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Pawpaw Salsa with Grilled Shrimp
A vivid tropical salsa made with diced pawpaw, jalapeño, red onion, and cilantro, spooned over smoky grilled shrimp. The pawpaw's fruity sweetness perfectly offsets the char of the shrimp and the kick of the jalapeño. This is summer backyard cooking at its most unexpected and delicious.
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Ingredients
- 2 medium ripe pawpaw, seeds and skin removed, diced small
- 1½ lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ tsp salt, divided
- ½ tsp cumin
Contains: crustaceans.
Method
- Make the salsa: combine diced pawpaw, jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, and ¼ tsp salt. Stir gently and taste — adjust lime and salt as needed. Set aside.About 10 min
- Toss shrimp with remaining olive oil, garlic, cumin, and remaining salt. Thread onto skewers or leave loose for a grill pan.About 5 min
- Heat grill or grill pan to high heat. Cook shrimp for 2–3 minutes per side until pink, lightly charred, and just cooked through.About 6 min
- Arrange shrimp on a platter and spoon pawpaw salsa generously over the top. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges.About 2 min
Tips
- Pawpaw flesh is very soft — dice gently and fold carefully to keep the salsa chunky.
- Make the salsa no more than 30 minutes ahead; pawpaw breaks down quickly once cut.
- Don't overcook shrimp — they go rubbery fast. Pull them the moment they curl and turn pink.
Ring the changes
- Serve salsa over grilled mahi-mahi or tilapia instead of shrimp.
- Fold in diced mango or pineapple for a mixed tropical salsa.
Keeping it
Serve salsa immediately. Grilled shrimp can be refrigerated for 2 days; salsa deteriorates after a few hours.
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