Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Avocado and Pineapple Salsa
Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Avocado and Pineapple Salsa are a balanced mix of spicy, sweet, and refreshing.
Another week, another Taco Tuesday. I hope you had an awesome weekend! Mine was busy—but good. We enjoyed a quiet Friday evening in bed watching The Lost Boys (because 80s movies are everything), entertained some friends with dinner and board games on Saturday, and ran some errands on Sunday.
I’m definitely taking advantage of what energy and mobility I have left before my third trimester belly swells and creates a fruitless loafer out of me. Currently, the growing pains are REAL. And that ice cream craving I’ve managed to avoid for the last six months? It’s starting to rear its ugly, hungry head. (I totally indulged in a mint Oreo Dairy Queen Blizzard Sunday night and it was some kind of magic.)
I’ve managed to put healthier spins on most of my cravings so far, so I really shouldn’t grumble about it. Like when I wanted tacos last week, I mustered up enough energy to make these chewy and fluffy from-scratch flour tortillas! We then stuffed them with blackened shrimp and an invigorating avocado and pineapple salsa. It was delish. So delish, that I had to move some things around on my content calendar in order to fit these in this week :) Tacos are a priority!
Other than that, I recently wrapped up my book club read for March—The Hate U Give. This story is incredibly compelling and thought-provoking. If you haven’t read this book, I highly recommend it. This week I’m enjoying Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, which is a lighthearted contemporary romance and exactly what I needed after my last few heavy reads :)
Are you reading anything good?
Anyway. I Hope you dig this recipe as much as we did.
Some other tacos that have me stoked for Taco Tuesday goodness include these Instant Pot Sriracha Chicken Tacos, these vegan Sheet Pan Potato Tacos, and these Crispy Avocado Breakfast Tacos! (Tacos for breakfast? Um, yes please.)
Whatever tacos you mow down today, I hope they’re awesome.
If you try this recipe or create your own variation, let me know in the comments! I love connecting with you.
Also, snap a photo and tag me on the Insta @killing__thyme and be featured in our newsletter.
Get the Recipe:
Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Avocado and Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 24 large shrimp; cleaned, shelled, and deveined
- 2 TBSP melted butter
- blackened seasoning (about 2 TBSP), Use recipe below, or use a good quality blend from the store.
- 8 tortilla shells, See notes* for my homemade flour tortillas!
Blackened Seasoning.
- 3 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dry thyme
- 1/2 tsp dry oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne; more if you'd like more heat
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
Avocado and Pineapple Salsa.
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple, Most canned pineapple is flavorless, so stick with fresh!
- 1/2 large avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup diced orange bell pepper, You can also use red or yellow; green is less sweet.
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 2 TBSP Freshly chopped parsley or cilantro
Materials.
- Cast Iron Skillet, See notes* if you don't have a cast iron skillet.
- Paper towels
Instructions
Blackened Shrimp.
- Mix all of the Blackened Seasoning together in a small bowl until combined; set aside. (If you're using a store-bought blend, skip this step.)
- If you need to shell and devein your shrimp, do that now. If your shrimp has come shelled, deveined, and without tails, simply rinse under cold water and set them on some paper towels. Pat the shrimp dry with more paper towels to remove excess water.
- Place the shrimp into a marinating bag or a container with a lid. Pour the 2 TBSP of melted butter over the shrimp followed by the blackened seasoning. Shake and mix the contents of the container so that the shrimp is evenly coated with butter and seasoning. Place the shrimp in the fridge while you prepare the salsa.
Avocado and Pineapple Salsa.
- Transfer the pineapple, avocado, bell pepper, red onion, black beans, and fresh herbs (cilantro or parsley) into a large bowl. Toss the ingredients until they're all mixed up; set aside. (Since the blackened seasoning is salty and spicy, you don't have to season the salsa at all. Adding salt or seasoning to this salsa would offer up way too much saltiness.)
Cooking the shrimp.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, transfer the marinated shrimp into the cast iron skillet. Simmer the shrimp for about 2 minutes each side (four minutes total), or until the shrimp is opaque. You'll notice the "blackening" effect happening with the butter and seasoning.
- When done, remove the skillet from the heat. Top tortillas with a spoonful of salsa, three shrimp, and serve immediately.
