By With a sweet, tangy ginger honey sauce and quick and easy salsa, these shrimp pineapple bowls are the perfect no-fuss dinner! After testing these bowls with precooked shrimp, fresh shrimp, frozen shrimp, and both grilling and not grilling, I've learned how to cook the perfect shrimp and also perfected the sauce. This is a 25-minute dinner that packs in 28 grams of protein and no rubbery shrimp!
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I'm a weirdo. When I'm in the tundra of the north, all I want is fresh California cuisine like seafood, alsa, and tropical vibes. And while I'm definitely not a huge seafood person, after becoming a mom and realizing how dang fast shrimp is, I changed my mind.
Well, I decided to figure out how to make shrimp I enjoy for a high-protein dinner. I tried this shrimp with a creamy coconut sauce and teriyaki like these teriyaki chicken poke bowls, then realized it is so lean - it needs fat! So, I took the obsession-worthy oil-based dressing from my hot honey chicken salad and used it to marinade, cook, and top the shrimp. The results? Magical!
Jump to:
- tropical island, is that you (minus the price of a flight)?
- the ingredients you'll need
- high protein ingredient spotlight: shrimp!
- here's how to make shrimp bowls (with photos & video!)
- expert tips
- can you grill the shrimp?
- common questions
- troubleshooting & testing notes
- how to store it
- using up those leftovers
- Recipe
tropical island, is that you (minus the price of a flight)?
- Ready in under 30 minutes: Shrimp is so fast to thaw! and cook!!
- The shrimp: Sure, you could use precooked shrimp, but here's the thing - precooked shrimp is usually overcooked and rubbery! By using raw shrimp, you get the most delicious and juicy shellfish.
- Healthy to boot: Shrimp is so low in calories and carbs. When paired with a fresh sauce filled with healthy fats from olive oil, a little gluten-free carb action from the rice to keep you going, and a salsa filled with antioxidant-packed fruits and veggies, it's a family-friendly, uber-healthy dinner. I should note that "healthy" can be subjective depending on your health needs, but for me, it's healthy.
the ingredients you'll need
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Shrimp: I recommend using raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp instead of precooked shrimp. This is because precooked is almost always overcooked.
- Fresh ingredients: You'll need to grab pineapple, red onion, avocado, and fresh lime juice (bottled will work, too).
- Pantry staples: Open up your pantry and find your olive oil (or avocado oil), honey, ground ginger, garlic powder, cayenne powder, chili powder, and salt.
- Rice: White or jasmine rice works best for this recipe.
- Coconut milk: I prefer coconut milk for this recipe as it fits the fresh and summery theme!
high protein ingredient spotlight: shrimp!
Looking for a protein that's both delicious and versatile? Shrimp may become your new favorite protein staple. These little sea creatures are a game-changer in the kitchen, packing 20 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving while not being super fatty.
What makes shrimp even better is how quickly it cooks and its amazing ability to work with pretty much any flavor profile you can dream up, from garlicky scampi to spicy tacos. Plus, it's loaded with healthy nutrients like selenium, vitamin B12, and omega-3s, making it a smart choice for a healthy meal. Grab it frozen when it's on sale, and you'll always have a healthy, affordable protein ready to go in your freezer.
here's how to make shrimp bowls (with photos & video!)
- Make rice by adding the rice, water, and coconut milk to a stock pot and cooking as you normally do or in the Instant Pot.
- Make the sauce by combining the oil and spices.
- Marinade the shrimp in half of the sauce and reserve the other half for topping.
- Make the pineapple salsa by combining the pineapple, red onion, and fixings!
- Make the shrimp by sautéing them with the sauce for a few minutes on each side. Then plate it to serve and finish with a drizzle of the remaining sauce.
quick recipe video
expert tips
- Watch the shrimp closely: Make sure your cast iron skillet is properly heated to medium before adding the shrimp, as too high heat can quickly overcook them and make them rubbery.
