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Shrimp Fajita Bowls (Gluten-Free + Paleo-Friendly)

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Dinner tonight is Shrimp Fajita Bowls! We turned shrimp fajitas into a delicious bowl! Build them with all your favorites to make them gluten-free or paleo! (Gluten-Free + Paleo-Friendly)

Gluten Free Shrimp Fajita Bowls with avocado, black beans, and pico de gallo

While we don’t love the relentless heat (particularly as we approach Septembers and Octobers filled with 90-100 degree temps), we love some parts of living in the desert. Mainly, we love the winter months, when it’s glorious outside and you allllllmost forget you’ll be roasting alive all summer/early fall. But we also really love things like swimming, and 9-11 months of sandal weather, and the access to plenty of Mexican and Tex-Mex food.

We’ve got access to hole-in-the-wall taco and burrito places, a wide variety of handmade tamales, authentic Mexican cuisine, and very American-ized Mexican food. One of my favorites will always be fajitas. I love sizzling pans of goodness approaching the table with fresh, steaming corn tortillas and plenty of salsa choices.

Fajita Seasoning Mix in a small white bowl
Shrimp Fajitas in a cast iron pan

HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO OUR SHRIMP FAJITA BOWLS:

A GOOD BASE. Here’s where it’s easy to make these shrimp fajita bowls your own. We’ve made them with salad greens, cauliflower rice, magic green rice or cilantro lime rice, or polenta. You could certainly try quinoa if you want!

SHRIMP. I love using peeled, de-veined shrimp. If yours aren’t already prepared, here’s an easy tutorial for how to peel + de-vein shrimp. (It’s easier than you think!)

A TASTY SPICE MIX + LIME. The quick fajita seasoning mix is what gives this shrimp so much flavor. Ours has pantry staples like chili powder, cumin, garlic and onion powder, salt, and smoked paprika. Then, you’ll add a splash of lime juice and oil to tie everything together.

PEPPERS + ONIONS. Just as you would with traditional fajitas, we add plenty of peppers and onions to the pan after cooking the shrimp. The veggies pick up all the leftover spices and take on a lovely charred flavor that’s fantastic with the shrimp + extras.

GOODIES AND TOPPINGS. Once you’ve got your base, the seasoned shrimp fajitas, and peppers, it’s time to add goodies to turn these into bowls. Here are some of our favorites…

Front view of shrimp fajitas in a cast iron pan
Close-up view of a Shrimp Fajita Bowl with cauliflower rice, avocado, and black beans

YUMMY MIX-INS TO ADD TO SHRIMP FAJITA BOWLS:

AVOCADO OR GUACAMOLE. I love adding some sliced avocado or guacamole to shrimp fajita bowls. The cool, creamy avocado is lovely next to the seasoned shrimp and veggies. Delicious!

PICO DE GALLO OR SALSA. Then, you can add more flavor with fresh pico de gallo or salsa. (I love pico de gallo best!)

BLACK BEANS OR CHARRO BEANS. If you’re not making these as paleo shrimp fajita bowls, adding some black beans or charro beans is a lovely touch. I LOVE them so much!

VEGGIES OR CILANTRO. Lastly, you can finish them off with more fresh veggies (like corn or cilantro-lime slaw), or cilantro. I LOVE cilantro here, but you can totally skip it if you’re not a cilantro fan.

Gluten Free Shrimp Fajita Bowls with avocado, black beans, and pico de gallo

FAQ + TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST SHRIMP FAJITA BOWLS:

COULD WE SERVE THESE AS FAJITAS INSTEAD OF FAJITA BOWLS? Totally. They make perfect shrimp fajitas wrapped in flour tortillas. We like Mission brand gluten-free tortillas when we go that route.

CONSIDER CAST IRON. I really like using a cast-iron pan for making fajitas. It’s so good at radiating that heat well and can help you get a good char. If I use my cast iron pan, I wait to add the lime juice until I’ve transferred the shrimp, onions, and peppers to a serving bowl so I don’t have to re-season the pan (acidic foods can strip away the nonstick “seasoning”).

HOW TO PEEL + DE-VEIN SHRIMP. In case you missed it above, this is a great tutorial for prepping shrimp.

PALEO? If you’re eating paleo, the spices, shrimp, peppers, and onion are all paleo-approved! You can build your bowl with salad greens or cauliflower rice, guacamole or avocado, and pico de gallo or salsa. (Just skip rice or beans!)

Front View of Shrimp Fajita Bowls

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Gluten Free Shrimp Fajita Bowls with avocado, black beans, and pico de gallo

Shrimp Fajita Bowls


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  • Author: One Lovely Life
  • Total Time: About 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Shrimp Fajita Bowls – We turned shrimp fajitas into a delicious bowl! Build them with all your favorites to make them gluten-free or paleo! (Gluten-Free + Paleo-Friendly)


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt (or more, to taste)
  • 2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced

TO BUILD YOUR BOWLS:

  • Cauliflower rice, rice, salad greens, or polenta
  • Avocado or Guacamole
  • Pico de Gallo or Salsa
  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Black Beans or Charro Beans
  • Lime Wedges

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together shrimp, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Add lime juice and 1 Tbsp. olive oil.
  2. Stir to coat the shrimp well. Let mixture rest for 5 minutes or so, while you slice the peppers and onions.
  3. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to your pan. Working in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan, cook the shrimp.
  4. Cook 2-3 minutes per side, or until cooked through and the shrimp has a tiny bit of char. Remove to a plate or bowl, and repeat with remaining shrimp, adding more oil to the pan as necessary. Add fresh cilantro to the cooked shrimp.
  5. When all the shrimp are cooked and removed from the pan, add peppers and onions to the pan. As they cook, you should be able to easily scrape up any browned bits from the pan, which will add flavor to the dish. If you need a little help with this, you can add 1 Tbsp of water to the pan, which will help anything stuck to lift off.
  6. Cook peppers and onions 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly, or until they’re crisp-tender and coated with browned bits. Add shrimp and stir to toss. Squeeze lime juice over all and serve immediately.
  7. Serve in bowls with cauliflower rice, rice, salad greens, or polenta + top with your favorite toppings!
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Gluten Free Shrimp Fajita Bowls with avocado, black beans, and pico de gallo with text overlay that reads "Gluten-Free + Paleo-Friendly Shrimp Fajita Bowls"
Collage of images of Shrimp Fajita Bowls with text overlay that reads "Gluten-Free + Paleo-Friendly Shrimp Fajita Bowls"
Collage of images of Shrimp Fajita Bowls with text overlay that reads "Gluten-Free + Paleo-Friendly Shrimp Fajita Bowls"
Overhead view of Gluten Free Shrimp Fajita Bowls with avocado, black beans, and pico de gallo with text overlay that reads "Gluten-Free + Paleo-Friendly Shrimp Fajita Bowls"
Collage of images of Shrimp Fajita Bowls with text overlay that reads "Gluten-Free + Paleo-Friendly Shrimp Fajita Bowls"
Front view of Gluten Free Shrimp Fajita Bowls with avocado, black beans, and pico de gallo with text overlay that reads "Gluten-Free + Paleo-Friendly Shrimp Fajita Bowls"
Gluten Free Shrimp Fajita Bowls with avocado, black beans, and pico de gallo with text overlay that reads "Gluten-Free + Paleo-Friendly Shrimp Fajita Bowls"

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