Looking for a restaurant quality blackened shrimp recipe that you can easily prepare from the comfort of your own kitchen? I got you! The simple marinade for these shrimp is out of this world delicious and the cooking method is fail-proof! Pair these yummy shrimp with my crisp and delicious 5 Minute Spicy Citrus Cilantro Coleslaw, your go-to taco toppings and your favorite tortilla or lettuce wrap and you'll have a meal bursting with fresh flavors! Shrimp are inherently Keto, Paleo and Whole30 compliant. Simply customize how they're served to align with your dietary lifestyle and enjoy!
If you're new around here, welcome! I'm Krista, a recipe developer and food blogger by day and bartender by night (sleep when you're dead they said). I sometimes feel like I live a double life. I'm this proponent for treating your body like a temple by day and a very bad influence on your body by night, but bartending keeps food in my pets' bellies and a roof over our heads, so that gig isn't ending anytime soon.
I've actually been working for the same restaurant on and off since my senior year of high school. I graduated in 2006. You do the math. I'm not exactly sure why I've stuck around for so long, but I can assure you it's not for the employee food discount. This is going to sound a lot like me throwing shade, but it's just me keeping it real. The food at this place isn't terrible. There are a lot of really tasty menu items, but my body craves dishes created with fresh, real food ingredients. That being said, the idea of eating food prepared in a kitchen with 4 microwaves and guacamole but no avocados ...yeah, that's gonna be a no from me dog.
Not to mention, I've worked there for so damn long that my taste buds are sooo over it. Alright, I'm totally throwing shade, but there is one meal that I'm actually pretty impressed by -the shrimp tacos! The blackened shrimp and citrus slaw they're loaded with are pretty damn good and the recipe is pretty damn clean! No microwaves involved! 10 out of 10 recommend! 😉
So I suppose this recipe is a nod to my place of employment's shrimp tacos. The recipes are totally different, but the concept is the same! Fresh blackened shrimp over a bed of slaw wrapped up into a something -my kind of fresh and flavorful meal!
Okay, enough shop talk -let's talk about this delicious recipe!
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Ingredients for Healthy & Whole30 Blackened Shrimp
For the shrimp, you'll need just a handful of ingredients you may already have on hand.
- Shrimp, duh. Save yourself the labor and grab shrimp that are already peeled, deveined and tails removed.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Lime Juice & Lime Zest
- Garlic Clove
- Coconut Aminos
- For the homemade blackening seasoning blend, you'll need paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. This seasoning blend is a great one to have on hand for a quick way to add flavor to many dishes. I always have a shaker of it in my spice cabinet! Simply triple or quadruple the recipe and store it in a cool, dry place.
How to Make Easy Blackened Shrimp
This is a pretty straight forward method for preparing shrimp. All you need to do is quickly marinate the shrimp and then cook it. It doesn't get much easier than that. For the marinade, add all of the marinade ingredients to a large bowl and whisk vigorously until well combined. Add the shrimp to the bowl, toss in the marinade and then pour everything into a resealable bag. Seal the bag and marinate in the fridge for no longer than 20 minutes.
I don't recommend marinating the shrimp much longer than that. The acid in the lime juice will essentially act as an oven. Fun fact: like heat, citric acid assists in a chemical process called denaturation. Blah blah blah. Basically, we're not making ceviche, so don't marinate the shrimp for too long.
To cook the shrimp, heat EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Once hot, add the shrimp to the skillet in a single layer and sear on one side for 3 minutes and on the other side for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
Remove the shrimp from the skillet and transfer to a plate as soon as they're done. There's a short margin of time between perfectly cooked, juicy shrimp and overcooked, rubbery shrimp!
Serving Suggestions
These shrimp go great with my 5 Minute Spicy Citrus Cilantro Coleslaw.
Simply spoon a bit of the slaw into a few bibb lettuce leaves, pile on a few blackened shrimp and whatever toppings suit your fancy. My favorites for these wraps are diced avocado, jalapeno slices, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
FAQs
"Lettuce wraps? Not for me. How else can I serve Blackened Shrimp?"
