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The shrimp in these blackened shrimp tacos are cooked in a blazing-hot cast-iron skillet, which creates a smoky, savory crust. Paired with a sweet, zesty pineapple-avocado salsa, you get the perfect tropical dinner—and it’s so easy!
Blackening is a simple cooking technique that involves a very hot pan and a generous amount of dry spices that, together, develop a smoky, savory crust on your food. It’s incredibly simple, so even if you’re newer to cooking, don’t fret. These blackened shrimp tacos are amateur-friendly—though you’ll feel pretty accomplished once you bite into them.
A Few Good Reasons to Make These
- Flavor contrast: the bright acidic sweetness from the pineapple is enough to cut through the richness and heat of the blackening spices on the shrimp.
- Nutritional balance: lean protein from shrimp, fiber from black beans, and healthy fats from avocado—plus tons of vitamins and minerals from the other elements in the salsa.
- Crowd-friendly: works as a weeknight dinner or something you can serve guests without much fuss.
Tips From My Kitchen
I make mistakes so that you don’t have to! Here are some things I’ve learned while testing this recipe…
- The right pan matters: a cast-iron pan or enameled cast-iron pan are your best bet. Stay away from grill pans—the shrimp steams between the grates and you lose the crust entirely.
- Use your exhaust fan: cooking at high heat with dry spices will create some smoke, so run that fan and, if you can, open a window before dropping the shrimp into the sizzling pan.
- Don’t crowd the shrimp: this will cause the pan’s temperature to drop, and the shrimp will steam rather than sear. Work in batches if your pan isn’t large enough.
- Leave the shrimp alone: once in the pan, let them sizzle for the first 30 to 60 seconds, untouched. That’s how the crust forms. Move them too soon, and you lose it.
Ingredients at a Glance
A quick look at some of the essentials before we dive into the recipe:
- Shrimp: Wild-caught when you can find it, certified farmed when you can’t. See my guide to buying sustainable seafood here.
- Blackening seasoning: You can buy pre-blended seasonings, but you probably already have everything you need in your spice collection to make the blend I’ve included in the recipe card. Also, be mindful of the sodium in store-bought varieties.
- Black beans: Totally optional, because not everyone loves beans.
How to Make Blackened Shrimp Tacos
Step 1: Season the Shrimp
Blend the spices for the blackening seasoning in a small bowl and set it aside.
Once the shrimp is thawed and cleaned, place it in a large mixing bowl. Lightly dab them with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Drizzle the shrimp with avocado oil, then sprinkle the blackening seasoning on top. With your hands, toss to coat the shrimp evenly; set aside.
Step 2: Make the Salsa
Gently stir all the ingredients for the pineapple-avocado salsa in a large mixing bowl and set it aside.
Step 3: Cook the Seasoned Shrimp
Heat avocado oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is blazing hot, add the shrimp and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side until a dark crust forms and the shrimp are just opaque. When done, transfer the shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate.
Step 4: Build your Tacos
Scoop some of the salsa into flour tortillas and top with blackened shrimp.
Make It Your Own!
- Like it saucy? Drizzle some Bang Bang sauce or lime crema on top.
- Add more heat: go heavier on the cayenne in the blackening seasoning.
- Try a different fruit: instead of pineapple, try mango—it works beautifully in these spicy shrimp tacos and would work here, too. You could also use a nice juicy peach.
- Tangy toppings: my quick-pickled red onions are one of my favorite taco toppers.
Serve It With…
These tacos pair perfectly with coconut ginger Instant Pot rice (the pineapple and coconut are fab together). Also consider these tasty honey-lime air fryer sweet potatoes.
Storage Tips
- Shrimp: can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Pineapple salsa: store in a separate airtight container for 3-4 days, though the texture will start to lose quality after a day or two.
Blackened Shrimp Tacos
Equipment
- 1 cast-iron or enameled cast iron pan Heavy-bottomed pans are best for blackening because they distribute heat evenly.
- Paper towels For patting the shrimp dry to absorb excess moisture.
Ingredients
- 24 large shrimp; shell off & deveined
- 2 TBSP avocado oil (or butter)
- 8 flour tortilla shells for tacos
Blackening Seasoning
- 3 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne (use more if you want to add more heat)
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
Pineapple & Avocado Salsa
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
- 1/2 large avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup diced sweet bell pepper (orange, red, or yellow)
- 1/2 cup diced tomato (any kind of tomato works here; I used grape tomatoes)
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
