Asian Shrimp Bowl (Printable)

Juicy grilled shrimp over fluffy rice with fresh vegetables and zesty ginger-sesame dressing.

# Ingredient list:

→ Shrimp Marinade

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
04 - 1 clove garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Rice Base

07 - 2 cups cooked jasmine or sushi rice

→ Vegetables

08 - 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked
09 - 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
10 - 1 cup carrot, julienned
11 - 2 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced
12 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

→ Ginger-Sesame Dressing

13 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
15 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
16 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
18 - 1 clove garlic, minced
19 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili sauce, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - In a bowl, combine shrimp with soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and black pepper. Mix until shrimp is evenly coated. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - While shrimp marinates, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey, finely grated ginger, minced garlic, and sriracha in a small bowl. Whisk until emulsified. Set aside.
03 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, grill shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side until pink and fully cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
04 - Divide cooked rice equally among four bowls. Arrange edamame, cucumber slices, and julienned carrot over the rice base in separate sections.
05 - Place grilled shrimp on top of the vegetables in each bowl. Drizzle generously with ginger-sesame dressing until all bowls are evenly dressed.
06 - Sprinkle sliced scallions and sesame seeds over each bowl. Serve immediately while shrimp is warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Grilled shrimp stays buttery tender if you don't fuss with it, and it's ready faster than you'd think.
  • That ginger-sesame dressing is tangy enough to wake up your whole mouth, and it makes even plain rice taste like you're eating somewhere special.
  • You can prep everything ahead and just toss it together when you're ready to eat, which feels like cheating on a weeknight.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating step even though it feels like a small thing, because those 10 minutes make the difference between shrimp that tastes seasoned and shrimp that's actually interesting.
  • If your shrimp are frozen, thaw them in the fridge the night before because rushing them under warm water changes their texture in a way you can't recover from.
  • The ginger in the dressing needs to be finely grated, not chunky, otherwise you'll bite into a piece and get walloped by raw ginger intensity.
  • Make the dressing last so the components are still at their best temperatures when you eat, and don't store them together because everything gets soggy after a few hours.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for about a minute until they smell nutty and incredible, and this one small move makes people think you're a better cook than you are.
  • If you can't find toasted sesame oil, regular sesame oil works in a pinch but use less because it's milder and you'll need less to get that flavor across.
  • The sriracha in the dressing is optional but honestly it's the detail that takes this from weeknight dinner to something you'd order at a restaurant.
Go Back