Spicy grilled shrimp with tangy peach salad
Spicy grilled shrimp with tangy peach salad is a colorful mix of sweet and spicy flavors. Ideal for a light evening meal or weekend lunch, this recipe combines spicy grilled shrimp with sweet juicy peaches and a tangy sweet dressing drizzled over your favorite greens. For some added texture and a burst of freshness, the salad is sprinkled with some lightly toasted fennel seeds.
This quick and easy shrimp salad recipe comes together in around 20 minutes. It is full of tasty and fresh flavors and requires minimal cooking, ideal for serving during the warmer months — this summer salad recipe can be enjoyed with hot or cold shrimp.
Serves 4 as a side, or 2 as a main.
Main Meal | Seafood Recipe | Summer Recipe | Summer Salad Recipe | Easy Recipe | Healthy | Mediterranean Recipe | Made in under 30 minutes
Serving:
Main for 2, or side for 4
Ready in:
~20 minutes
Skill level:
Easy
Serve with:
Good on it’s own
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How to make spicy grilled shrimp with tangy peach salad
Ingredients
(makes side serving for 4, or a small main for 2)
- 16 large raw shrimp (around 16oz./450g)
- 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5 small peaches, sliced or cubed
- A handful of rocket or baby spinach (per person)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ½ red onion, sliced fine
- ½ cucumber, halved and sliced fine
- 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (add more if you like spicy)
- ½ teaspoon of Dried Ñora Peppers
- ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
- ½ cup of fresh basil or coriander
- 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
For the dressing
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of natural yogurt
- 1-2 tablespoons of honey
Equipment
- Grill or skillet (e.g: 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Skillet)
- Large plate or platter for arranging the salad (12 inches/30cm)
- Mortar and Pestle
- Paper towels
Method
Step 1 – Toast fennel seeds
- Add them to a dry skillet or frying pan and toast for 2 minutes over medium heat. Once fragrant, transfer the seeds to a mortar and crack the seeds into a loose powder.
- Set aside for use later.
Step 2 – Prepare the shrimp
- First prepare the shrimp by removing the head, vein, and shell. Keep the last part of the shell near the tail. Clean the shrimp in some fresh water.
- In a pan, heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the shrimp and cook on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, turning the shrimp so they cook on all sides.
- During the last minute, remove from the heat, add a splash more oil, and then add the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and Nora peppers and mix well so the shrimp are covered.
- Set shrimp aside to cool.
Step 3 – Prepare the salad dressing
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, natural yogurt, and honey. Mix well until you get a smooth consistency (around 1-2 minutes).
Step 4 – Prepare the salad
- Cut peaches into small thin slices, around ½ inch/1cm thick. Arrange on a plate.
- Add the rocket (or your choice of greens), sliced red onion, peaches, and sliced cucumber. Place the cooked shrimp on top and sprinkle some fresh basil leaves around the shrimp.
- Drizzle with salad dressing and garnish with some ground fennel seeds.
- Season to taste with some salt and pepper and serve.
Watch step-by-step recipe video
If you’re looking for this recipe’s video and many other great recipe ideas, why not check out our Spanish Radish YouTube Channel? We’ve got everything from quick and easy tapas recipes, delicious main meals, and incredible Spanish dessert options too.
Best shrimp to use
Use fresh raw shrimp for this recipe. Raw shrimp are either blue or slightly white in color and turn a reddish color when cooked. Raw shrimp also have slightly translucent flesh that turns opaque when cooked.
When cooking shrimp, use plenty of olive oil on medium heat. Allow them to cook first before adding the spices as it’s easier to gauge if the shrimp are cooked when they are not seasoned.
Shrimp sizing
When buying shrimp, aim to buy shrimp that are medium-large (36-40), large (31-35), or extra large (26-30). These are around bite-size and will be easy to shell and clean. Remember, the smaller the shrimp, the harder they are to prepare!
If you love shrimp, try these tasty recipes too:
Choosing the best peaches for this recipe
We used small donut peaches for this recipe, but you can use ordinary peaches (or nectarines) too. Whatever stone fruit you choose, make sure it is firm to touch and bright in color. If it feels soft or the skin breaks when squeezed, they are over ripe.
A perfectly ripe peach will be firm to the touch and be slightly fragrant. Refrigerate for a few hours before cutting them up to ensure your peach slices easily.
Ingredient substitutions
Herbs
Fresh herbs such as coriander and basil work well in salads. Whole leaves can be added and you can substitute one herb for the other to suit your own taste.
Fennel seeds that have been lightly toasted and gently ground add a subtle flavor and a delicious crunch. Coriander seeds are also a good option.
Summer fruit options
This recipe works great with other summer fruits. Fresh peaches and nectarines work very well, especially when paired with fresh basil.
Ñora Pepper
The “ñora” is a red, round pepper of the “bell” variety, which is used extensively along the Eastern coastal regions of Spain. Perhaps most famously known as a secret ingredient in paella, the pepper is normally dried in the sun and used ground.
