Easy Grilled Shrimp Bowl with Avocado and Corn

If you ask me, a good grain bowl is one of the easiest ways to get dinner on the table.

This grilled shrimp bowl brings together smoky barbecue shrimp with a fresh avocado and corn salad that’s packed with lime and cilantro. The shrimp get a coating of paprika and oil before hitting the grill, then get brushed with barbecue sauce for a sweet glaze.

The corn salad is tossed with creamy avocado, red onion, and queso fresco in a simple lime dressing. A spicy sriracha mayo drizzled over everything ties it all together.

It’s a filling meal that feels light and fresh, perfect for summer nights when you want something satisfying without heating up the kitchen.

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What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?

For this grilled shrimp bowl, you’ll want to grab large shrimp, which typically come in at about 21-25 count per pound. Fresh shrimp is great if you can find it, but honestly, most shrimp at the grocery store has been previously frozen anyway, so don’t worry about using frozen shrimp – just thaw it in the fridge overnight or under cold running water. When you’re at the store, look for shrimp that’s already peeled and deveined to save yourself some time, though leaving the tail on helps with grilling and gives you something to hold onto while you eat. If the shrimp smells fishy or has any black spots, skip it and choose another package.

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Options for Substitutions

This bowl is super adaptable, so feel free to swap things around based on what you have:

• Shrimp: If shrimp isn’t your thing or you want to mix it up, try grilled chicken breast, salmon, or even tofu. Just adjust your cooking time accordingly – chicken needs about 6-7 minutes per side, and tofu works great with the same marinade.
• Vegan mayonnaise: Regular mayo works perfectly fine here if that’s what you have in the fridge. Greek yogurt or sour cream also make great substitutes for a tangier sauce.
• Queso fresco: Can’t find queso fresco? Feta cheese is a solid alternative with a similar crumbly texture. Cotija cheese or even shredded monterey jack will work too.
• Couscous: The recipe already mentions rice or quinoa as options, but you could also use cauliflower rice for a low-carb version or even mixed greens for a lighter bowl.
• Fresh corn: If fresh corn isn’t in season, frozen corn works great – just thaw it and sauté it in a hot pan for a few minutes to get some char. Canned corn will do in a pinch, though it won’t have that grilled flavor.
• Sriracha: Any hot sauce you prefer will work here. Try Frank’s RedHot, Tabasco, or even a chipotle sauce for a smoky kick.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Grilling

Overcooking shrimp is the fastest way to ruin this bowl – they only need about 2-3 minutes per side and are done when they turn pink and opaque, so pull them off the grill as soon as they curl into a “C” shape (if they curl into an “O,” they’ve gone too far).

Skipping the step of soaking wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes will leave you with charred, smoking sticks that can catch fire on the grill, so don’t rush this prep work.

When grilling the corn, resist the urge to constantly turn it – let each side get nice char marks by leaving it alone for 3-4 minutes before rotating, which adds that smoky flavor you’re looking for.

Finally, wait until your grains have cooled to room temperature before assembling the bowls, otherwise the heat will wilt your avocado salad and make everything mushy instead of fresh and crisp.

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What to Serve With Grilled Shrimp Bowl?

This grilled shrimp bowl is already pretty filling on its own, but I love adding some warm tortilla chips or crispy tortilla strips on the side for extra crunch. A cold Mexican beer or a pitcher of margaritas makes this feel like a real summer cookout, and if you want to bulk it up even more, some black beans or pinto beans work great as an extra topping. For a lighter option, a simple cucumber salad with lime and chili powder is refreshing and cuts through the richness of the avocado and mayo-based sauce.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover shrimp bowl components in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to store the shrimp, avocado mixture, and grains separately so everything stays fresh and you can mix and match portions throughout the week.

Make Ahead: You can prep most of this bowl ahead of time! Cook the grains and grill the corn and shrimp up to 2 days in advance. Just wait to cut the avocado until you’re ready to eat, since it browns quickly even with lime juice.

Serve: This bowl is great served cold or at room temperature straight from the fridge. If you prefer warm shrimp, just heat them gently in a skillet over medium heat for a minute or two, being careful not to overcook them or they’ll get rubbery.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3000-3300
• Protein: 120-135 g
• Fat: 130-150 g
• Carbohydrates: 380-420 g

Ingredients

For the shrimp:

• 2 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined with tails left on)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 cup barbecue sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray’s for the best glaze)
• 4 skewers

For the spicy mayo:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for a creamier base)
• 2 tbsp sriracha
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the avocado salad:

• 2 avocados (diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 3 ears corn
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1/4 cup red onion (finely diced)
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil (I like Goya Extra Virgin for this salad)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup queso fresco

For the bowls and garnish:

• 4 cups couscous (fluffed with a fork to prevent clumping)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered into bite-sized pieces)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 lime (cut into 6 wedges for serving)

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Cook the Corn

• 3 ears corn
• salt for boiling water
• 2 avocados
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup cilantro

While preparing your ingredients, get the corn cooking first since it requires the most time.

