Whoohoo, it’s National Shrimp Day! Celebrate these beloved little seafood critters in a BIG way with these unique and oh-so-yummy recipes!

Read on to get 5 Unique Shrimp Recipes to Blow Your Mind (But Not Your Diet): 

Creole Shrimp on Parmesan Purple Sweet Potato Grits – Spicy, succulent shrimp are pan sautéed and take center stage on a pile of comforting purple grits. Purple?! Why yes, the beautiful and unexpected hue comes to a pureed Stokes purple sweet potato mixed into the pot.  Seems so decadent, but less than 400 calories per serving and boasts 27g protein.

Thai Style Shrimp Watermelon Rind Ceviche – Your mind and taste buds will be blown (in a good way) with this unique shrimp recipe. Thai-style Watermelon Rind Shrimp Ceviche uses “ribbons” of shaved watermelon rind in a spicy-sweet cold watermelon juice broth. Let me assure you that eating the rind of a watermelon is perfectly safe and actually quite smart. Because watermelon is related to cucumbers, you can just consider it an extra juicy vegetable!  This shrimp ceviche recipe is perfect for warm-weather entertaining, appetizers or just as a light meal.

Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup with Finger Limes -A big bowl of this shrimp soup is at once comforting and edgy. It’s based on one of my favorite Asian dishes, Tom Kha Gai (a spicy Thai soup with chicken and coconut milk). Instead of chicken, I’ve used big beautiful shrimp and weird little limes – they are called finger limes and often referred to as  “citrus caviar” since the tangle pulp resembles fish eggs . . uh, kind of.

CaliCornia Shrimp Avocado Pizza – If this easy-make pizza doesn’t remind you of the sunshine state, I don’t know what will. Just imaging kicking your feet up on the patio and enjoying a slice of this laid-back pie piled high with shrimp, sweet corn and one of the state’s most popular produce exports – avocados!

“Just Add Hot Water” Spicy Shrimp Spinach Soup  – This genius idea is the perfect grab-go-and-fix-later solution for work at your desk or an easy I-can’t-think-anymore idea for dinner when you get home! It’s an “almost instant” soup premised on the idea of filling up glass jars halfway with fresh ingredients like marinara, veggies, brown rice and cooked shrimp, and stick in the fridge until hungry. Then the only cooking needed is to add boiling hot water and shake, shake, shake before slurping up! It’s one million times better tasting than an instant Ramin cup – and probably almost that much healthier too (wink).

Pin for later!

What is your favorite shrimp dish? Tail on, tail off? Which of these 5 Unique Shrimp Recipes to Blow Your Mind (But Not Your Diet) dishes appeasl to your most? Any big plans this weekend (hint, it’s Mother’s Day!). Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer