These Grilled Barbecue Shrimp and Corn Avocado Salad Bowls are smoky, fresh, and packed with summer flavor—think juicy barbecue shrimp, sweet corn, creamy avocado, and fluffy couscous all in one delicious bowl. It’s the kind of easy, no-fuss dinner that makes warm-weather evenings even better.

A black bowl filled with grilled shrimp, sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, corn, lime, and herbs on a bed of grains, sits on a rustic white wooden surface.

Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe

A woman with blonde hair wearing a light blue knit sweater and gold hoop earrings stands in front of a white background, evoking the fresh, inviting vibe of summer gatherings with grilled pork chops with peaches.

There’s something about summertime that just calls for vibrant, fresh, and flavor-packed meals—and this Grilled Barbecue Shrimp and Corn Avocado Salad Bowl is exactly that. It’s a mouthwatering mix of smoky, juicy barbecue shrimp layered over fluffy couscous and topped with a zesty corn and avocado salad that’s bursting with color and crunch. And the best part? It’s quick, simple, and perfect for easy summer dinners with zero fuss.

What I Love About This Recipe

  • Easy to Make: It’s a breeze to throw together—especially if you’re already grilling! Just a handful of steps and dinner is ready.
  • Big on Flavor: The smoky-sweet barbecue shrimp paired with fresh, creamy avocado and sweet corn is an absolute flavor explosion.
  • Customizable: Swap the couscous for quinoa or rice, or add extra veggies—this bowl plays nice with all your favorites.
  • Allergy-Friendly Option: It’s naturally egg-free, and you can make it dairy-free and gluten-free too with just a few easy swaps.
  • Great for Entertaining: Whether it’s dinner on the patio or a backyard get-together, these bowls make a delicious and beautiful meal everyone will rave about.
Handwritten text on a light pink background reads "xo, Oriana," evoking the warmth of summer evenings with Grilled Pork Chops with Peaches.

Grilled Barbecue Shrimp and Corn Avocado Salad Bowls Ingredients

Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).

  • Grilled Barbecue Shrimp: For this, you’ll need shrimp, oil, salt, and barbecue sauce. That’s it! Just skewer, grill, and glaze for smoky, juicy perfection.
  • Spicy Mayo: Made with mayo, hot sauce, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Creamy, zesty, and the perfect drizzle for your bowl.
  • Avocado Corn Salad: A fresh mix of avocado, grilled corn, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and optional queso fresco. It’s sweet, creamy, and full of texture.
  • The Base & Bowl Toppings: Use cooked couscous, rice, or quinoa as your base. Then finish with grape tomatoes, more avocado, lime wedges, and a sprinkle of cilantro if you’d like.

Food Allergy Swaps

  • This recipe is naturally egg, wheat/gluten, nut, peanut, sesame, and fish, making it suitable for most dietary needs, but always check labels for hidden allergens.
  • Shellfish-Free: Instead of shrimp, use grilled chicken, tofu, or tempeh as a shellfish-free protein alternative.
  • Egg-Free: Instead of mayonnaise (unless using an egg-free version as noted), use vegan mayo.
  • Dairy-Free: Instead of queso fresco, use a dairy-free cheese alternative (like crumbled dairy-free feta or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a savory touch).
  • Soy-Free: Instead of vegetable oil (which may be soybean-based) and store-bought Sriracha or chili hot sauce (which may contain soy), use avocado, olive, or sunflower oil, and a soy-free chili sauce or homemade alternative.

How To Make Grilled Barbecue Shrimp and Corn Avocado Salad Bowls

Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).

Step 1 – Grill the Shrimp:

Preheat your grill to medium-high. Thread 6 shrimp onto each skewer, placing them snugly together. Brush them lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt. Lightly oil the grill rack, then grill the shrimp for 2 minutes per side, flipping once. Brush with barbecue sauce, flip again, brush the other side, and grill for another 1 to 2 minutes until they’re cooked through and slightly charred.

