Easy shrimp with mango salsa bowls are the perfect easy weeknight dinner option. They're packed with nutrients, exploding with bright, bold, and zesty flavours and they can be made in under 30 minutes!
How to make air fryer frozen shrimp?
By this time you probably know that my love for my air fryer is a very real love (read: obsession). I've made everything from air fryer asparagus to air fryer cookies to air fryer apple crisp... and who can forget my famous breakfast cookie. However just when I think I've done it all the air fryer continues to amaze me.
Who knew you could make FROZEN shrimp in the air fryer!? My mind was blown when I found out. Say good bye to needing to plan dinners in advance or wait for your shrimp to defrost. Air fryer frozen shrimp is the ultimate easy weeknight dinner hack.
SO how how do you make frozen shrimp in air fryer? All you need is 5 minutes an you'll have the best perfectly cooked, juicy shrimp.
Step 1: Place your frozen shrimp in the air fryer basket
Step 2: Cook at 400F for about 5 minutes for frozen cooked shrimp (ie. your frozen shrimp is already pink) or about 10 minutes for frozen raw shrimp (ie. your shrimp is grey while in the bag), shake the basket halfway through cooking!
Step 3: Toss your shrimp in your favourite seasonings!
*note: always check the bag to see what type of shrimp you bought (raw vs. pre cooked)
that's it! It's that simple. Once your shrimp is cooked, season it with your favourite spices and you're good to add it to your favourite salads, tacos, or bowls!
Fall in Love with Mango Black Bean Salsa
Is there anything better than a good mango salsa? I think not. This easy mango black bean salsa is the perfect addition to these tex mex shrimp bowls for three simple reasons:
- It's colourful. As a Dietitian I always try to eat the rainbow. Incorporating a variety of colours into your meals not only ensures you are getting a variety of vitamins but it's also a way to make your meals fun! Adding colour gets kids, teens and even adults interested in trying new foods. That's why I love this mango salsa- it's full of bright, vibrant colours perfect to get anyone excited about dinner.
- It's fresh. It might be comfort food season but it's still hitting 25 degrees Celsius here in Ontario so I'm not letting go of my fresh meals yet. This salsa is packed with fresh mangos, flavorful cilantro, crisp red peppers and brought together with a zesty lime juice. It's the perfect dinner if you want to feel like your being transported to an island somewhere.
- It's packed with nutrients. Fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, Potassium, iron, protein.. the list goes on! This mango black bean salsa truly has it all. Shrimp with mango salsa is about to be your new favourite balanced dinner.
Ingredients for Tex Mex Shrimp Bowls
Don't let the big ingredient list scare you away! I promise this shrimp with mango salsa takes less than 30 minutes to throw together!
For the shrimp-
Shrimp- Fresh or frozen shrimp both work! I personally am obsessed with air fryer frozen shrimp now because it's so fast however nothing beats freshly caught raw shrimp cooked in a pan with some butter and olive oil!
Seasonings/ flavor: honey, chili powder, lime juice and salt and pepper are all you need to bring this chili lime shrimp to life!
For the salsa-
Mango- Fresh or defrosted frozen mango both work here! I love to make this easy mango black bean salsa whenever fresh mangos are on sale because they are SO good. However I've also made this with frozen mango and it worked perfectly as well!
Black beans- I use canned black beans in this recipe for convenience however dry beans work as well- just prepare them ahead of time according the instructions on the package!
Veggies- Red bell peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro are all the fresh veggies you are going to need for this fresh salsa! Feel free to swap in some other veggies you think might taste great or use up whatever you have on hand!
Oil- A little olive oil or avocado oil is needed to act as a dressing on your mango salsa! Any neutral tasting oil will work if you don't have either of those on hand.
For the rice-
Rice- white or brown rice both work perfectly fine in this recipe! I personally like using white rice because I find it has a slightly better ability to absorb the lime juice and cilantro for the freshest flavour.
Cilantro- As someone who once was an adamant cilantro hater, I can assure you the cilantro with the lime in this rice is the PERFECT flavour. However if you are a huge cilantro hater skip the cilantro and add some chili powder for a chili lime rice instead!
