Coconut Shrimp Cake Sliders with Mango Salsa & Avocado Smear

So you take this delicious, tropical, summery combo of fruit and add a kick of spice.

Then you pair it with a coconuty shrimp cake... and because avocado is darn tasty, you add a smear of it to your bun.

And the result is a delicious dinner, that's not only restaurant quality but also not too bad on the calories! I can promise that these will be on our menu again soon!

Psst - don't be intimidated by the long ingredient list. The salsa can be made ahead of time (which I actually prefer so the flavors meld!) and it all comes together very quickly. This was a weeknight meal for us!

Coconut Shrimp Cake Sliders with Mango Salsa & Avocado Smear
For the salsa:
1.5 cups diced mango
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
1 cup diced fresh papaya
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup minced cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Pinch of salt

For the shrimp cakes:
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 large egg
1/4 cup minced cilantro
Salt and pepper
Coconut oil, for cooking

To serve:
1 avocado
Slider buns

To make the salsa, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make the shrimp cakes, add shrimp to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. To the bowl, add 3/4 cup coconut, garlic, lemon zest, egg, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Stir the mixture with a fork until well combined. Form the mixture into patties (sized to fit your slider buns). Add the remaining coconut to a shallow bowl. Gently coat the prepared patties in the coconut.

In a large skillet, heat 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cakes to the pan and cook, turning once, until they are golden on both sides and cooked through. This only takes about 4 minutes total.

Slice the avocado in half and scoop out the flesh into a small bowl. With a fork, roughly mash it.

To serve, smear some avocado on one side of the bun, add a shrimp cake, and top with salsa.

Adapted from Annie's Eats