- Chop small: When making the pineapple salsa, dice all ingredients to a similar size for the best texture and even distribution of flavors. The pineapple and red onion pieces should be about the same size as the diced avocado.
- Prepare ahead: For meal prep, you can prepare the sauce and pineapple salsa (minus the avocado) a day ahead. Just add the diced avocado right before serving to prevent browning.
- Make a double batch of the sauce: It's so tasty that you'll want to keep it in the fridge to use it all the time!
can you grill the shrimp?
You sure can! This is our preferred method for cooking the shrimp in the summer. They make little grill mesh bags you can put the shrimp in to grill it or you can pop the cast iron directly on the grill.
common questions
To reheat rice, add a splash of water to the serving you water to reheat. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds to minutes, and it'll be perfectly soft again!
Shrimp are cooked when they turn from gray/translucent to pink and opaque and curl into a loose "C" shape. This typically takes just 2-3 minutes per side. If they curl into a tight "O" shape, they're overcooked.
troubleshooting & testing notes
Why is there so much oil??
This is key to a delicious shrimp dish (at least for me!) Shrimp is a lean protein so it needs a bit of fat to bulk it up. I don't sweat over the larger quantity of good quality oil.
Sweet, tangy, spicy but not too spicy
I tested this dressing with a variety of spice combinations but in the end, the pairing of ginger, chili powder, and honey was the winner. Chili powder adds a little warmth but isn't really spicy. It might seem like there's a lot of chili powder but it's not spicy!
how to store it
fridge
Store the rice in a small airtight container, the pineapple in another one, and the shrimp in another. If you have extra sauce, you can store this with the shrimp.
reheating
The best way to reheat shrimp is low and slow. The microwave tends to overcook them when reheated, which makes them tough. Pop them on a skillet over low heat and heat just a few minutes until armed through. Serve this over your leftover rice and cold salsa (it gets better in the fridge!)
using up those leftovers
I love making a big batch of rice, pineapple salsa, and sauce to keep on hand. Then I can just spend 10 minutes making the shrimp and turn it into any of these ideas:
- A bowl, duh! Enjoy it with cilantro lime protein rice or basmati Instant pot rice.
- A burrito with all the fixings inside a tortilla or use shrimp in these chipotle ranch burritos.
- Scoop it up with tortilla chips and skip the rice. You could also dice the shrimp small for a ceviche vibe.
- A salad - instead of rice I use a bed of lettuce (or both!)
Recipe
shrimp pineapple bowls
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds large raw shrimp (peeled and deveined, if frozen, thaw in cold water)
- ¼ Cup olive oil (or avocado oil)
Salsa
- ½ pineapple (diced, fresh is best)
- ½ red onion (diced)
- 1 avocado (diced)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Coconut Rice
- 2 cups white or jasmine rice
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 can coconut milk
Before you start!
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Instructions
- Thaw the shrimp if needed (I do this in a bowl of cold water).
- Make the rice by adding the 2 cups white or jasmine rice, 1 ½ cups water, and 1 can coconut milkto a stock pot and cooking as you normally do. You can instead make it in the instant pot by cooking it on high for 4 minutes with 1 ¼ cup water. Then, allow the pressure to release and add ¼ cup of coconut milk and ¼ teaspoon of salt while you stir and fluff.
- Make the sauce by combining ¼ Cup olive oil, ¼ cup honey, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder, 2 teaspoon chili powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small jar.
- Marinade the shrimp in ¼-1/3 of the sauce for 10 minutes in a bowl. Heat a skillet over medium heat. I prefer cast iron for this.
- Make the pineapple salsa while the shrimp marinades. Combine the ½ pineapple, ½ red onion, 1 avocado, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Store in the fridge until ready to eat.
- Make the shrimp by sautéing them with the sauce for just a few minutes on each side. You'll know they are done when they are soft and pink. Plate it all together to serve and finish with a drizzle of the remaining sauce.
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
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