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Blackened Shrimp Bowls are a wonderful meal, spicy blackened shrimp served over creamy coconut rice. Finished off with a tangy cilantro dressing you will love. This is a stand up meal that will have you craving summer temps.

Why Make Blackened Shrimp Bowls
I love shrimp and I love it even more blackened! It’s the perfect spice and flavor to enjoy with coconut rice.
- Easy. Just a few simple steps to whip this up.
- Quick. The meal takes almost no time to cook up.
- Customizable. Add the toppings you love!
- Hearty. This is a filling delicious meal.
Ingredient Notes

All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card towards the bottom of this post.
- Raw Shrimp. I prefer large, pre cleaned shrimp with the tail off.
- Blackened Seasonings. salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic, onion powder.
- White Rice.
- Coconut Milk. Full fat will work best for this recipe!
- Sour Cream. This makes the cilantro dressing. Mayo will also work.
- Cilantro. Fresh cilantro is blended into the dressing.
- Honey. This will sweeten up the dressing.
- Lime Juice. Fresh squeezed lime juice will work best.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. This adds a nice tang to the dressing.
Blackened Shrimp Bowl Toppings
- Fresh Jalapeños. This is optional, pickled jalapeños would also be yummy.
- Red Cabbage. This adds crunch and color.
- Red Onions.
- Cilantro for garnish.
Steps To Make This Recipe

Step One. Start the coconut rice. This will take about 20 minutes. Add the rinsed rice, coconut milk, sugar and water to a large sauce pan. Simmer on low. Keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t boil over. You may want to vent the lid.
Step Two. Make the tangy cilantro dressing. Add everything to a small blender and blitz on high. Taste and adjust if needed.
Step Three. Mix the seasonings together, add to the shrimp and mix well.

Step Four. Heat a skillet on medium/high heat. Add oil to the pan. I suggest a cast iron pan for the ultimate blackened texture but any skillet will do. Cook the shrimp flat, without overlapping on medium/high heat for about 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes without touching it.
Step Five. Once the shrimp is cooked through, set aside and assemble the bowls. Add the toppings and garnish, drizzle the Blackened Shrimp Bowls generously with the tangy cilantro dressing. Enjoy!

Blackened Shrimp Tips
- Be sure to blot the shrimp dry, this helps the seasoning stick and helps with the blackening.
- Do not over cook the shrimp! Just cook it on high and try not to mess with it too much to help get the char on it.
- If you want to tone down the spice, skip the jalapeños and cayenne pepper.
- Taste the dressing before serving. You can add more honey to sweeten it up or add more sour cream to thicken it up.
Recipe FAQs
Skip the rice! Serve it over shredded cabbage or cauliflower rice.
Salmon or chicken will work well, but cooking times will need to be adjusted.
Other Shrimp Recipes TO Enjoy

Blackened Shrimp Bowls
Equipment
- medium sauce pot
- Cast Iron Skillet
- small blender or food processor
Ingredients
Coconut Rice
- 1½ cup long grain white rice
- 1 14 oz can coconut milk, *full fat
- 1¼ cup water
- 1 Tbsp white granulated sugar
Blackened Shrimp
- 1 lb shrimp, raw and cleaned
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper, *optional
- ½ tsp salt
Tangy Cilantro Dressing
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp lime juice, about 1 lime
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro
Toppings
- sliced avocado
- chopped red onions
- shredded cabbage
Instructions
- Start the coconut rice. This will take about 20 minutes. Add the rinsed rice, coconut milk, sugar and water to a large sauce pan. Simmer on low. Keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn't boil over. You may want to vent the lid.
- Make the tangy cilantro dressing. Add everything (2 Tbsp lime juice, 1 Tbsp honey, ¼ cup sour cream, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, ⅓ cup fresh cilantro) to a small blender and blitz on high. Taste and adjust if needed.
- Start the shrimp. Mix the seasonings together, add to the shrimp and mix well.
- Heat a skillet on medium/high heat. Add oil to the pan. I suggest a cast iron pan for the ultimate blackened texture but any skillet will do. Cook the shrimp flat, without overlapping on medium/high heat for about 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes without touching it.
- Once the shrimp is cooked through, set aside and assemble the bowls. Add the toppings and garnish, drizzle the Blackened Shrimp Bowls generously with the tangy cilantro dressing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to blot the shrimp dry, this helps the seasoning stick and helps with the blackening.
- Do not over cook the shrimp! Just cook it on high and try not to mess with it too much to help get the char on it.
- If you want to tone down the spice, skip the jalapeños and cayenne pepper.
- Taste the dressing before serving. You can add more honey to sweeten it up or add more sour cream to thicken it up.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious we loved it! The perfect spice to it