Do you ever wonder why we’re still calling it Presidents’ Day? Me too. We’re here to check out discounts on killer gear and get in on those post-winter clearance sales, not to ruminate on rich men in powdered wigs. We’ve sorted through hundreds of sales this long weekend to bring you the best deals on home and kitchen gear that we, the WIRED Gear team, have personally tested and vetted.
Updated February 19, 2024: We’ve added two new deals on the Balmuda and a chef knife.
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Kitchen Deals
Barista Express Impress
Photograph: Breville
It’s not our top pick, but at this discounted price, the Barista Express Impress is a pretty good deal. It’s a full-featured, all-around espresso machine with a built-in grinder, so you can save on counter space. It even offers a tamping lever to help you make sure you’re getting your grounds packed just right.
Enter code FRESH20 at checkout to see the deal. This is just one of many Partners coffee roasts that are on sale for Presidents’ Day, but this is my most recent favorite. With notes of dark chocolate and dates, the Flatiron blend is perfect for those crisp mornings when chilly fog still clings to the treetops. I suggest pairing it with a little bitter dark chocolate to bring out some of its earthier notes. For more, read our Best Coffee Subscriptions guide.
This is one of our top chef knife recommendations for most people. The handle is plastic, but it has a nearly nonstick finish. This is one of the lower prices we have tracked for a long time.
Cafe Affetto
Photograph: Café Appliances
I’ve never been a huge fan of automated espresso machines. Not because I’m particularly hard to please as a coffee drinker, but they’re often clunky and feel like they give you a lot more things you have to clean. The Affetto is the first automated espresso machine I’ve ever used that truly delivered on the promise of delivering a killer cup of coffee with one touch of a button. During my time with it, I got a lot of mileage out of that Americano button. All of the internal components you need to keep clean are easy to access via side panels without needing any tools.
You’ll see this discount at checkout. This is our favorite kitchen thermometer. It’s quick, accurate, and problem-free. Seriously, you’ll get your measurements in about a second! What else do you need?
Balmuda The Toaster
Balmuda
This is one of the lowest prices we have ever tracked on this steam toaster oven, but make sure you clip the on-page coupon to see the discount. The Balmuda toaster (8/10, WIRED Recommends) uses steam to make any stale bread, pizza, bagel, or pastry taste fresh again. You can even use it as a toaster oven to reheat last night’s chicken wings.
Personal Care Deals
L.L.Bean Wicked Good Slippers
Photograph: L.L. Bean
Only select colors are on sale. This is one of our top picks from our Best Slippers guide, and they’re a fave of WIRED senior reviews editor Julian Chokkattu. He bought these for his wife in 2020, and they’ve held up exceptionally well. These slippers are cozy and warm but breathable enough that they never feel sweaty or too warm. They’re even robust enough to go on short walks outside, thanks to the rubber outsole.
Manitobah Faux Fur Street Suede Mocs
Photograph: Zappos
Manitobah is an Indigenous-owned brand, staffed with Indigenous designers, and its slippers, clogs, boots, and moccasins are all made to last. Over the years I’ve acquired a small collection of Manitobah footwear, and a lot of my favorites are on sale this weekend. The Faux Fur Street Suede Moccasins are comfortable to wear indoors and outdoors, and the fur is such a convincing fake that I had to triple-check it was faux fur. I also really like the Cabin Slides for $45 ($45 off) These are the slippers I practically lived in when I was in hotels for two months during my apartment hunt. The thick soles are durable enough for running around doing errands outside the house but comfy enough that you never feel like you’re wearing shoes when you’re just lounging around inside. If you want a version with more ankle coverage, the Cabin Clogs for $50 ($70 off) are the same as the Cabin Slides but with higher ankle support.
Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer
Photograph: DryBar
The Drybar Buttercup is one of the top picks in our Best Hair Dryers and Diffusers guide, lauded by WIRED contributor Victoria Woollaston-Webber for its gentle drying. During testing, Victoria found its lightweight design never tired her arms out or made it a headache to maneuver. The best part is that it doesn’t over-dry your hair which can leave you looking and feeling a little frizzy—and that means it doesn’t sear your scalp, which is always a plus. This has dipped as low as $119 before, but the price tends to fluctuate.
RevAir Reverse-Air Hair Dryer
Photograph: RevAir
We’ve seen this dip to $349 before but this is a solid price. The RevAir isn’t so much a blow dryer as it is a vacuum dryer. Instead of blowing air at your head, the RevAir does the exact opposite: It sucks. In a good way. WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano, known around the office for her luxurious curls, says this hair dryer changed the way she dries and styles her hair for life. During testing, Medea found the RevAir to dramatically cut down on styling time and reduce the damage hot blow drying can do to curly hair. She still uses a flat iron when she wants to wear her hair straight, but the RevAir almost gets the job done on its own. You should have no trouble straightening out looser curls or straight hair with the RevAir.
