Here’s another protein-packed meal prep bowl to fuel the beast in you. It’s full of fresh lemongrass shrimp, tons of veggies, and just enough carbs to keep you flying through your day.
For many years, I’ve struggled with balance in my own personal health and life journey.
Life is constantly busy with all the things that have to get done, and all the people that we love have needs. I often completely forget about what I need.
I feel selfish for asking for what I need. I feel selfish for asking for time to go to the gym and be away from my daughter. I feel guilty about asking to spend some time alone.
I know you can relate. You’re super busy, too. Every 30 minutes is precious, so I really value recipes that fit into that amount of time.
Eat right
I strongly believe in whole foods first. But I also believe that there is no one "correct" diet for everyone. We all need to figure what that is for ourselves.
I want you to find balance in your relationship with food. I want you to learn to recognize what disordered eating looks like and figure out how to change it. I want you to learn to accept your body right now and feed it out of love for yourself and your own well being. I’m inspired by so many strong and powerful women in my life, and I want to share that with you, too.
If you’ve been on the blog, you already know that I eat a lot of things in bowls. It makes putting a balanced meal together really easy, and it’s usually prep-able and packable. I feature a lot of bowls that you can prep each week. This rice noodle bowl is an incredible midweek lunch or light dinner.
This recipe, along with many others, are in Beast Bowl Nutrition: The Cookbook, so if you love this recipe, check it out!
What you'll love about this recipe
- Flavor: This shrimp is fresh and light, but doesn't fail to pack a punch, either. Lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and fresh herbs create an incredible flavor combination.
- Easy: The veggies in this recipe can be made days ahead of time. When you're ready to eat, the shrimp and the rice noodles cook in under ten minutes!
- Refreshing: This recipe is absolutely perfect for those long, hot summer nights where you just can NOT bring yourself to turn on the stove.
Recipe Notes
Serve this lemongrass shrimp in a delectable, summery vermicelli noodle bowl, or with a bowl of rice!
Ingredient notes
- Lemongrass: Marinate the shrimp in lemongrass for some bold flavor! Lemongrass is a thick, stalky plant found in the produce section of most grocery stores. Fresh lemongrass produces an incredible flavor that is impossible to replicate!
- Fish sauce: If you're born and raised white American, like me, "fish sauce" might sound incredibly gross. Trust me... it is THE secret ingredient to Vietnamese noodle bowls. I use Red Boat brand.
- Veggies: Pickled daikon radish and carrots add a zingy crunch to this recipe. I also love fresh cucumbers and sliced jalapeños, a staple of my favorite Vietnamese restaurant.
- Noodles. This easy meal prep bowl is delicious with rice noodles. These just soak in hot water, so vermicelli bowls are perfect for those summer nights when it's too hot to cook the noodles.
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Lemongrass Shrimp Bowls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds shrimp preferably wild, peeled and deveined
Lemongrass Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce like Red Boat
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon minced or grated ginger
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped lemongrass pale, tender center part only
Pickled Vegetables:
- 1 cup carrot finely julienned
- 1 cup daikon radish finely julienned
- 2 teaspoons sugar brown or white
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce like Red Boat
- 1 small serrano peppers quartered lengthwise
Add-ins for the Bowl:
- 1 pound rice noodles preferably rice vermicelli
- 1 to 2 small lettuce heads with the leaves separated, rinsed and patted dry
- 3 cups mixed herb sprigs cilantro, mint, basil
- 1 to 2 cucumbers sliced
- 4 scallions slivered
- 4 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts
- 2 cups bean sprouts (optional)
- 2 limes
- 4 tablespoons Sriracha
Instructions
- Make the pickled vegetables: Put carrot and daikon in a small bowl and sprinkle with sugar and salt. Add rice vinegar, toss well, and set aside.
- Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, and serrano pepper. Stir in ½ cup cold water and let mixture sit for 15 minutes. (Leftover sauce will keep up to 3 days, refrigerated.)
- Marinate the shrimp: Put shrimp in a shallow dish. Add fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and lemongrass. Mix well to coat. If you are going to grill, place the shrimp on skewers.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Turn off heat and add rice noodles. Soak noodles, stirring occasionally, until softened, usually about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Leave in colander at room temperature.
- Shred lettuce leaves and herb sprigs, place at the bottom of each bowl. Keep cool, covered with a damp towel.
- Put oil in a wok or frying pan over high heat. When oil is hot, add shrimp without crowding (work in batches if necessary). Cook for about 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
- To serve, divide the noodles among the 4 large soup bowls, then top each with hot shrimp, pickled vegetables and a tablespoon or so of dipping sauce. Sprinkle with scallions and peanuts (and beans sprouts if using). Serve with extra herbs, lime, and Sriracha.
Seanna Borrows
Love this recipe! Super tasty! The Vietnamese dipping sauce is amazing and can be used in so many ways! What a keeper!!