Xanthan Gum Free Blackened Shrimp Bowls with Brown Rice & Mango Avocado Salsa

Total time50 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time30 min

Xanthan Gum Free Blackened Shrimp Bowls with Brown Rice & Mango Avocado Salsa

Bright, bold, and built entirely from whole ingredients, this shrimp bowl is the kind of meal that looks like it came from a trendy fast-casual spot but comes together in your own kitchen. The blackening spice blend — smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and a few pantry staples — does all the heavy lifting, coating each shrimp in a deeply charred, smoky crust that sears up fast in a hot cast iron skillet. Many packaged spice blends and sauces sneak in thickeners or stabilizers you'd rather avoid, so building everything from scratch here means you stay in complete control of what goes into the bowl. The mango avocado salsa brings a cool, fruity contrast to all that heat, while the lime-tahini drizzle — whisked together with honey, olive oil, and fresh lime juice — adds a creamy, tangy finish without a single additive in sight. Brown rice forms the hearty base, soaking up every drop of that drizzle and salsa juice. It's a naturally clean, vibrant bowl that doesn't require any workarounds or substitutions — just real food cooked well.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the rice

1 ½ cups brown rice, rinsed
RiceSelect Brown Texmati Rice In Jar - 32 Oz Lundberg Heirlooms Rice Organic Brown Short Grain - 32 Oz 4Sisters Extra Long Grain {ORGANIC BROWN RICE}Lundberg Heirlooms Rice Brown Long Grain - 32 Oz Ben Brand Brown Rice 2lb - 2 LB
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3 cups water
½ tsp salt

For the blackening spice

1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the shrimp

1 ½ lb large shrimp (21–25 count), peeled and deveined, tails removed
2 tbsp avocado oil

For the mango avocado salsa

1 large mango, peeled and diced small
2 ripe avocados, diced
½ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
¼ tsp salt

For the lime-tahini drizzle

3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp raw honey
2–3 tbsp water, to thin
¼ tsp salt

For serving

lime wedges, for serving (optional)
sliced scallion greens, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the rinsed brown rice, 3 cups water, and ½ tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook for 40–45 minutes, until the water is fully absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2
While the rice cooks, mix the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, ½ tsp salt, and black pepper together in a small bowl until evenly combined.

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