If you are looking for a healthy low-carb shrimp recipe for a weeknight meal, look no further! Our spicy Cajun shrimp bowl is an easy recipe packed with flavor and is ready in 30 minutes or less!
Cajun seasoned shrimp and zucchini on wild rice or cauliflower rice topped with avocado, corn, and our homemade sweet and spicy sauce is sure to become one of your favorite weeknight dinners. Grab a skillet and let’s get cookin’!
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Spicy Cajun Shrimp Bowl is a delicious recipe that can be made with rice, cauliflower rice, or zucchini spirals.
When family members have different diets or prefer different bowls, you can easily make up a side of alternative rice for a variety of options for everyone.
Our family loves healthy shrimp recipes so we add them to the rotation often! One of our favorite variations of this recipe is our Cajun Shrimp Tacos with Corn Salsa.
Often times we make Cajun tacos and turn them into a low-carb dinner or lunch for the next day by adding the shrimp to zucchini spirals. Easy Peasy!
Get ready to head to the grocery store for a quick ingredients round-up. Once you’re ready, be sure to take a moment and set some intentions for maximum benefit for the whole family.
Intentions
Take in a few deep breaths and consider the intention for the meal and the rest of the evening. Here are a few suggestions to work off of to form your own unique intentions and affirmations.
-My intention is for this food to have a positive impact on my mental and physical health.
-This meal is a joy to share with family and friends. This evening will be a delightful time shared.
-My body feels good when I feed it healthy, clean ingredients.
-I am grateful to enjoy delicious food that also helps me feel my best!
*When forming your intentions, consider your goals, desires, and plans. Remember why you chose to cook for yourself and/or your family and the gratitude you have for the ability to do so.
These few simple steps are transformative and infuse positivity and love into your subconscious, your body, the food, and the day. Energy and blessing reverberate out with every positive intention and feeling you set. Enjoy it!
Now onto the ingredients!
Ingredients
Raw wild-caught medium frozen or fresh shrimp- for the easiest get deveined and peeled shrimp from the frozen section. You can defrost in the fridge the night before, or put it in a strainer and rinse it under cool water for a few minutes before cooking.
Note: it’s important to get wild-caught seafood as this is the healthiest choice. Farmed shrimp and other seafood are typically raised in poor-quality conditions and fed a diet far from what is natural or healthy! Wild caught is best!
Wild rice blend- this is our favorite rice to use. It cooks up nicely and has a great texture with the black wild rice. It has some awesome antioxidants too. Go for organic whenever possible and be sure to rinse under cool water to get debris, excess starch, and phytic acid to a minimum.
Organic corn- can be canned or frozen, but be sure to get organic. Corn is one of the most commonly genetically modified vegetables which is highly disruptive to the digestive tract among many other health nuisances. Avoid this by going organic. If corn doesn’t agree with you, feel free to omit it from the recipe!
Water or chicken broth- for the rice
Organic zucchini
Organic cajun seasoning blend
Avocado
Onion
Organic Garlic
Greek yogurt
Maple syrup- an excellent, whole food, antioxidant-rich sweetener with a low glycemic index. It is so much better for you than processed sugar!
Lemon
Cayenne pepper
Optional: red pepper flakes
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
For wild rice blend: Bring water or chicken broth to a boil, add rice, and give it a stir. Reduce heat to medium and cover, simmering for 15 minutes or until water evaporates. Remove from heat and let steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
For cauliflower rice: clean cauliflower and cut it into chunks, removing only the leaves. (The core is good too!) Use a food processor to carefully pulse until cauliflower is broken up into small rice-sized pieces. use olive oil or avocado oil on a pan on medium heat for 2-3 minutes to gently soften. season with salt pepper and garlic powder as desired.
Saute onions and garlic. Add shrimp and seasoning. Cook stirring occasionally until shrimp is opaque.
Lower heat to medium-low and Add corn and zucchini stirring occasionally for a few minutes more.
In a small bowl, mix maple, lemon, and a pinch of cayenne with yogurt.
Add shrimp and veggie skillet mixture to rice in a bowl and top with avocados and yogurt sauce as desired! Enjoy!
Hint: Cook your choice of rice and shrimp at the same time in two separate pans to cut your cooking time in half!
Substitutions
For a low-carb diet or keto diet, wild rice can be substituted with cauliflower rice. zucchini noodles are a great option too!
Add chopped tomatoes or bell pepper for additional nutrition and flavor!
Greek yogurt can be substituted for organic sour cream or a plant-based plain yogurt like cashew or coconut milk yogurt
Spicy Cajun Shrimp Bowl is perfect as the main dish or great on its own. It pairs well with a side of spinach or kale salad or sautéed spinach. You can even add some spinach to the skillet, the possibilities are endless!
Equipment
Large Skillet
Pot for cooking wild rice or skillet (may also use a large skillet if that’s all you have!)
Cutting board and knife
Colander for rinsing rice, corn, and shrimp (be sure to rinse raw shrimp last and clean between uses to avoid cross-contamination)
Cooking/serving spoons
Small mixing bowl
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-4 days. It can also be frozen for 4 months in a freezer-safe container.
FAQ
Shrimp pairs well with a side salad with a citrus dressing. Asparagus, zucchini, and peppers are delicious with shrimp as well!
Quite simply, rinse the shrimp in cool water and pat dry. heat a stable oil like avocado oil on medium-high heat in a skillet. Season shrimp as you desire and stir and flip shrimp periodically until opaque and lightly pink. Shrimp should reach an internal temperature of 145F.
Our sweet spicy and tangy yogurt sauce is a perfect dipping sauce for cooked shrimp. Simply mix yogurt with lemon juice, maple syrup (or raw honey), and a dash of cayenne pepper. Delicious!
Recipe
Spicy Cajun Shrimp Bowl (With Low-Carb Swaps)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 20-24 oz raw wild-caught medium Shrimp deveined and peeled
- 1 can organic Corn drained and rinsed
- 1 organic Zucchini chopped
- 2 cups Rice rinsed
- 3.5 cups water or broth
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 2 TBS Cajun Seasoning
- ½ Avocado chopped
- 1 small Onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 Pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Bring water or chicken broth to a boil, add rice, and give it a stir. Reduce heat to medium and cover, simmering for 15 minutes or until water evaporates. Remove from heat and let steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- Add oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic for a couple of minutes, until fragrant
- Add shrimp and seasoning, adding more oil if needed. Stir and flip periodically until the shrimp is opaque. (Approx 5 min)
- Lower heat to medium-low and Add corn and zucchini and more seasoning if needed (the more seasoning the spicier it gets!) stir it in for about 3-4 minutes as flavors meld and the zucchini softens a bit
- In a small mixing bowl, mix maple syrup, lemon juice, and a pinch of cayenne with Greek yogurt.
- Add shrimp and veggie skillet mixture to rice in a bowl and top with avocados and yogurt sauce as desired! Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety tips
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 145 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
NCP says
10/10