Shrimp and Mango Salsa.

Ah, summertime! Living in Montreal, Canada, we only get between 3-4 months of warm weather. So you better believe that we squeeze every ounce out of it! For us, summer is a time for getting together with family and friends for weekly BBQs, picnics, and quick last-minute drop by that turn into late nights. It’s also a time in our house when we tend to eat more “meze” style meals than traditional ones. This means, we just snack! LOL! I love to throw together a grazing board or a bunch of appetizers like this shrimp and mango salsa for lunch or dinner. The kids absolutely love it! It’s such a fun, laid-back approach, that doesn’t take lots of time to get together and is perfect for last-minute plans.

This shrimp and mango salsa is so summery! It’s bright, fresh, sweet, tart, it’s healthy, and with the added shrimp, quite filling. You’ll be making this recipe on repeat for the rest of the summer. A delicious appetizer to go with a classic margarita! Perfect snack for a hot summer pool day, whether you have a big one, or hanging out in the kiddy pool, you must try it! It’s such a quick recipe to throw together and a great crowd-pleaser.

The Ingredients.

I wasn’t sure if I should call this a salsa or a ceviche, but since the shrimp is cooked, I decided to go for salsa. Frozen shrimp is something wonderful to have on hand. It’s great for last-minute dinners, especially in the summertime. Just toss them into some cold water, and they’ll unthaw in no time. Drizzle them with olive oil, add some garlic, paprika, granulated garlic and onion, some oregano, salt, and pepper, and they’re ready to be tossed onto the BBQ for a quick bite! For this recipe, I just tossed the frozen shrimp into a pot of water and boiled them till pink. Once cooled, I shelled them.

I love mangos, they’re definitely one of my favorite fruits. And over the years, I’ve come to realize that although fresh mangoes are by far better, frozen ones will do the trick. I always have some in the freezer ready to go, that way I don’t have to plan ahead and wait a week for them to ripen.

Bell peppers give the salsa a nice crunch, there’s no rule here as to what color to use, yellow, orange, or red will suit the recipe just fine. The same goes for the onion, of course, a nice red onion will look a lot prettier than a white one. But by all means, don’t toss the recipe aside because that’s all you have on hand.

I use cherry tomatoes because they are less meaty and juicy. They also tend to be sweeter than big ones. Using mini or Lebanese cucumbers also adds another level of crunch to this shrimp and mango salsa. The avocados thicken the juices a bit, but it’s another ingredient that is dispensable, if your avocados aren’t quite ripe. Cilantro and lime juice pack in all that flavor.

Putting the Salsa Together.

As for putting this dish together, there’s nothing to it! Just dice the shrimp, mangoes, onions, peppers, tomatoes, avocados, and cucumbers into similar size small cubes. Toss everything into a bowl, add the lime juice, chopped cilantro, and add salt and pepper. Mix it all up, then pop it into the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. The best chips to eat this with are restaurant-style tortilla chips. Along with a refreshing cocktail made with lime juice…like a delicious Margarita!

Summer is all about making memories! No fuss, laid back, enjoying the beautiful weather. I hope these recipes help create some wonderful moments of fun in the sun! Here’s another yummy cocktail you might enjoy with this dish: The Gin Refresher. Along with perfect summer dessert: Key Lime Pie. Thank you for stopping by today.

Elisa