High-Protein Jerk Shrimp Rice Bowl (Under 15 Minutes)

Jerk shrimp rice bowl with about 30g of protein per serving. One pan, under 15 minutes, homemade jerk seasoning, spicy kidney beans, and rice.

You know I do a lot of sous vide cooking, but it ain’t going to answer a last-minute “what’s for dinner?” unless you use it for meal prepping, which I do all the time. Some days, though, I want a quick, spontaneous, throw-it-all-together meal. If you are with me, try this Jerk Shrimp Rice Bowl. It cooks in one skillet in under 15 minutes, packs about 30 grams of protein per bowl, and is a great way to use up leftover rice. The shrimp cook in a couple of minutes, the canned kidney beans in chili sauce double as the sauce, and I season it all with my own jerk blend, mixed from the spice drawer. Just a handful of ingredients and one pan. Boom! Delicious.

This recipe makes two bowls, but you can easily scale it up if you are cooking for more people, especially with the full batch of homemade jerk seasoning ready to go. Let’s get to it.

Why You’ll Love This Jerk Shrimp Rice Bowl

• It’s quick and easy. You need about 5 minutes of prep and 8 minutes on the stove, and you only have one skillet to wash.
• It’s delicious. Sweet, spicy, and savory all at once, with shrimp that pick up a little caramelization from the brown sugar.
• It’s a great way to use leftover rice. Day-old rice holds its shape better than fresh in a hot skillet, so this is a smart way to use it up.
• It’s high in protein. Shrimp is lean protein with very little fat, and it’s a good source of selenium and iodine. The kidney beans add plant protein, fiber, and iron.

Protein and fiber both help you feel full longer, which is why I like dinner with plenty of each. 

What You’ll Need

• Raw, peeled large shrimp. You want to use raw shrimp here, not pre-cooked. Frozen is fine. Just thaw it first.
• Kidney beans in chili sauce. This is the shortcut. You get seasoned beans and a ready-made sauce in one can.
• Cooked rice. Leftover rice or a microwave pouch both work.
• Olive oil and jerk seasoning. You need 1 tablespoon of oil and about 1¾ teaspoons of the blend below to make two servings.

Homemade Jerk Seasoning

Store-bought jerk seasoning varies a lot in salt and heat. I always prefer making my own seasoning blends, and this one takes two minutes, and the spices are probably already in your pantry.

• Brown sugar and cinnamon add warmth and help the shrimp caramelize.
• Coriander and cumin give it an earthy base.
• Cayenne and black pepper bring the heat.
• Garlic powder and kosher salt add savory depth.

The full recipe makes about 3 tablespoons, and this recipe uses only 1¾ teaspoons, enough for both servings. Store the rest in an airtight jar away from heat and light, and shake before using since brown sugar can clump. It’s the same blend I use on my sous vide pork tenderloin, so one batch covers more than one dinner.

How the Bowls Come Together

The full steps are on the recipe card below. Here’s what to look for at each stage.

• Seasoning the shrimp. Season them right before they hit the pan. Shrimp are small, and the blend is potent, so a light, even coating is enough. There’s no need to marinate.
• Searing. Let the oil get hot before adding the shrimp so they sizzle on contact. They only need a minute or two here, just until the edges turn pink. They finish cooking when you stir in the beans and rice, which keeps them tender.
• The sauce. Drain the beans and save only a few tablespoons of the chili sauce to keep this a bowl instead of a stew. That bit of sauce coats the rice without making it soggy. Break up any clumps of cold rice with your spatula as you stir.
• Finishing. Stir until the rice is steaming and the beans are hot. Taste before you add more seasoning, since both the chili sauce and the jerk blend carry salt and heat.

Jerk Shrimp Rice Bowl FAQs

If you make it, let me know how it goes in the comments. For more shrimp ideas, try my sous vide shrimp poached in coconut milk. It’s one of the few things you can cook sous vide in under 20 minutes.

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