Spicy Pineapple Shrimp Avocado Crunch (Printable)
Chili-spiked shrimp with caramelized pineapple over lime-dressed avocado and crunchy cabbage-cucumber salad.
# List of ingredients:
→ Shrimp
01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 clove garlic, minced
05 - 1 tsp chili flakes, adjusted to taste
06 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - 1 tbsp honey or agave syrup
10 - Juice of 1/2 lime
→ Avocado Crunch Salad
11 - 2 ripe avocados, diced
12 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
13 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
14 - 1/2 cup radishes, thinly sliced
15 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - 2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
17 - 2 tbsp roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
→ Lime Dressing
18 - Juice of 1 lime
19 - 2 tbsp olive oil
20 - 1 tsp honey or agave syrup
21 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
22 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# Steps:
01 - In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with chili flakes, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, honey, and lime juice until evenly coated. Let rest for 10 minutes to absorb the seasonings.
02 - Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, honey, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, gently combine the diced avocados, sliced red cabbage, diced cucumber, sliced radishes, chopped cilantro, red onion, and roasted pepitas. Drizzle with the prepared lime dressing and toss lightly to coat without mashing the avocado.
04 - Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
05 - Add the marinated shrimp and diced pineapple to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through and the pineapple pieces are golden and caramelized, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
06 - Divide the avocado crunch salad evenly among serving plates. Spoon the spicy pineapple shrimp over the salad. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and an extra squeeze of lime if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast of fiery shrimp against cool, creamy avocado is the kind of thing that makes you close your eyes at the dinner table.
- Everything cooks in under thirty minutes, which means you can pull this off on a Tuesday without breaking a sweat.
- It is naturally gluten free and dairy free, so you can serve it to almost anyone without a second thought.
02 -
- Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery and sad within seconds, so pull the skillet off the heat the moment they are pink and slightly firm to the touch.
- Adding the dressing too early releases water from the cucumber and cabbage, so dress the salad no more than fifteen minutes before eating.
- The pineapple needs direct contact with the hot pan surface to caramelize, so resist the urge to constantly stir and just let it sit there for a minute.
03 -
- Pat the shrimp bone dry with paper towels before marinating, because excess water is the enemy of a good sear and the difference between restaurant quality shrimp and a soggy disappointment.
- Toasting the pepitas in a dry skillet for two minutes before adding them to the salad doubles their nuttiness and takes almost zero extra effort.