Sautéed Shrimp with Tropical Fruit Salsa

Sautéed shrimp topped with a mango pineapple kiwi salsa and toasted coconut flakes. 1 pot and takes only 25 minutes to make!

By
Jaden Hair
Jaden Hair
Jaden Hair
Jaden is the founder of The Steamy Kitchen and the author of two bestselling cookbooks: The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook and Healthy Asian Favorites.
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Updated June 24, 2022
Jaden Hair
Sautéed Shrimp with Tropical Salsa
Elise Bauer

Please welcome guest author Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen as she tempts us with "Floribbean" tropical shrimp. ~Elise

With tropical fruit like mangoes and kiwi, you’ve got to eat the fruit just at the right time of ripeness. Under-ripe kiwi is suck-your-face-in-puckery-sour and over-ripe mangoes are blah and mushy.

So what to do with imperfect fruit? Slightly cook them for a warm, tropical fruit salsa, "Floribbean" style. (Yeah, it’s a dumb name, but restaurants in Florida use it all the time. It basically means Florida + Caribbean style, if you haven’t guessed already. These days, it really just refers to a tropical dish.)

Sautéed Shrimp with Warm Tropical Salsa
Elise Bauer

Peel and dice the kiwi, mango, and pineapple and cook them along with sugar, a pinch of salt and a dash of chili powder. Other fruit like papaya are also fabulous too.

You’ll have to adjust the amount of sugar on your own, as it’s based on how sweet or sour your fruit is. I always like to have just a slight tang in the salsa, so a simple squeeze of lime at the end is perfect. Again, the amount of lime juice is based on taste.

And to top it all off with something a little extra special is toasted sweetened coconut flakes! Welcome to paradise.

Recipe and photos updated, first published 2009.

Sautéed Shrimp with Tropical Fruit Salsa

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Servings 4 servings

Want to have extra flavorful and juicy shrimp? Brine them for exactly 30 minutes first, in a brine of 1 quart water, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup kosher salt (or 3 Tbsp table salt), and 1 cup ice. Dissolve the sugar and salt into the water first, before adding the shrimp and ice.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil (coconut oil or canola oil)

  • 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 1 mango, peeled and diced

  • 1 cup diced pineapple

  • 2 kiwifruit, peeled and diced

  • 1/4 cup finely diced red or sweet onion

  • 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

  • 1/4 lime

  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

  • Salt and pepper

  • 3 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

Method

  1. Toast coconut flakes:

    Heat a large frying pan or sauté pan on medium heat. Add the coconut flakes and stir constantly, until the flakes are slightly browned at the edges.

    sauteed-shrimp-tropical-salsa-method-1
    Elise Bauer

    Immediately spoon onto a plate to stop the cooking and prevent burning. Set aside to cool.

  2. Sauté the shrimp:

    Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Return the same frying pan to the stove and heat on medium high heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat.

    sauteed-shrimp-tropical-salsa-method-2
    Elise Bauer
    sauteed-shrimp-tropical-salsa-method-3
    Elise Bauer

    When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes each side or until just barely cooked through. Spoon out the shrimp to a serving platter.

  3. Sauté the fruit:

    Use the same frying pan, heat to medium-high heat, pour just 2 teaspoons of cooking oil and swirl to coat.

    When the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion and sauté for 1 minute. Add the mango, pineapple, and the kiwi and cook for 1 minute until bubbly and softened.

    sauteed-shrimp-tropical-salsa-method-4
    Elise Bauer
    sauteed-shrimp-tropical-salsa-method-5
    Elise Bauer

    Add the fresh mint, sugar, chili powder and just a pinch of salt.

    Finish with a light squeeze of lime, sprinkled on top of the shrimp.

  4. Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes:

    Sprinkle the shrimp and salsa with toasted coconut flakes.

Sautéed Shrimp with Tropical Salsa
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
328 Calories
9g Fat
50g Carbs
18g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 328
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 143mg 48%
Sodium 756mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 50g 18%
Dietary Fiber 7g 24%
Total Sugars 35g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 127mg 635%
Calcium 113mg 9%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 718mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.