Some recipes earn their keep by being impressive and easy at the same time, and shrimp stuffed avocados are exactly that. Halved avocados become their own serving bowls for a chilled shrimp salad dressed with lime, olive oil, cilantro and a whisper of chili — creamy, bright and fresh in every bite, with no cooking at all when you start with cooked shrimp from the store.
This is a cornerstone of our Healthy & Low-Carb cooking: real food, properly seasoned, that happens to be light. If you enjoy this style, our Homemade Guacamole uses the same lime-and-cilantro logic — here the avocado stays in generous halves instead of being mashed, which makes the plate look like you planned it for guests even on a Tuesday.
Serve one half as a starter or two as a light lunch with a handful of salad leaves. The filling can be mixed an hour ahead and chilled, but fill the avocados at the last minute so the edges stay green and the contrast stays sharp.
Choosing avocados that hold their shape
You want avocados that yield gently to pressure but are not soft — overripe fruit collapses under the filling and turns the plate messy. Buy them a day or two early and ripen on the counter; a ripe-but-firm Hass is ideal. Cut lengthwise around the pit, twist the halves apart, and tap the pit out with the heel of your knife. A squeeze of lime juice over the cut surface right away slows browning and seasons the avocado itself, so do that before you mix anything else.
Shrimp size and seasoning
Medium cooked shrimp (about 41/50 count) are the sweet spot — big enough to feel generous, small enough to pile neatly into the halves. If your shrimp are large, chop them into two or three pieces each so every spoonful gets shrimp, avocado and dressing together. Pat the shrimp dry before dressing them; surface water dilutes the lime and oil and makes the salad taste flat. A pinch of smoked paprika or a few drops of hot sauce in the dressing adds depth without heat taking over.
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe avocados (about 500 g total)
- 8 oz cooked shrimp (225 g), peeled and deveined, tails removed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (30 ml)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (30 ml), plus lime wedges to serve
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion (40 g)
- 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes (75 g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (8 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (0.5 g), or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (3 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (0.8 g)
Amounts are for the yield below. US customary measures first, grams in brackets for scale users.
Step-by-step instructions
- Mix the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper and chili flakes until combined. Whisking the dressing first — before anything goes into it — means every piece of shrimp gets seasoned evenly instead of catching a bare splash of lime.
- Dress the shrimp. Pat the cooked shrimp dry with paper towels and chop any very large ones into bite-size pieces. Add the shrimp, red onion, cherry tomatoes and cilantro to the bowl and toss gently until everything glistens. Rest the salad for 5 minutes so the flavors settle into the shrimp.
- Prepare the avocados. Halve the avocados lengthwise and remove the pits. Squeeze a little extra lime juice over the cut surfaces. If a half wobbles on the plate, shave a thin slice off the rounded skin side so it sits flat — a small trick that makes serving much easier.
- Fill generously. Spoon the shrimp salad into the avocado halves, mounding it well above the rim — each half should hold roughly a quarter of the filling. Any extra salad can be spooned around the base of the plate rather than wasted.
- Serve chilled and bright. Arrange the filled halves on a platter with lime wedges alongside. Serve immediately, while the avocado is at its greenest and the shrimp salad is cold and bright.
Nutrition estimate
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 265 kcal |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Saturated fat | 3 g |
| Sodium | 480 mg |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
Nutrition figures are estimates calculated from standard ingredient data for the yield stated. Your actual values will vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes — treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.
Storage & reheating
The shrimp salad on its own keeps for up to 1 day in an airtight container in the refrigerator and is excellent spooned over greens. Filled avocados do not store well — the cut fruit browns even with lime — so only fill as many halves as you will serve, and keep extra avocado halves wrapped tightly with the pit in place for up to 1 day. If you are serving the filled halves as part of a larger spread, a bed of shredded lettuce or cabbage under each half keeps them steady on the platter and catches any dressing that drips, and a final pinch of flaky salt over the top just before serving sharpens every flavor.
Easy Shrimp Stuffed Avocados
Chilled lime shrimp salad piled into avocado halves — no cooking, all freshness.
Ingredients
Tick ingredients off as you prep, and tap a step below to mark it done as you cook. Scaling adjusts the listed amounts - seasoning to taste stays your call.
Instructions
- Mix the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper and chili flakes until combined. Whisking the dressing first — before anything goes into it — means every piece of shrimp gets seasoned evenly instead of catching a bare splash of lime.
- Dress the shrimp. Pat the cooked shrimp dry with paper towels and chop any very large ones into bite-size pieces. Add the shrimp, red onion, cherry tomatoes and cilantro to the bowl and toss gently until everything glistens. Rest the salad for 5 minutes so the flavors settle into the shrimp.
- Prepare the avocados. Halve the avocados lengthwise and remove the pits. Squeeze a little extra lime juice over the cut surfaces. If a half wobbles on the plate, shave a thin slice off the rounded skin side so it sits flat — a small trick that makes serving much easier.
- Fill generously. Spoon the shrimp salad into the avocado halves, mounding it well above the rim — each half should hold roughly a quarter of the filling. Any extra salad can be spooned around the base of the plate rather than wasted.
- Serve chilled and bright. Arrange the filled halves on a platter with lime wedges alongside. Serve immediately, while the avocado is at its greenest and the shrimp salad is cold and bright.
Recipe by Ahsan ul Haq · FryDaily. Printing? This card is designed to print cleanly on its own.
