avocado on top? This creamy addition is a can't-miss!
    • Creamy chipotle sauce - this sauce was the most popular recipe on the blog in 2020 and it's only received 5 star reviews! It's incredibly delicious, easy to make and the perfect topping for these bowls!
    • Cilantro - an optional garnish to finish the bowls, not a fan? No problem, just leave it out!
    raw shrimp in chili lime marinade in glass bowl with tongs

    Step by step instructions

    1. Marinate the shrimp (as seen in the image above).
      • In a large bowl, combine tamari, lime juice, olive oil, crushed garlic, chili powder and red pepper flakes.
      • Add peeled and deveined shrimp to the marinade and toss to coat the shrimp.
      • Place the shrimp in the refrigerator to marinate for 10-15 minutes, while preparing the other ingredients for the bowls.
    2. Assemble the bowls.
      • Divide the prepared cilantro lime quinoa between the four bowls.
        • Note: Haven't prepared the quinoa yet? No problem, you can quickly and easily whip it up on the stove or in an Instant Pot.
      • In a medium bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, sliced bell pepper, jalapeno and lime juice. Divide this mixture between the four bowls.
      • Add ¼ sliced avocado to each bowl.
    3. Cook the shrimp.
      • Heat a grill, or grill pan on the stove, to high heat.
        • Note: Don't have a grill or grill pan? No worries, use the heaviest skillet you have and cook the shrimp on the stove over high heat.
      • Use tongs to remove the shrimp from the marinade and add it to the grill, grill pan or skillet.
      • Cook for 2-3 minutes per side.
        • Note: The larger the shrimp, the longer they'll need to cook. So how do you tell when shrimp is cooked? When the shrimp starts to turn opaque white with some pink highlights, that's when you know it's time to flip or remove the shrimp from the skillet.
      • Divide the cooked shrimp between the four bowls.
    4. Finish the bowls.
      • Drizzle the bowls with creamy chipotle sauce and top with fresh chopped cilantro.
    cooked shrimp in bowl with cabbage, jalapenos and cilantro

    How to make the bowls vegan

    • Replace the shrimp with firm tofu. You'll want to marinate the tofu in the same chili lime marinade as you would the shrimp. The tofu can marinate for the same 10-15 minutes, as you would the shrimp. Follow this post for how to pan fry tofu or this post for how to grill tofu.

    How to make the bowls low-carb

    • Replace the quinoa with cauliflower rice or greens. This delicious Mexican Cauliflower Rice would be perfect for the base of these bowls. You could also use a combination of mixed baby greens, chopped romaine lettuce or spinach.
      • Replacing one cup of quinoa in each bowl with one cup of plain cauliflower rice will reduce the carbs from 49 grams per bowl, down to 15.5 grams per bowl. The net carbs will be reduced from 39 grams per bowl, down to 7.5 grams per bowl.
      • Replacing one cup of quinoa in each bowl with one cup of Mexican cauliflower rice will reduce the carbs from 49 grams per bowl, down to 25.5 grams per bowl. The net carbs will be reduced from 39 grams per bowl, down to 16.5 per bowl.
      • Replacing one cup of quinoa in each bowl with one cup of chopped romaine lettuce will reduce the carbs from 49 grams per bowl, down to 11 grams per bowl. The net carbs will be reduced from 39 grams per bowl, down to 6 grams per bowl. This is the best option for those on a keto diet.

    How to make the bowls whole30 compliant

    • Replace the quinoa in the bowls with plain cauliflower rice, Mexican cauliflower rice or greens.
    • Substitute coconut aminos from the tamari in the shrimp marinade.

    How to meal prep the bowls

    • For storage:
      • Prepare the cilantro lime quinoa and divide it between four large storage containers.
      • Marinate and cook the shrimp according to the recipe instructions, then divide the cooked shrimp between the containers with the quinoa.
      • Toss the cabbage, bell pepper and jalapeno with the lime juice. Divide this topping between four small zipper bags. Add a bag to each of the containers with the shrimp and quinoa.
      • Wrap each ¼ avocado tightly in plastic wrap, then add them to the large containers.
      • Divide the creamy chipotle sauce between four small containers and add a container to each of the larger containers.
    • To reheat and eat:
      • All of the ingredients in the bowl can be eaten cold.
      • If you'd like to reheat the shrimp and quinoa, remove the bag of cabbage, avocado and chipotle sauce from the large container.
      • Microwave the quinoa and shrimp for 2 minutes.
      • Top with the cabbage, avocado and chipotle sauce.
    cooked shrimp in bowl with vegetables and quinoa

    More Mexican style bowls to try

    1. Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls
    2. Tex Mex Egg Roll in a Bowl
    3. Mexican Roasted Delicata Squash Bowls
    4. Slow Cooker Green Chili Pulled Pork Bowl
    5. Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowl
    6. Low Carb Vegan Fajita Bowl
    7. Chipotle Chicken Bowl
    8. Elote Bowl

    Recipe

    grilled shrimp in bowl with greens
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.60 from 15 votes

    Shrimp Taco Bowl with Creamy Chipotle Sauce

    Incredibly flavorful and easy to make in less than 30 minutes, this Shrimp Taco Bowl is guaranteed to become a new weeknight favorite! It's gluten free, dairy free and easily made whole30 and keto approved!
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mexican, Tex-Mex
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 4 minutes
    Total Time 24 minutes
    Servings 4 bowls
    Calories 505kcal
    Author Whitney Bond

