These Hibachi Shrimp Rice Bowls are the perfect crowd-pleasing dinner and are super easy to meal prep for the week.

This recipe for hibachi-style shrimp rice bowls is based on American Japanese steakhouse restaurant-style food. This recipe certainly isn’t authentic Japanese food, but I do enjoy it. Shrimp and vegetables sautéed in soy sauce with fried rice and creamy yum yum sauce? Yes, please.

Three white bowls side-by-side filled with fried rice, yum yum sauce, and hibachi shrimp and vegetables

Ingredients

Butter: The butter is divided up to cook the shrimp, vegetables, and rice separately. Given how salty soy sauce is, I would recommend unsalted butter as to have more control over the salty flavor.

Shrimp: I usually will get the EZ peel raw shrimp. It’s a reasonable price, and as the name implies, it’s very easy to peel. Plus, all of the shrimp are already deveined.

Soy sauce: I don’t find much taste difference between regular soy sauce and reduced sodium. In an effort for gentle nutrition that doesn’t compromise on taste, I usually go for the reduced-sodium version.

Vegetables: You’ll need a medium zucchini and onion. You’ll also need frozen peas and carrots too. You don’t need to thaw the frozen vegetables first – they’re small, so they cook quickly from frozen.

Egg: The egg is used for frying the rice.

Rice: Use any rice you prefer, but I like to use the microwave rice packets for a quick hack. After I cook it in the microwave, I pop it in the freezer while I work on the rest of the dish. Cold rice fries up better than hot or warm rice. You don’t want to spend 30+ minutes cooking rice and then have to allow time for it to cool down. Go for the 90-second packets; you’ll thank me.

Sauce ingredients: Mayo, ketchup, garlic powder, paprika, and a few dashes of hot sauce are all you need to make an easy yum yum sauce. If you don’t want to bother, you can totally just use the store-bought yum yum sauce.

Close up of the hibachi shrimp and vegetables in a white bowl.

How to Make Hibachi Shrimp and Vegetables

Hibachi shrimp is very easy to make. Ensure that the shrimp are patted dry with paper towels, so they get a nice sear in the skillet. The pan should be quite hot over medium-high heat. You first melt the butter, then add the shrimp in a single layer, preferably. After a minute or so, you’ll flip the shrimp and add 2 tbsp. of soy sauce. Allow the soy sauce to evaporate mostly. The shrimp are done when they are mostly pink, and their tail and head have coiled towards each other. You’ll set aside the shrimp and wipe the pan if necessary, then repeat the same process for the onion and zucchini. You don’t want to pile everything on at the same time in the skillet as the vegetables sweat out moisture that would affect the shrimp’s sear.

Close up of a hibachi shrimp rice bowl with yum yum sauce on top and a gray napkin and fork on the side.

How to Make Hibachi Fried Rice

In the same large skillet, you’ll add more butter and fry an egg, breaking the yolk and scrambling. You’ll then add the cooled rice along with the frozen peas and carrots, followed by 2 tbsp. of soy sauce. Keep moving the food around the skillet until everything is hot.

How to Make Yum Yum Sauce

You simply need to mix all of the ingredients and set the sauce aside. If you’re working ahead, I would make this in advance and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. The flavors will have more time to marinate and create a better flavor.

How to Prepare Hibachi Shrimp Rice Bowls for Meal Prep

After you prepare each component (shrimp, vegetables, rice, and sauce), keep everything in separate containers until you’re ready to use. If you’re going to pack the shrimp bowls for a to-go meal or lunch, then I would combine the vegetables and rice together in the same container to reheat in the microwave. I would keep the shrimp in a separate container and put the cold shrimp on top (shrimp don’t taste or smell great microwaved) after the vegetables and rice are reheated. Lastly, keep the yum yum sauce in a separate container and pour on top right before eating.