Grilled Barbecue Shrimp and Corn Avocado Salad Bowls | Mommy's Home Cooking

Step 2 – Make the Spicy Mayo:

In a small bowl, mix all the aioli ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pop it in the fridge until it’s time to serve—it gets even better as it chills!

A glass bowl filled with easy spicy mayo sits on a white wooden surface, with a lime half and cilantro nearby.

Step 3 – Toss the Corn Avocado Salad:

In a medium bowl, gently mix the avocado, corn, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle queso fresco on top, if using, then cover and refrigerate to keep it fresh.

A bowl of Corn Avocado Salad with cheese and lime wedges, placed on a green-and-white striped cloth on a rustic wooden surface.

Step 4 – Assemble the Bowls:

Spoon your base—couscous, rice, or quinoa—into 4 bowls. Add a generous helping of the grilled barbecue shrimp and corn avocado salad. Top with halved cherry tomatoes and a few slices of fresh avocado. Finish with a sprinkle of cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and a dollop of spicy aioli on the side. Dig in and enjoy!

A Grilled Barbecue Shrimp salad bowl featuring sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, corn, lime wedges, and couscous garnished with herbs. Another similar bowl and a small sauce dish sit nearby.

Variations You Can Apply to This Salad Bowl Recipe

  • Couscous: You can also use rice, quinoa, or just greens if you prefer.
  • Grilled Corn: We love corn, especially during summertime, but I also love to add grilled zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and sweet potatoes to my bowls.
  • Tomatoes: Cucumbers, beets, olives, radishes, sun-dried tomatoes, carrots, and celery are also a great match for this bowl.
  • Avocado: Avocado is a must in all my salad bowls, but I also love to add candied nuts, croutons, pumpkin seeds, tortilla chips, fresh mozzarella balls, shaved parmesan, and dried fruit, such as apples, cranberries, apricots, or raisins.

Storing Instructions

Store: Grilled shrimp is best enjoyed right away. If you have leftovers, store them covered in the refrigerator for up 3 days. Unfortunately, seafood, in general, doesn’t reheat well, so you might want to enjoy it cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes—just make sure to use a gluten-free barbecue sauce and pick a gluten-free base like rice or quinoa.

You can sub grilled chicken, tofu, or even portobello mushrooms for a veggie version.

It depends on the hot sauce you use! Sriracha gives it a medium heat. Feel free to adjust the amount to suit your taste.

Yes! Just make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry before grilling so they cook evenly and get a nice char.

A bowl with grilled barbecue shrimp, sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, corn salad, and couscous, garnished with herbs and a lime wedge on the side.
Salad

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Recipe Card

A black bowl filled with grilled shrimp sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, corn, lime, and herbs on a bed of grains, sits on a rustic white wooden surface.

Grilled Barbecue Shrimp and Corn Salad Bowls

Oriana Romero
This Grilled Barbecue Shrimp and Corn Salad Bowls recipe is delicious, incredibly tasty and ridiculously easy to make! Perfectly tender and juicy jumbo shrimp glazed with barbecue sauce, couscous, corn avocado salad, tomatoes, make a perfect summer meal, don't you think?
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 bowls

Ingredients
 

For the Grilled Barbecue Shrimp:

  • 4 metal or wooden skewers (if using wooden soaked in water for 30 minutes)
  • 24 (about 2 lb) large shrimp, peeled, leaving the tail, and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup Honey Barbecue Sauce (homemade or store-bought)

For the Spicy Mayo:

  • ½ cup vegan mayonnaise (you can use regular mayo if not avoiding eggs)
  • ¼ cup chili hot sauce (I used Sriracha)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Avocado Corn Salad:

For the Bowls:

  • 4 cups couscous, rice, or quinoa, cooked
  • 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
  • chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optiona)
  • 1 lime, sliced

Important

You can find step-by-step photos above in the post and/or right here on the recipe card. They’ll walk you through the process and make everything super clear! Just click the camera icon button below on the right to show or hide them. Turn them off before printing if you prefer a cleaner copy!