    Ingredients

    Chili Lime Shrimp

    • 3 tablespoons tamari gluten free soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice fresh squeezed
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 garlic cloves crushed
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1 pound shrimp peeled & deveined - I used 31/40 in this recipe

    Taco Bowls

    • 4 cups cilantro lime quinoa prepared - click link for the recipe
    • 1 cup cabbage green, purple or mixed
    • ¼ cup red bell pepper thinly sliced
    • 1 jalapeno thinly sliced
    • ½ teaspoon lime juice fresh squeezed
    • 1 avocado thinly sliced
    • ¼ cup creamy chipotle sauce click link for recipe
    • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped

    Instructions

    Chili Lime Shrimp

    • Whisk the tamari, lime juice, olive oil, crushed garlic cloves, chili powder and red pepper flakes together in a large bowl.
    • Add the shrimp and toss to coat in the marinade.
    • Place the marinating shrimp in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.

    Taco Bowls

    • While the shrimp is marinating, prepare the bowls.
    • Add 1 cup prepared cilantro lime quinoa to 4 separate bowls.
    • In a medium bowl, combine the cabbage, bell pepper, jalapeno and lime juice.
    • Divide this mixture between the 4 bowls.
    • Add ¼ sliced avocado to each bowl.
    • Heat a grill or grill pan on the stove to high heat.
    • Use tongs to remove the shrimp from the marinade and add it to the grill or grill pan.
    • Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp starts to turn opaque white with some pink highlights.
    • Remove the shrimp and add to the bowls with the quinoa and cabbage.
    • Drizzle the creamy chipotle sauce over the bowls and top with fresh chopped cilantro.

    Video

    Notes

    • Shrimp - I prefer to always buy already peeled and deveined shrimp at the grocery store. This cuts out a step and saves you time. For this recipe, I used 41-50 count shrimp size, this a medium shrimp size. What this means is you get 41-50 pieces of shrimp per pound. For this recipe, you can also use a 31-35 which is a large shrimp size, or a 21-25 which is a jumbo shrimp size.
    • Don't have a grill or grill pan? No worries, use the heaviest skillet you have and cook the shrimp on the stove over high heat.
    • To make the bowls vegan, replace the shrimp with firm tofu. You'll want to marinate the tofu in the same chili lime marinade as you would the shrimp. The tofu can marinate for the same 10-15 minutes, as you would the shrimp. Follow this post for how to pan fry tofu or this post for how to grill tofu.
    • To make the bowls low carb, replace one cup of quinoa in each bowl with one cup of chopped romaine lettuce. This will reduce the carbs from 49 grams per bowl, down to 11 grams per bowl. The net carbs will be reduced from 39 grams per bowl, down to 6 grams per bowl.
    • To make the bowls whole30 compliant, replace the quinoa in the bowls with plain cauliflower rice, Mexican cauliflower rice or greens. Substitute coconut aminos from the tamari in the shrimp marinade.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 286mg | Sodium: 1782mg | Potassium: 791mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 784mg | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 221mg | Iron: 7mg
    Made this recipe & loved it?Mention @BowlsAreTheNewPlates or tag #BowlsNotPlates on Instagram!

    More Quick & Easy

    • burger bowl with cooked ground beef, chopped veggies and cheese
      Keto Burger Bowl
    • vegan caesar salad in bowl topped with roasted chickpeas
      Vegan Caesar Salad
    • sesame soba noodles in bowl with chopsticks
      Sesame Soba Noodles Bowl
    • roasted chickpea salad in bowl topped with sliced onion and avocado
      Roasted Chickpea Salad

    Filed Under: Blog Favorites, Dairy Free, Grilling, Main Course, Mexican, Quick & Easy, Quinoa, Recipes, Seafood

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sonya

      September 15, 2022 at 3:48 pm

      I made this for my family last night and everyone loved it! I was anticipating a large amount of leftovers, as there are only 3 people in my family, but we ate all of it. I can’t wait to make this again. It is definitely a new family favorite. Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Vanessa

      February 17, 2022 at 12:06 pm

      Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?

      Reply
    3. Suzanne

      February 17, 2022 at 12:05 pm

      This looks so good! What a great lunch meal prep for the week!

      Reply

    Comment Here! Cancel reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Scoop up delicious bowl ideas on social!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    Headshot of Whitney Bond

    Hey Fellow Bowl Lovers!

    Bowls Are The New Plates is your go-to site for healthy, gluten free bowl recipes, created by food blogger & published cookbook author Whitney Bond. Head to our about page, to find out more!

    Most Popular Posts

    quinoa in three bowls with gold forks
    Corn, sliced radishes and avocado in a white bowl with a gold fork
    Indian cauliflower and roasted chickpeas in white bowl
    Bowl filled with arugula and charred cauliflower
    Overhead image of roasted broccoli and sliced avocado in bowl with fork
    Overhead image of bowl with sesame crusted ahi tuna, edamame and sliced avocado

    Footer

    Let's talk bowls on social!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Bowls are the new plates was created to share healthy, gluten free bowl recipes with everyone, regardless of dietary restrictions. Let's dig in →

    My Favorite Recipes

    diced grilled steak in bowl with vegetables and fork
    cooked mushrooms in bowl with cooked quinoa, coleslaw and peanut sauce
    cooked falafel in bowl with veggies and sauce
    • ^ Back to Top
    • Home
    • About
    • Browse Recipes
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2023 Bowls Are The New Plates on the Foodie Pro Theme