A weeknight dinner that’s healthy, vibrant, bursting with flavor, and comes together in only 30 minutes? Sign me up! My Healthy Shrimp Fajita Bowls are full of tender veggies, juicy shrimp, fluffy rice, and my signature spice blend that brings this recipe together. Serve it as a bowl, or wrap it up in some tortillas for a delicious taco recipe! No matter which way you go, you can’t go wrong with this perfect weeknight dinner recipe.
Friends, is it just me, or is there something about the summertime that makes you crave seafood? Maybe it’s because, when I think of seafood, I think of bright, sunny days spent grilling outside with my boys (bonus points if I have a delicious cocktail in-hand). In the fall and winter, I crave more hearty meats like chicken, turkey, and a nice, juicy steak. But in the summer, I am all about the seafood.
It’s why I reach for recipes like my Quick & Easy Salmon with Tomato Lemon Sauce or my Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos practically all summer long. Not only are these recipes full of summertime flavors, but they’re perfect for making outside, on the grill, with my family.
I get asked often how I develop my recipes, and the honest truth is: I make what I want to eat! If I’m craving seafood, then you’re going to see more seafood recipes. If I’m craving salads (which, I always am), then you will see lots of salad recipes. Not counting the additional viral recipe here and there, I make what I want to eat and can get excited about cooking. Because if I’m excited about it, then I know you will be too. ☻
What You Need to Make these 30 Minute Fajita Bowls
- Shrimp: The shrimp is the backbone of this recipe! Shrimp are rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein, and are perfect in this recipe. If you don’t eat shrimp, you can easily substitute it out for chicken or even tofu.
- Bell Peppers: You can use any variation of bell peppers that you’d like for this recipe! In my opinion, whether you use red, green, or yellow, they all taste the same, and are just as delicious.
- Red Onion: Sliced red onions get perfectly soft and tender when cooking, and omit the best flavor!
- Olive Oil: We’ll be using olive oil to toss our veggies in, as well as coat the pan.
- Kalejunkie Signature Spice Blend: I’ve recently found my favorite spice blend to use on almost anything, and it’s the spice blend we’ll be using in this recipe! It includes cumin (my favorite), chili powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. It may seem simple, but believe me when I say that it’s perfect!
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper: A touch of salt and pepper makes any recipe taste better!
- Basmati Rice: Basmati rice is my favorite for these fajita bowls! It’s a slender, long-grain rice that is slightly more flavorful than traditional white rice, and adds the best base for these bowls.
- Broth or Water: While rice is traditionally cooked with water, you can cook it in broth for added flavor (and even protein!) I like to cook mine in bone broth – Kettle & Fire makes my favorite bone broth!
How to Make This Simple Summertime Weeknight Dinner Recipe
To make these fajita bowls, start by preparing your veggies: Slice your red onion and bell pepper (being sure to remove the seeds) and add them to a large bowl. Next, pour the olive oil over the veggies and add in all of your spices, tossing until the veggies are fully coated in the spices. Then, heat a tablespoon of olive oil, in a pan, on the stove. Once the pan is hot, toss in your onion and bell pepper mixture and cook until the veggies have softened – this should take about 7 minutes.
While the veggies are cooking, prepare your rice by rinsing it thoroughly, then add it to a pot on the stove, along with water or broth. Bring the rice to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the rice cook for 20 minutes, until fluffy and tender.
Once your veggies have cooked through, transfer them to a plate or bowl and then place your pan back on the stove. Add in another tablespoon of olive oil, and once the pan is hot again, add in your peeled and deveined shrimp. Cook the shrimp until they’re no longer translucent – this should take about 4 minutes.
Once the shrimp are done, remove them from the heat and assemble your fajita bowls: fluff your rice and add it to a bowl, then add in your onions, bell peppers, and shrimp. Mix them together, then serve and enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 Bell Peppers, seeds removed and sliced
- 1 Red Onion, sliced
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Cup Basmati Rice, rinsed well
- 2 Cups Broth or Water
Instructions
- Start by preparing your veggies: Slice your red onion and bell pepper (being sure to remove the seeds) and add them to a large bowl.
- Next, pour the olive oil over the veggies and add in all of your spices, tossing until the veggies are fully coated in the spices.
- Next, heat a tablespoon of olive oil, in a pan, on the stove. Once the pan is hot, toss in your onion and bell pepper mixture and cook until the veggies have softened – this should take about 7 minutes.
- While the veggies are cooking, prepare your rice. Rinse it thoroughly, then add it to a pot on the stove, along with water or broth.
- Bring the rice to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the rice cook for 20 minutes, until fluffy and tender.
- Once your veggies have cooked through, transfer them to a plate or bowl and then place your pan back on the stove. Add in another tablespoon of olive oil, and once the pan is hot again, add in your peeled and deveined shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp until they're no longer translucent – this should take about 4 minutes.
- Once the shrimp are done, remove them from the heat and assemble your fajita bowls: fluff your rice and add it to a bowl, then add in your onions, bell peppers, and shrimp.
- Mix them together, then serve and enjoy!
Rate & review
SELECT A RATING and tell me what you think!
What others are saying
I made this tonight and it’s absolutely delicious!!! I couldn’t stop eating it.
Yay! I am so thrilled you loved it, Karen! Thank you so much for your kind review!
My family loved this! My wife, who is very picky about chicken LOVED this with chicken. I can’t wait to also make it with shrimp. She asked me to make it a second time a week later. I made a minor change for chicken. I cooked the bell peppers and shallots (we’re not red onion fans) first. I made 1 1/2 of the seasoning blend and used 1/2 in the vegetables. After the vegetables softened, I removed them from the pan, added a little olive oil/avocado oil blend, and browned the chicken. After browning the chicken, I returned vegetables to the sauté pan, covered and placed in a 350 oven for 12 minutes. Perfect!