Grilled Shrimp Tacos With Avocado-Corn Salsa Recipe

At the heart of this dish is the combination of succulent grilled shrimp, coated in a perfect blend of Mexican spices, and a zesty salsa made with creamy avocado and sweet, smoky, grilled corn. Wrap all those delicious flavors up in a warm tortilla, and you have yourself something special. Whether it's Taco Tuesday or you're just looking for a bite that will transport your taste buds to a sun-soaked beach, this is the dish for you.

One of the highlights of this recipe is its ease of preparation. Ready in forty minutes, this dish is perfect for just about any occasion. You can whip it up for a quick weeknight dinner, a laid-back weekend barbecue, or a dinner party with friends. All it takes to prepare is a little bit of chopping and some time at the grill, which leaves you with more time to relax and enjoy the company. But be sure to get your talking done while the shrimp are still cooking, because once they're on the table, everyone might just be too focused on these delicious tacos to make much conversation.

Gather the shrimp taco ingredients

For this recipe, you will need peeled shrimp, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, one lime, neutral oil, one large avocado, an ear of corn, some red onion, and skewers to grill the shrimp. You will also need corn or flour tortillas for the tacos, but that choice is up to you. Once you've brought all of these ingredients to the table, you're ready to start cooking.

Step 1: Grill the corn

Shuck the corn and place it on a hot grill. Grill for around 15 minutes, turning regularly, until lightly charred on all sides.

Step 2: Make the salsa

Slice the corn off the cob and combine with the avocado, onion, cilantro, and lime. Mix and add salt to taste.

Step 3: Season the shrimp

Place the shrimp in a large bowl and add the spices. Stir until the spices are evenly distributed.

Step 4: Skewer the shrimp

Skewer the shrimp.

Step 5: Grill the shrimp

Lightly drizzle the skewers with neutral oil and place them on a medium-high heat grill. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

Step 6: Add a squeeze of lime

Finish the shrimp with a squeeze of lime.

Step 7: Time to eat

Serve with avocado-corn salsa, warm corn tortillas, and additional lime wedges, if desired.

Should I use corn or flour tortillas for tacos?

When it comes to picking tortillas for tacos, there is often that one big question: corn or flour? The answer is mostly one of personal preference, as both are totally acceptable options.

Corn tortillas are the traditional choice. In Mexico, corn has been ground and made into thin flatbreads for thousands of years, and today it is still the standard for most of the country. Flour tortillas, on the other hand, didn't become a part of Mexican cuisine until after the Spanish arrived. Nowadays, flour tortillas are mostly eaten in northern Mexico, being a staple of Sonoran cuisine as well as Tex-Mex, while corn is more popular in the rest of the country.

Feel free to use whichever variety of tortillas you prefer with this recipe, just be sure to warm them. Corn tortillas especially benefit from a bit of cooking. Straight out of the bag, they can be quite crumbly, but a quick fire on the grill, and they not only pick up a delicious bit of charred flavor but also become more pliable and better able to stand up to a hefty filling of shrimp and salsa.

How do I pick a good avocado for salsa?

Picking the right avocado is not only a challenge of trying to judge, by sight and touch, what that knobbly black fruit looks like inside, it's also a challenge of picking one that is perfect for the recipe you are preparing. Fortunately, as much as it might seem like a shot in the dark, you can determine a lot about an avocado by its outward appearance.

For this recipe, you are looking for an avocado that is ripe but still has some firmness to it. If the avocado is too soft, it will mash in the salsa and not look as nice on the plate. Too firm, and it can have a bit of crunch instead of the creaminess that we expect from a lovely bite of avocado. For a perfect avocado-corn salsa, you are looking for that sweet spot right in the middle, where it is both firm enough to dice and soft enough to bite through with ease.

If you are buying your avocados the same day you plan to use them, look for a fruit that is not too green and not too black, and which only gives slightly when squeezed. These fruits should be wonderfully green inside and just firm enough to easily chop. If you are shopping ahead of time, opt for something a little greener and a little firmer. That said, however, your avocados come out when you finally slice into them, they'll taste delicious alongside these grilled shrimp.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Avocado-Corn Salsa Recipe

5 (26 ratings)

These grilled shrimp tacos are perfect for any occasion, whether it's Taco Tuesday or you're just looking for a bite to transport your taste buds to a beach.

Prep Time
10
minutes
Cook Time
30
minutes
servings
4
Servings
shrimp taco on plate
Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ lime
  • Neutral oil
  • For the Salsa
  • 1 large avocado, diced large
  • 1 ear of corn
  • ½ cup diced red onion
  • 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
  • ½ lime
  • Salt, to taste

Optional Ingredients

  • Corn tortillas
  • Flour tortillas
  • Lime wedges

Directions

  1. Shuck the corn and place it on a hot grill. Grill for around 15 minutes, turning regularly, until lightly charred on all sides.
  2. Slice the corn off the cob and combine with the avocado, onion, cilantro, and lime. Mix and add salt to taste.
  3. Place the shrimp in a large bowl and add the spices. Stir until the spices are evenly distributed.
  4. Skewer the shrimp.
  5. Lightly drizzle the skewers with neutral oil and place them on a medium-high heat grill. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
  6. Finish the shrimp with a squeeze of lime.
  7. Serve with avocado-corn salsa, warm corn tortillas, and additional lime wedges, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories per Serving 424
Total Fat 18.8 g
Saturated Fat 2.4 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 365.1 mg
Total Carbohydrates 20.6 g
Dietary Fiber 8.1 g
Total Sugars 3.1 g
Sodium 893.2 mg
Protein 49.3 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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