Vietnamese Caramel Shrimp with Pineapple Basil Salsa

5 from 3 votes

Vietnamese Caramel Shrimp with Pineapple Basil Salsa

This Vietnamese Caramel Shrimp is sweet, salty and super delicious. The fresh, vibrant Pineapple Basil Salsa comes together quickly!

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Main

Cuisine: Vietnamese-inspired

Keyword: Caramel Shrimp, Vietnamese Caramel Shrimp

Servings:

Calories: 247kcal

Author: Chris Scheuer

Ingredients

For the caramel sauce:

2 cups coconut water
⅓ cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek

For the rub/ spice mixture:

1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon sugar

For the shrimp:

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon butter
6 medium cloves garlic finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1 ½ pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined

For the pineapple salsa:

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice more to taste
1 teaspoon honey
1 ¾ cups diced fresh pineapple
2 mini cucumber ¼-inch dice (about 1 ¼ cups)
½ medium red onion finely diced
2 medium jalapenos seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

For serving:

fresh basil leaves
lime wedges
jasmine or basmati rice
roasted, salted cashews or peanuts optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the caramel sauce:

Combine all caramel sauce ingredients in a medium size bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.

For the rub:

Combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

For the shrimp:

Pat the shrimp dry and spread it out on a plate or pan that has been lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle half of the rub evenly over the shrimp then turn each one over and sprinkle the remaining rub on the other side.
In a large nonstick skillet melt the coconut oil over medium heat until nice and hot. Add the shrimp and spread out to a single layer. Cook for 1-1 ½ minutes or until just beginning to curl, then flip to the other side and cook for another minute until pink all over. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a clean plate.
Add the 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and cook over medium low heat until melted. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently. Then add the reserved caramel sauce and bring the mixture to a boil.
Cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened and syrupy. Turn off the heat and add the shrimp, stirring gently to coat the shrimp with the caramel mixture. Serve with jasmine or basmati rice and the pineapple basil salsa.

For the pineapple salsa:

While the sauce is simmering, prepare the salsa by combining the lime juice and honey in a medium size bowl. Stir to combine then add remaining salsa ingredients and stir gently. Taste add additional lime juice or honey if preferred.

For serving:

Serve with jasmine or basmati rice, ramen or rice noodles, lime wedges and a generous scatter of fresh basil, either Thai basil (preferred) or regular sweet basil. For a unique twist, it’s also delicious over polenta!
Sometimes we also add a scatter of salted peanuts or cashews for a crunchy topping, so good!

Notes

See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.

If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.

Nutrition