Honey-Gochujang Shrimp Bowls with pickled cucumbers and avocado come together in just 30 minutes. These simple, delicious bowls are packed with flavor and perfect for busy weeknights.
Why You’ll Love This Gochujang Shrimp
Quick + Easy: You only need 30 minutes and a handful of ingredients to create this flavorful dish.
Minimal Ingredients: High-impact ingredients like gochujang, rice vinegar, and sesame oil drive the flavor of this recipe.
Healthy: Shrimp is a great source of lean protein, and avocado adds healthy fats and fiber, making for a well-balanced meal.
Versatile: If shrimp isn’t your favorite, you can substitute with salmon, tofu, or chicken.
Gluten Free + Dairy Free: Also nut-free!
The sticky-sweet honey-gochujang sauce is the star of this recipe. With just 4 ingredients, it has quickly become a favorite in our house. It’s also fantastic drizzled over roasted vegetables, baked fish, or chicken wings.
Ingredients
- Shrimp: Quick-cooking and high in protein. Choose peeled, deveined shrimp to save prep time.
- Gochujang: A staple in Korean cuisine, this thick, spicy red paste is made from red chile peppers, fermented soybeans, and salt.
- Rice Vinegar: Use unseasoned rice vinegar, which is simply rice and vinegar.
- Sesame Oil: Regular (not toasted) sesame oil provides subtle sesame flavor.
- Honey: Balances the spice of the gochujang and helps create a thick, sticky sauce.
- Sushi Rice: Short-grain rice is perfect for these bowls, with its sticky, springy texture that absorbs the gochujang sauce well.
- Cucumber: Use Persian or English cucumbers, which are seedless and often labeled as “snacking cucumbers.”
- Avocado: Adds a creamy contrast to the crunch of the cucumbers.
For a complete list of ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1: Prepare Sushi Rice
Add rice to a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, covered, until the rice is tender and all the water is absorbed.
Step 2: Marinate Cucumbers
Place cucumbers, rice vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Toss occasionally and let sit until ready to assemble the bowls.
Step 3: Prepare Gochujang Sauce
Combine gochujang, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and honey in a small bowl; whisk to combine.
Step 4: Cook Shrimp
In a large skillet, cook shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes until no longer opaque. Add gochujang sauce and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce bubbles, thickens, and coats the shrimp.
Step 5: Assemble Bowls
Divide the rice evenly among 4 bowls. Top with gochujang shrimp, pickled cucumbers, and avocado. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Storage Tips
To Store: If possible, store rice and shrimp separately from cucumber and avocado. This way, you can reheat the rice and shrimp together and add the fresh components afterward.
To Reheat: Rewarm the rice and shrimp in a skillet or microwave until heated through.
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan with Lid
- Large skillet
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups short-grain white rice (sushi rice), rinsed
- 4 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 Tbsp. rice vinegar, divided
- Kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. gochujang paste
- 1 Tbsp. sesame oil (not toasted)
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 1 lb. medium peeled and deveined shrimp*
- 2 Tbsp. neutral cooking oil
- 1 large (or 2 medium) avocados, thinly sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Bring rice, a pinch of salt, and 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook until water is absorbed and rice is fluffy about 20 minutes. Gently fluff rice with a fork.
- Meanwhile, toss cucumbers with 1/4 cup rice vinegar and a generous pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Let sit, tossing occasionally, until ready to use.
- In a small bowl, combine gochujang, remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. rice vinegar, sesame oil, and honey; whisk well.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. neutral cooking oil in a large skillet over medium. Add shrimp, and cook for 3 minutes, until no longer opaque. Season with salt. Add gochujang sauce and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the shrimp.
- To serve, scoop rice into bowls. Divide honey-gochujang shrimp, drained pickled cucumbers, and avocado slices evenly among bowls. Spoon any residual cucumber pickling liquid over the cucumbers and avocado slices. Drizzle any remaining gochujang sauce from the pan over the shrimp, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
- For the shrimp, you can either remove the tails before or after cooking. I find it easier to remove them before.
- To Store. If possible, store rice and shrimp separate from cucumber and avocado. This way, you can rewarm the rice and shrimp together, and add the fresh additions after.
- To Reheat: Rewarm the rice and shrimp either in a skillet or the microwave until heated through.
NUTRITION INFORMATON: Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 980mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g
*I calculate these values by hand to ensure accuracy, however expect up to a 10% variable depending on food brands*
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