Boil the corn in salted water for 8-10 minutes until tender, then remove and let cool slightly before cutting the kernels off the cob.

While the corn cooks, dice your avocados into ½-inch cubes, finely dice the red onion, halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes, and chop your cilantro.

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and prepare your 4 skewers.

Step 2: Make the Spicy Mayo and Corn Salad

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp sriracha
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• corn kernels from Step 1
• diced avocado from Step 1
• 1/4 cup cilantro from Step 1
• red onion from Step 1
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup queso fresco

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sriracha, and 2 tablespoons of lime juice to create the spicy mayo—this can be made while other components cook.

In another bowl, combine the cooled corn kernels from Step 1 with the diced avocado, cilantro, red onion, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2½ tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and queso fresco.

I like to gently toss the corn salad to keep the avocado from getting too broken up, which keeps the presentation looking fresh.

Set both bowls aside until ready to serve.

Step 3: Season and Skewer the Shrimp

• 2 lb shrimp
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 4 skewers

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps them grill better and get a better char.

Thread the shrimp onto your 4 skewers, dividing them evenly—about 8-10 shrimp per skewer depending on size.

In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil with 1¼ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika.

Coat the skewered shrimp generously on all sides with this seasoned oil mixture.

Step 4: Grill the Shrimp with Barbecue Glaze

• seasoned shrimp skewers from Step 3
• 1 cup barbecue sauce

Place the seasoned shrimp skewers on your preheated grill and cook for 2 minutes without moving them to develop a nice char.

Flip the skewers and immediately brush the cooked side with barbecue sauce.

Grill for another 1-2 minutes, then flip again, brush the second side with barbecue sauce, and grill for a final 1-2 minutes until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.

The shrimp will continue cooking slightly after they come off the grill, so don’t overdo it—they cook quickly.

Step 5: Cook the Couscous and Assemble the Bowls

• 4 cups couscous
• grilled shrimp skewers from Step 4
• corn salad from Step 2
• cherry tomatoes from Step 1

While the shrimp are grilling, prepare the couscous according to package directions, then fluff it gently with a fork to prevent clumping—I find this step essential for getting the right texture.

Divide the fluffed couscous evenly among 4 bowls.

Top each bowl with one grilled shrimp skewer, a generous portion of the corn salad from Step 2, and some of the halved cherry tomatoes.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

• spicy mayo from Step 2
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 lime

Drizzle each bowl with a generous dollop of the spicy mayo from Step 2.

Top with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the bowl.

The lime juice brightens all the flavors and helps tie everything together.

Easy Grilled Shrimp Bowl with Avocado and Corn

Delicious Easy Grilled Shrimp Bowl with Avocado and Corn recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 3150 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the shrimp

• 2 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined with tails left on)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 cup barbecue sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's for the best glaze)
• 4 skewers

For the spicy mayo

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for a creamier base)
• 2 tbsp sriracha
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the avocado salad

• 2 avocados (diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 3 ears corn
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1/4 cup red onion (finely diced)
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil (I like Goya Extra Virgin for this salad)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup queso fresco

For the bowls and garnish

• 4 cups couscous (fluffed with a fork to prevent clumping)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered into bite-sized pieces)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 lime (cut into 6 wedges for serving)

Instructions

 

• While preparing your ingredients, get the corn cooking first since it requires the most time. Boil the corn in salted water for 8-10 minutes until tender, then remove and let cool slightly before cutting the kernels off the cob. While the corn cooks, dice your avocados into ½-inch cubes, finely dice the red onion, halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes, and chop your cilantro. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and prepare your 4 skewers.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sriracha, and 2 tablespoons of lime juice to create the spicy mayo—this can be made while other components cook. In another bowl, combine the cooled corn kernels from Step 1 with the diced avocado, cilantro, red onion, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2½ tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and queso fresco. I like to gently toss the corn salad to keep the avocado from getting too broken up, which keeps the presentation looking fresh. Set both bowls aside until ready to serve.
• Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps them grill better and get a better char. Thread the shrimp onto your 4 skewers, dividing them evenly—about 8-10 shrimp per skewer depending on size. In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil with 1¼ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Coat the skewered shrimp generously on all sides with this seasoned oil mixture.
• Place the seasoned shrimp skewers on your preheated grill and cook for 2 minutes without moving them to develop a nice char. Flip the skewers and immediately brush the cooked side with barbecue sauce. Grill for another 1-2 minutes, then flip again, brush the second side with barbecue sauce, and grill for a final 1-2 minutes until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. The shrimp will continue cooking slightly after they come off the grill, so don't overdo it—they cook quickly.
• While the shrimp are grilling, prepare the couscous according to package directions, then fluff it gently with a fork to prevent clumping—I find this step essential for getting the right texture. Divide the fluffed couscous evenly among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with one grilled shrimp skewer, a generous portion of the corn salad from Step 2, and some of the halved cherry tomatoes.
• Drizzle each bowl with a generous dollop of the spicy mayo from Step 2. Top with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the bowl. The lime juice brightens all the flavors and helps tie everything together.