Lime- You will need the juice and zest of one lime! I prefer using fresh lime juice as opposed to bottled as I find the flavour stronger!
For the spicy sriracha sauce-
Rice vinegar- For a little tang! Other options include: white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
Sriracha sauce- I personally love using sriracha sauce however I do know there is a shortage and it can be a little harder to find these days. So I also recommend sambal oelek or even a little Tabasco sauce. If you prefer it less spicy use an unsweetened BBQ sauce!
Honey- For a touch of sweetness!
Mayonnaise and Greek yogurt- I have always been a fan of mixing plain Greek yogurt with mayonnaise for my sauces and dips. I find it creates a slightly more balanced dip with increased protein and a lower fat content while still keeping that creamy consistency! If you only have yogurt on hand feel free to skip the mayo (or vice versa).
Air fryer: I personally am a HUGE fan of the air fryer (especially for this air fryer frozen shrimp). I just love how quick it makes thing. Being someone who loves food but is very impatient the air fryer is my saving grace. I personally love this one (and it always goes on sale).
Instructions
Ok. So you have your ingredients prepped and ready to go. Now how do you turn that into a balanced dinner? This meal is broken down into four easy components: the shrimp, the rice, the salsa and the dressing. So grab your ingredients and in 30 minutes you'll be enjoying these yummy bowls!
Make your air fryer frozen shrimp: Follow the steps outlined above to make your easy 10 minute frozen shrimp in the air fryer. Or melt some oil and butter in a pan over medium heat, add some garlic and cook until fragrant. Once fragrant, add your shrimp and spices and cook until fully cooked through.
Make your mango black bean salsa: Chop up your veggies and herbs, rinse and drain you black beans and add everything into a large mixing bowl. Mix until fully combined, season with salt, pepper, and lime juice and set aside.
Make your cilantro lime rice: Cook your rice according to package instructions. I typically follow the one cup of rice to two cups of boiling water ratio. Once your rice is cooked, stir in butter, lime juice, lime zest and chopped cilantro and mix until fully combined. Adjust seasonings to taste!
Make your spicy sriracha dressing: Mix your yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, sriracha and rice vinegar in a bowl. Adjust taste to desired spice level (honey will make it sweeter, rice vinegar gives it that tang, mayonnaise adds creaminess and sriracha will make it more spicy). Add water to thin if desired (I recommend adding 1 teaspoon of water at a time)!
Other easy weeknight meals
If you love these shrimp with mango salsa bowls you need to try these easy weeknight dinner ideas...
- one pan chicken and zucchini pasta bake
- easy veggie ratatouille stew
- weeknight curry
- loaded sweet potato nachos
- roasted red pepper pasta
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these shrimp with mango salsa bowls don't forget to tag me on Instagram - @Nourishedbynic or leave a comment below how they turned out!
📖 Recipe
Shrimp with Mango Salsa Bowls
Ingredients
For the shrimp
- 1 lb medium-sized uncooked shrimp *for convenience I recommend deveined with tails off
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon honey
- 1 medium lime juice the juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the mango black bean salsa
- 1 cup mango diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
- ½ one medium red onion diced
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- 1 540 mL can of black beans rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon olive oil or other neutral tasting oil
- salt and black pepper to taste
Cilantro lime rice
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium lime juice and zest
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Spicy Sriracha Mayo
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
Instructions
For your shrimp
- Air fryer method: preheat air fryer to 400°F. Add your shrimp directly into the air fryer basket (no need to defrost first)! For raw shrimp from frozen air fry for about 10 minutes (flipping halfway), for cooked then frozen, air fry for about 5 minutes (flipping halfway). Once done, toss in your oil and spices and set aside.
- Stove top method- Defrost your shrimp (if frozen).Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 clove of pressed garlic and sautee until fragrant. Add your spices and shrimp and cook until pink.
For your mango black bean salsa
- Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
For your cilantro lime rice
- Cook your rice according to package instructions. Once done add your butter, cilantro and lime juice and zest and mix until combined. Adjust flavours and season to taste.
For serving-
- Divide rice evenly amongst 4 bowls. Top with shrimp and mango black bean salsa and drizzle with sriracha mayo!
Nutrition
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