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.
Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe
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
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.
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!
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.
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!
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
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Recipe Card
Grilled Barbecue Shrimp and Corn Salad 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:
- 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and cubed
- 3 ears of corn shucked, grilled, and cut off the cob (see notes)
- 1/4 cup cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled
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.
- 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.
- 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!
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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.
How much siracha do you use in the aioli? The recipe says a 1/4. Thanks!
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 =)
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!
Hello Katie! I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed it so much. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!
“Corn Avocado Salad” is listed as an ingredient but there is no information on how to make it. Can you please advise?
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!