Instructions
 

Make the Shrimp:

  • Preheat grill to medium-high.
  • Thread 6 shrimp onto each skewer, without leaving space between shrimp.
  • Brush shrimp with vegetable oil and sprinkle evenly with salt.
  • Lightly oil the grill rack. Grill the shrimp, turning over once, for 2 minutes. Brush the shrimp with barbecue sauce, then turn. Brush the shrimp with additional sauce, then grill until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve.

Make the Spicy Mayo:

  • Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Refrigerate until time to serve.

Make the Avocado Corn Salad:

  • In a medium bowl, combine avocado, corn, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with queso fresco, if using. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  

Assemble the Bowls:

  • Divide couscous, rice, or quinoa between 4 bowls. Top with the grilled barbecue shrimp, corn avocado salad, and halved tomatoes. Garnish with cilantro, squeeze with lime, and serve with a drizzle of spicy mayo.
Oriana’s Notes
 
Corn: If fresh corn is not available, you can use frozen corn. If you decide to use frozen corn, add 1 teaspoon of butter to a medium skillet over medium heat and cook the corn for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly charred. 
 
Skewer: You can use metal or wooden skewers.  If you use wooden skewers, you’ll need to soak them in water for 30 minutes before threading the shrimp onto them. If you don’t soak them, the skewers may catch on fire on the grill.
 
Store: Grilled shrimp is best enjoyed right away. If you have leftovers, store them covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Unfortunately, seafood, in general, doesn’t reheat well, so you might want to enjoy it cold.
 
Food Allergy Swaps:
  • This recipe is naturally egg, wheat/gluten, nut, peanut, sesame, and fish, making it suitable for most dietary needs, but always check labels for hidden allergens.
  • Shellfish-Free: Instead of shrimp, use grilled chicken, tofu, or tempeh as a shellfish-free protein alternative.
  • Egg-Free: Instead of mayonnaise (unless using an egg-free version as noted), use vegan mayo.
  • Dairy-Free: Instead of queso fresco, use a dairy-free cheese alternative (like crumbled dairy-free feta or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a savory touch).
  • Soy-Free: Instead of vegetable oil (which may be soybean-based) and store-bought Sriracha or chili hot sauce (which may contain soy), use avocado, olive, or sunflower oil, and a soy-free chili sauce or homemade alternative.
 
Variations You Can Apply to This Salad Bowl Recipe:
  • Couscous: You can also use rice, quinoa, or just greens if you prefer.
  • Grilled Corn: We love corn, especially during summertime, but I also love to add grilled zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and sweet potatoes to my bowls.
  • Tomatoes: Cucumbers, beets, olives, radishes, sun-dried tomatoes, carrots, and celery are also a great match for this bowl.
  • Avocado: Avocado is a must in all my salad bowls, but I also love to add candied nuts, croutons, pumpkin seeds, tortilla chips, fresh mozzarella balls, shaved parmesan, and dried fruit, such as apples, cranberries, apricots, or raisins.
 
 

I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!

Recipe reviews on the website are extremely valuable to other readers online. So, please don’t forget to give it a 5-star rating below.

Nutrition

Calories: 594kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 15gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 1385mgPotassium: 598mgFiber: 7gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 750IUVitamin C: 23.8mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 2.1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

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Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories 594
Keyword Shrimp

This post has been sponsored by Kraft Foods. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Originally posted in May 2018, the post content was edited to add more helpful information; the recipe remained unchanged in May 2025.

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5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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6 Comments

    1. Hello Mary! I apologize for the confusion. It’s a 1/4 cup of sriracha. Of course, you can adjust the amount according to your taste. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe was a huge hit at our house! We did couscous as the base and I think I overcooked it which made it mushy. I think this would be great with a salad, especially in the summer. Thank you!

  2. “Corn Avocado Salad” is listed as an ingredient but there is no information on how to make it. Can you please advise?

    1. Hello FMitchell! I apologize for the confusion, for some reason the avocado salad details disappeared. I just added information about the salad again. Be sure to shout out if you have any other questions!