If you're making these shrimp during a round of Whole30, your options are pretty slim. While you could totally just eat them as is, you could also make a big, beautiful blackened shrimp salad! That sounds delicious with some delicious Whole30 compliant ranch dressing.
If a Whole30 meal isn't what you're here for, the options are endless. If Paleo is more your speed, you could totally wrap these shrimp in grain-free tortillas (sorry Whole30ers but recreations of tortillas with compliant ingredients are out for your Whole30).
If you're down with grains, corn tortillas are a great gluten-free option! Get creative! This recipe is super versatile!
"What size shrimp should I use? Fresh or Frozen?"
I use large 31-40 count shrimp whenever I'm cooking shrimp. They're not too big and not to small, but any size shrimp will work just as well. You may just need to adjust the cooking time a bit. I know you already know this, but just in casies -the larger the shrimp, the longer the cooking time. Adjust accordingly if you're using a different size shrimp!
You can use fresh or frozen shrimp. If frozen, just make sure to defrost the shrimp before marinating. Shrimp thaws pretty quickly in the fridge, but if you're in a hurry running frozen shrimp under cool water for a few minutes will do the trick.
"Is this recipe keto-friendly?"
It sure is! The blackened shrimp have almost zero carboyhydrates per serving. How you choose to serve the shrimp will decipher whether or not this recipe is Keto. My coleslaw recipe I recommend calls for mandarin oranges, so that's probably not going to work. For a more Keto-friendly variation, a mayonnaise based coleslaw is a great option! If you're okay with dairy, sprinkle some cheese in each wrap to up the fat content without upping the carbs.
Blackened Shrimp Lettuce Wraps are Great for Gatherings
Planning a Cinco de Mayo fiesta? These sweet and smoky shrimp are a great way to impress guests and please everyone's palate. Create a spread of blackened shrimp, bibb lettuce leaves and/or tortillas and an assortment of toppings and let everyone build their own shrimp tacos! Taco bar style dinners are my favorite way to feed a crowd because there are options for everyone! Side note: your friends and family will love you forever if you serve this meal alongside a pitcher of margaritas. Just saying! 🙂
These juicy, perfectly spiced shrimp are a shrimp taco lovers dream come true. Whether you decide to make blackened shrimp lettuce wraps, a refreshing shrimp salad or blackened shrimp tacos, I'd love to know how it turns out! Leave a rating and comment below and tag me in your recipe recreation photos on social media (@paleoishkrista) with #paleoishkristaeats!
Until next time,
Krista
PIN NOW! MAKE LATER!
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- Cucumber Melon Shrimp Ceviche
- 5 Minute Spicy Citrus Cilantro Coleslaw
📖 Recipe
Blackened Shrimp Lettuce Wraps | Paleo & Whole30
Ingredients
- 1 pound large raw shrimp (31 to 40 count) peeled, deveined & tails removed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- bibb lettuce
For the Marinade
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ tablespoon lime zest
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Optional
- Spicy Citrus Cilantro Coleslaw recipe in notes
- jalapeno slices
- diced avocado
- chopped cilantro
- lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. Add shrimp to the bowl and toss. Pour contents of bowl into a resealable plastic bag. Seal and marinate in fridge no longer than 20 minutes.
- Heat a tablespoon of EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Once hot, add marinated shimp in an even-layer. Sear for 3 minutes on one side. Using tongs, flip each shrimp over. Sear the other side for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp are no longer opaque and cooked through.
- Enjoy wrapped in bibb lettuce leaves with Spicy Citrus Cilantro Coleslaw, sliced jalapenos, diced avocado, cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice.
Notes
- These shrimp are great by themselves as a quick high-protein snack.
- I encourage you to serve these shrimp with my 5 Minute Spicy Cilantro Coleslaw for an incredibly flavorful Whole30 meal.
- Reheating cooked shrimp is tricky. They quickly become rubbery. I recommend serving any leftover shrimp cold over a salad.
Nutrition
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