Our cilantro lime shrimp recipe beautifully combines the juicy, semi-sweet flavor of shrimp with a bright and zesty mix of cilantro and lime, to create a dish bursting with flavor. The result is utterly divine — a perfectly served family-style dinner that only takes 22 minutes from start to finish!
Is Cilantro Lime Shrimp Healthy?
Yes, it is.
One serving of this cilantro lime shrimp has 502 calories, nearly a third of which come from the shrimp.
Shrimp contain zero carbs, very little fat, and a rich amount of protein. This explains why they are a highly-favored ingredient in many weight-loss plans.
These marine creatures are also packed with a generous amount of omega-3 fatty acids and are an excellent source of antioxidants. They are also high in many vitamins and minerals, such as:
- Calcium: for proper functioning of heart, muscles, and nerves.
- Potassium: for blood pressure and heartbeat regulation.
- Iodine: for proper thyroid function and brain health.
- Selenium: for better heart health and inflammation relief.
Main Ingredients
Shrimp
Either small or jumbo shrimp can work well for this recipe. We also keep shrimp tails on to save the robust flavor that seeps out from the tails. You can remove them later when eating.
Remember that small shrimp will cook faster than jumbo shrimp, so 5 minutes of sautéeing on medium heat in this recipe is enough to cook them through.
You can easily tell if the shrimp are done just by looking at their color and shape. Remove them from the heat once they turn fully pink and opaque with bright red accents, and curve into a loose C shape.
We sear the shrimp quickly in melted unsalted butter to reduce the total amount of sodium in the dish a little bit. Replace butter with olive oil if you don’t want to make it buttery in taste.
Marinade (with lime juice)
In this recipe, we opted for a spice blend of salt, pepper, cumin, tabasco, lime juice, coriander, paprika, garlic powder, and sriracha to create a bright and bold flavor profile for the shrimp. Feel free to use your own favorite spice mix or add cayenne pepper to the marinade if you prefer it a bit spicier. We’ve got our own Shrimp Marinade Recipe if you prefer a smoky and BBQ taste that will undoubtedly excite the taste buds.
Whatever spices you use, it's important to not let the shrimp sit in the mixture for more than 20 minutes. Longer than that and the marinade will draw moisture out of the shrimp and the acid from the lime juice will start to break down the meat.
As a result, over-marinated shrimp are always dry and mushy after cooking. So to play it safe, we only marinate them for 5 minutes in this recipe; it’s long enough to absorb the flavor, but not so long that it alters the texture.
Cilantro
Cilantro plays an important role in the overall flavor of this dish. It adds a bright, peppery, pungent note that enhances the semi-sweet and savory flavor of the shrimp.
You can use more or less cilantro as per your taste, or replace it with other aromatic fresh herbs such as basil, dill, chives, or parsley to create a similar result if you aren’t a fan of cilantro, or don’t have any to hand.
How to Store and Reheat
This cilantro lime shrimp is best served hot and fresh right after it's done or within the same day as cooking. The lime and cilantro flavors will intensify with resting time, so there's a chance it will be too strong taste-wise the longer it's left.
If properly stored in airtight containers and put in the fridge, leftover cilantro lime shrimp can still be good for up to 3 days. When frozen, it can last up to 3 months.
To reheat the leftover portions, you can either pop them in the microwave or heat them quickly on the stove. You'll only need the shrimp to be warmed through but not cooked further, so be careful not to leave them on the heat for too long.
What to Serve With
This cilantro lime shrimp makes a scrumptious meal when served over seasoned white rice. You can also replace the white rice with brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice to cut down the calories and add fiber.
Other common ways to enjoy this dish are piling it into tacos, burritos, or preparing a small portion of mashed potatoes to have as a side.
To help sneak more veggies into our diets, we decided to combine our cilantro lime shrimp with Greek salad to round out a nutritious full meal.
Calling for fresh produce such as lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, olives, and feta cheese, along with olive oil and red wine vinegar, our Greek salad is low GI and contains absolutely no processed carbs or trans fat. It's packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber and is a perfect side dish for protein-rich entrées like this cilantro lime shrimp.
Explore More Easy and Healthy Shrimp Recipes
Cilantro Lime Shrimp Recipe
Our cilantro lime shrimp recipe beautifully combines the juicy, semi-sweet flavor of shrimp with a bright and zesty mix of cilantro and lime, to create a dish bursting with flavor. The result is utterly divine — a perfectly served family-style dinner that only takes 22 minutes from start to finish!
- cook TIME 12 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 22 mins
- COURSE Main Course
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 502 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 13 oz shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails on, equals 24 oz unpeeled)
- 1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
- 2 tbsp lime juice (divided)
- 8 oz avocado (sliced)
- 1/2 tsp salt (divided)
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp ground black pepper (divided)
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 1 tsp tabasco
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 oz jalapeño (chopped)
- 1/8 tsp lime zest
- 3 cups cooked medium-grain white rice
INSTRUCTIONS
In a bowl, marinate 13 oz shrimp with a spice blend of 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp tabasco, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/4 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp sriracha for 5 minutes.
In the meantime, season 3 cups cooked rice with 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/8 tsp lime zest, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper.
In a cast-iron skillet, heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Sauté 1 tbsp minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the marinated shrimp to the skillet with 1 tbsp unsalted butter. Sauté for 5 minutes until the shrimp turns pink and opaque.
Turn off the heat. Sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 0.5 oz chopped jalapeño on top.
Portion out and serve hot with cooked rice and 2 oz avocado on each plate.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
Natalie Butler, RD, LD
Nutrition Reviewer
- Kelli CoppensThis was very tasty. I will making it again.