Juicy blackened shrimp is an incredible protein twist in these colorful blackened shrimp taco bowls! Easy to meal prep ahead of time and you can customize them with your favorite toppings.

Taco night just got a whole lot more colorful and flavorful! Plus it’s served bowl-style which is really just the icing on the cake here.
Blackened shrimp is our protein of choice in these bowls today and they really step up to the plate! Juicy shrimp are coated in my go-to blackened spice rub and seared until crispy golden-brown perfection.
Paired with all the other taco bowl musts like steamed rice, black beans, silky avocado, red onion, cilantro and tortilla chips and I think we’ve got a winner.

Hands down, my favorite part about these bowls is that they’re a dream for meal prepping! You can prep most of the components in meal prep containers way in advance and it will only take a few minutes of prep when you’re ready to serve them.
Ready to rule taco night? Let’s get into it!
These Taco Bowls feature…
- A base of fluffy rice
- Smoky blackened shrimp
- Tons of toppings including avocado, tomato, black beans, red onion, cilantro, and tortilla chips

Making the Taco Bowls
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Spices
- Shrimp
- Vegetable oil
- Rice
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Red onion
- Black beans
- Tortilla chips
- Cilantro
- Cotija cheese
- Lime
Choosing Your Shrimp
You will need 1 lb of medium shrimp for these taco bowls. I recommend buying them fresh if possible and make sure they are peeled and deveined prior to cooking.

Tips for Perfect Taco Bowls
- Pat shrimp dry – you will want to blot out any excess moisture from the shrimp with paper towels prior to coating in spice mixture. This will help them sear up golden brown.
- Sears shrimp in a single layer – work in batches if you have to. Searing the shrimp in a single layer will help them brown properly.
- Assemble bowls just before serving – keep reading for meal prep options.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these bowls.
- Try different toppings – the sky’s the limit for the toppings you can use in these bowls. Other topping options include sauteed sweet peppers/onions, salsa, sour cream, pico de gallo, black olives, guacamole, or sliced jalapeno peppers.
- Use a different protein – try 1 lb cubed salmon or chicken breast in place of the shrimp.
- Choose another grain base – try cauliflower rice, quinoa, farro, or make it salad-style and use a mix of fresh greens.
Meal Prep Instructions
Follow these instructions for time-saving meal prep tips.
- Make the rice – make the rice and allow to cool.
- Sear the shrimp – sear the shrimp according to recipe instructions.
- Assemble meal prep containers – assemble the rice, shrimp, and black beans in meal prep containers and store in refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Assemble toppings – dice the tomatoes, red onion, limes, and cilantro (wait to slice the avocado until just before serving to prevent browning). Store these toppings in a smaller container within the rice/shrimp container.
- For serving – reheat the rice/beans/shrimp portion of the meal prep containers on high in microwave 2-3 minutes. Top with prepared toppings, freshly-sliced avocado, tortilla chips, and cotija cheese. Squeeze fresh lime over top and serve.

No way around it, this is just a bowl full of a pure flavor bomb. The shrimp is impossibly flavorful from all those wonderful spices and pairs wonderfully with all the other taco ingredients.
Last piece of advice: make sure you load up these bowls big-time with the toppings. You’ve gotta do it right.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

Try these other bowl dinners next!
Blackened Shrimp Taco Bowls
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Ingredients
Blackened Shrimp
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lb medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Taco Bowls
- 4 cups hot cooked white or brown rice
- 2 medium avocados, pitted and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 medium tomatoes, cored and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- Tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, cotija cheese, and fresh lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Blackened Shrimp
- In a small bowl, combine all spices. Place shrimp in a large bowl, sprinkle spice mixture over top and evenly toss to combine.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil until shimmery. Working in batches if needed, add shrimp to pan in a single layer and sear 3-4 minutes on each side, flipping once until shrimp is golden brown. Repeat cooking with any remaining shrimp, adding more oil to pan as needed. Keep cooked shrimp warm.
Taco Bowls
- Divide hot rice between 4 serving bowls and top with shrimp, avocados, tomatoes, red onion, and black beans. Garnish bowls with tortilla chips, cilantro, and cotija cheese. Squeeze fresh lime over top and serve bowls immediately. Enjoy!
Gramma T says
Delicious, will do it again and again, would give it five stars but it needed the pico de gallo and guacamole. Otherwise it’s a bit dry.