Lightened-Up Mango Salsa Shrimp (Printable)

Vibrant mango salsa and seasoned shrimp served in crisp lettuce cups for a fresh, light meal.

# What You Need:

→ Shrimp Seasoning

01 - 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp chili powder
04 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Mango Salsa

10 - 1 large ripe mango, diced
11 - 1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
12 - 1/4 small red onion, finely diced
13 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
14 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - Juice of 1 lime
16 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Assembly & Garnish

17 - 8 large butter lettuce leaves or romaine hearts
18 - 1 small avocado, diced
19 - Lime wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine shrimp with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and lime juice. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - While shrimp marinates, combine diced mango, red bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a separate bowl. Mix gently and reserve.
03 - Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes per side until pink and opaque throughout. Remove from heat.
04 - Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Distribute cooked shrimp evenly among leaves, top with mango salsa, and garnish with diced avocado.
05 - Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in under 30 minutes, which means weeknight dinners actually happen without the stress.
  • The shrimp stays tender and the salsa stays bright because you're not cooking anything to death or letting flavors fade.
  • You get to eat something that feels indulgent and summery while keeping things light and real.
02 -
  • Overcooked shrimp ruins everything, so watch them like you mean it, because the difference between tender and bouncy is maybe two minutes total.
  • If your mango is not actually ripe, the whole thing tastes flat, so plan ahead and buy it the day before if needed.
  • Cilantro goes in at the very end, after everything else is done, because cooking it makes it taste like grass clippings instead of fresh herbs.
03 -
  • Buy shrimp from a fishmonger and ask if they're fresh or previously frozen, because it actually changes how they cook and how they feel in your mouth.
  • If your mango isn't quite ripe, buy it a day early and let it sit on your counter in a paper bag, which speeds up ripening without bruising it like a warm spot would.
  • Taste the salsa before you assemble anything, because adjusting lime juice and salt takes thirty seconds and ruins nothing, but fixing it after everything's on the lettuce is nearly impossible.
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