This post has been sponsored by Marina del Rey Foods.  All opinions are mine alone!

Blackened Shrimp with Avocado Ranch Dip is juicy pan fried blackened shrimp served with a cool, creamy avocado ranch dip!  It’s a healthy, flavorful appetizer that’s so easy to make!

platter of blackened shrimp with avocado ranch dip

I’ve been a sports enthusiast since a very young age, so game day is big for me.  It’s so fun to carve out time to spend with my family or friends to watch games together and cheer on our favorite teams.

It doesn’t matter if it’s football, baseball or basketball — I’m always down for a celebration revolving around a sporting event.

Naturally the food and beverages play a big role in the celebration, and oftentimes overshadow the game.  They can make the game more lively and fun when it’s going well, and on the flip side give you that much needed distraction when it’s not.

If the game doesn’t go well, there will be no crying in your beer with this Blackened Shrimp with Avocado Ranch Dip around.

This dish is so good it will leave you saying “GAME?  What game?”

overhead shot of white platter with blackened shrimp and avocado ranch dip

The avocado ranch dip is insanely delicious, but the Most Valuable Player of this dish is the blackened shrimp!

This blackened shrimp is so special because it’s made with Wild Caught Argentinian Red Shrimp from Marina del Rey Foods.  It’s the best tasting shrimp that I’ve ever tasted, and the only one that I’ll buy from now on.

If you’re a shrimp lover, you straight up have to try it!

Marina Del Rey Wild Argentinian Shrimp

I’m so thrilled that this wild shrimp from Marina del Rey Foods was brought to my attention because it’s everything that I want shrimp to be.   Right now the shrimp is sold only at Sam’s Club in the U.S., so I got a membership in order to continue buying this amazing shrimp!

The shrimp are large and succulent, with a flavor that reminds me of lobster.  They’re so incredibly juicy and flavorful and are unlike any shrimp that I’ve ever had before.

I can taste the quality, and that’s because Marina del Rey Foods goes the extra mile with their Argentinian shrimp and Icelandic scallops.

Marina del Rey Foods wild seafood is environmentally responsible and contains no added water or chemicals like other brands.  There are no hormones, antibiotics, or added color like farm-raised seafood, which is just as important to me as how it tastes!

All of this said, seafood is a healthy meal option.  It’s high in protein, low in calories, and rich in Omega-3’s which benefit the cardiovascular system.

I also love it because it cooks up so quickly and always makes dinnertime special!

blackened shrimp in skillet with wooden spoon

I’ve made this Blackened Shrimp with Avocado Ranch Dip three times between now and Christmas, and it’s always met with the same excitement.

The first time I tested this recipe was right before Christmas break.  My boys took their semester finals that day so they got out of school at lunch time.

They were so excited to find a plate full of this shrimp and absolutely devoured it.  There wasn’t even any left for my husband!

At least I got some. 🙂

close up of blackened shrimp on platter with avocado ranch dip

I always make a recipe a few times just to make sure it’s where I want it to be, but honestly I knew it was perfect the first time.

I’ve made this two more times since just because we like it that much, and it’s going to be made on the regular around here. 🙂

The blackened seasoning is super easy to whip up, and it really isn’t spicy.  I added 1 1/2 tablespoons to 1 lb. of the shrimp and I have a spice intolerant family.

You can certainly up the amount of cayenne pepper to your spice mix if you want to turn up the heat!

The avocado ranch dip is the perfect cool, creamy dip for the blackened shrimp.  There is NO MAYO whatsoever — avocado and low fat buttermilk is what makes this dip so dreamy and creamy.

The dip is really flavor forward with fresh parsley, chives and dill.  It’s like no ranch dip you’ve ever had!

Avocado ranch dip in food processor

The avocado ranch dip is best when it’s freshest, but it does keep well in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.  It will lose it’s bright green hue a bit but it still tastes great.

That’s if you have some leftover after the shrimp are gone mind you. 🙂

Blackened Shrimp with Avocado Ranch Dip is the perfect healthier game day solution.  Squeeze a bit of lime juice over the warm shrimp, serve on a platter with the dip and watch the crowd go wild!

This dish is the game’s true MVP.

More shrimp recipes you’ll love:

If you make this recipe I’d love to hear from you!  Leave a comment and rating below or snap a photo and tag me @flavorthemoments on Instagram!

Blackened shrimp on white plate with dip, lime and parsley

Blackened Shrimp with Avocado Ranch Dip

Blackened Shrimp with Avocado Ranch Dip is juicy pan fried blackened shrimp served with a cool, creamy avocado ranch dip! 
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Ingredients

For the avocado ranch:

  • 1 small avocado
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the shrimp:

Instructions 

Prepare the avocado ranch dip:

  • Place the avocado, lime juice, onion powder, garlic powder, buttermilk, parsley, chives and dill in the bowl of a food processor.  Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and process until smooth.  Adjust the seasoning as necessary and set aside.

Prepare the shrimp:

  • Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add the thawed shrimp followed by 2-3 tablespoons of the blackened seasoning and a generous pinch of salt.  Stir until the shrimp are well coated with the seasoning and saute for 5 minutes or until cooked through.
  • Place the shrimp on a serving platter with the avocado ranch dip and squeeze fresh lime juice over the shrimp.  Serve immediately with fresh lime wedges and enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • I use 3 tablespoons of the blackened seasoning per for the entire bag of shrimp.  It sounds like a lot but I promise it isn’t!
  • Leftover avocado ranch dip will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 102kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 1949mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!
blackened shrimp dipped in avocado ranch dip

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