In traditional Valencian cooking, It’s also common to use whole dried ñoras by soaking them in hot water for around 15 minutes to rehydrate them.
For this recipe, we use them for flavor and not to add heat. Ñora Pepper only has around 500 SHU (Scoville Heat Units).
Spice and peppers
Cayenne pepper and smoked paprika work great together to help spice up the grilled shrimp. If you want it extra spicy (hey, some like it hot!) then add some fresh diced chili of choice. Small bird’s eye chilis give plenty of heat, as do small jalapeno peppers (2,500 – 8,000 SHU) and chipotle peppers (2,500 – 8,000 SHU) also work well in this recipe.
A good medium-heat pepper is the South American Aji Amarillo, also called The Sunny Yellow Chili Pepper. It has around 30,000-50,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units)
What are Ñora peppers
Ñora peppers are small, round, red peppers that are used to add flavor to Spanish rice dishes, stews (cocidos). Ñora peppers are most commonly found in Valencian rice dishes such as paella (including seafood paella) and fideua dishes (like fideua with seafood).
Ñora peppers have a strong smoky flavor and are used dried — they’re air-dried and then sold either whole, flaked, or ground. They are more common in Spanish cuisine compared to the typical red chili, although they are not considered spicy, with just 500 SHU.
FAQs
How long does spicy grilled shrimp with peach salad take to make?
- Prep time: 8 minutes
- Cook time: 12 minutes
- Total time: 20 minutes
Can I use frozen shrimp instead of fresh?
Yep, you sure can. Thaw them covered and at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking (less if it’s a hot day). Be sure to wash them in cold water before preparing your shrimp for cooking.
What size shrimp to use?
Use shrimp that are medium-large (36-40), large (31-35), or extra large (26-30).
Is this recipe spicy?
Yes, it uses cayenne pepper and smoked paprika which give this recipe a mild kick. You can easily add or omit spice to suit your taste. Only the prawns are spicy though and the rest of the salad is sweet or tangy so it’s not going to be very spicy unless you add extra cayenne or chili.
Is Ñora Pepper spicy?
No. The Ñora pepper is very mild and not considered spicy. Ñora Pepper only has around 500 SHU (Scoville Heat Units).
What type of peach should I use for this recipe?
Use fresh peaches that are ripe and just starting to soften. When sliced, they should be fragrant and sweet with juice.
Nutrition Facts
| Servings: 4 as side, or 2 as a main | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 292 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 18.5g | 24% |
| Saturated Fat 3.6g | 18% |
| Cholesterol 55mg | 18% |
| Sodium 185mg | 8% |
| Total Carbohydrate 24.4g | 9% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 7% |
| Total Sugars 16.8g | |
| Protein 10.2g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 93mg | 7% |
| Iron 1mg | 4% |
| Potassium 457mg | 10% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Spicy grilled shrimp with tangy peach salad
Equipment
- Grill or skillet
- Large plate or platter for arranging the salad (12 inches/30cm)
- Mortar and pestle
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- 16 large raw shrimp around 16oz./450g
- 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5 small peaches sliced or cubed
- A handful of rocket or baby spinach per person
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ½ red onion sliced fine
- ½ cucumber halved and sliced fine
- 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper add more if you like spicy
- ½ teaspoon of Dried Ñora Peppers
- ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
- ½ cup of fresh basil or coriander
- 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the dressing
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of natural yogurt
- 1-2 tablespoons of honey
Instructions
Step 1 - Toast fennel seeds
- Add them to a dry skillet or frying pan and toast for 2 minutes over medium heat. Once fragrant, transfer the seeds to a mortar and crack the seeds into a loose powder. Set aside for use later.1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
Step 2 - Prepare the shrimp
- First prepare the shrimp by removing the head, vein, and shell. Keep the last part of the shell near the tail. Clean the shrimp in some fresh water.16 large raw shrimp
- In a pan, heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the shrimp and cook on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, turning the shrimp so they cook on all sides.2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- During the last minute, remove from the heat, add a splash more oil, and then add the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic, and Nora peppers and mix well so the shrimp are covered. (if grilling, apply spices with a little oil and marinade brush). Set shrimp aside to cool.1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon of Dried Ñora Peppers, ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, 2 cloves of garlic
Step 3 - Prepare the salad dressing
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, natural yogurt, and honey. Mix well until you get a smooth consistency (around 1-2 minutes).2 tablespoons of natural yogurt, 1-2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Step 4 - Prepare the salad
- Cut peaches into small thin slices, around ½ inch/1cm thick.5 small peaches
- Add the rocket (or your choice of greens), sliced red onion, peaches, and sliced cucumber. Place the cooked shrimp on top and sprinkle some fresh basil leaves around the shrimp.A handful of rocket or baby spinach, ½ red onion, ½ cucumber, 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Drizzle with salad dressing and garnish with some ground fennel seeds.½ cup of fresh basil or coriander
- Season to taste with some salt and pepper and serve.Salt and pepper
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