The Volo Go is a cordless hair dryer, so you can blow dry your hair anywhere in your home without being tethered to a wall outlet. WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano says it does a great job drying her curly hair without disrupting her curl pattern. It doesn’t have as many settings as some of the hair dryers we’ve tested, but even with just three (Hot, Cold, and Smart), it mostly gets the job done. The battery lasts about 25 minutes, which might not be enough time for your hair to dry depending on your hair texture.
Zuvi Halo Hair Dryer
Photograph: Zuvi
The Zuvi Halo Hair Dryer uses infrared heat to dry your hair. WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano says it did a great job of drying her hair at a lower temperature than other hair dryers she’s tested. That’s good news for anyone’s hair, but especially if you have a curly or sensitive hair texture.
Tushy Classic Bidet
Photograph: TUSHY
This isn’t the most fully featured home bidet you’ll find, but it does its job well. It’s nonelectric, so it doesn’t require an outlet, but that also means it doesn’t warm the water before it fires it at your backside. If that’s not a dealbreaker, it’s worth checking out. WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell says it’s showing some cosmetic wear and tear after a year of testing, but other than that it still works great.
Sofa and Office Chair Deals
Modern Tyler Sofa
Photograph: Benchmade Modern
Benchmade Modern offers quite a few couches in a mid-century-modern style, but the Modern Tyler Sofa caught the eye of WIRED senior writer Scott Gilbertson. But it wasn’t just the lounging experience that snagged the Modern Tyler Sofa a spot on our Best Couches guide; the buying and delivery process was seamless. Easy and breezy aren’t the first things that come to mind when you think about furniture shopping but during the ordering and delivery process, Scott found Benchmade Modern’s online store and delivery process to offer options you just can’t find elsewhere. The online store lets you browse colors, and resize the couch with a slider to see how the cushions change in the couch’s layout. You can also order a book of fabric swatches which comes with a full-size printout of your sofa to make sizing it for your living space even easier.
Most of the WIRED gear team works remotely, which means we have strong opinions on office chairs. We’ve put this expertise to good use in our Best Office Chairs guide, and the Branch Ergonomic Chair is one of the picks off of that list. WIRED senior reviews editor Julian Chokkattu says the Branch Ergonomic Chair is easy to assemble with clear instructions, but most importantly, it’s adjustable and comfy. The armrests move back and forth, the seat can move forward and back, you can adjust the lumbar support, and the nylon mesh backrest keeps you nice and cool during those long workdays.
Union & Scale FlexFit Hyken Ergonomic Task Chair
Photograph: Staples
This is the best price we’ve ever tracked on our favorite budget office chair. The Hyken is breathable thanks to its mesh design, with a sturdy body and reliable lumbar support. It’s not the best option if you need a wider seat or if you like to pull your legs up on your chair, but for most home offices, this might be the most affordable good office chair you can find.
The Branch Verve is an upgrade over the Branch Ergonomic Chair. It comes in a few more interesting colors, has a more elegant design, and does a better job of keeping your back upright. WIRED senior reviews editor Julian Chokkattu says the Verve has most of the same adjustment options the Ergonomic offers, but the armrests only go up and down not forward and back. This might not be a dealbreaker for most of you but it’s important to note, because office chairs should be comfortable, and if you need to move the arms forward and back to get comfy, you should look at the Ergonomic instead of the Verve.
Autonomous Ergochair Pro
Photograph: Autonomous
If you’re looking for an office chair with a wider seat than the ones above, the Autonomous Ergochair Pro might be a good pick. I love a wider seat; I like to sit like a goblin in just about any office chair, so I need that extra room for my feet. WIRED senior editor Julian Chokkattu tested the Autonomous Ergochair Pro and noted that the mesh back helps keep you cool, but the foam seat (though comfy) can get pretty warm after a while. It’s adjustable in all the ways an office chair should be, but the knobs and levers under the seat aren’t exactly intuitive to use. Julian recommends checking out this video from Autonomous to figure out exactly which lever does what.
The Steelcase’s Gesture is comfortable no matter how you sit in it. That’s high praise coming from the WIRED gear team. It’s not as breathable as some of the other chairs we’ve tested, but you can climb on this thing however you want and it’ll find a way to make sure you’re supported while you do it. The fabric has shown some wear and tear over time, but it has one of the best warranties you’re likely to find on an office chair: 12 years. This thing will outlast your computer.
Herman Miller Embody
Photograph: Herman Miller
You’ll need to choose certain customizations to see the lowest price (graphite frame, medley fabric). This is as luxe as office chairs come, but the Embody is a chair often imitated but rarely surpassed. WIRED senior reviews editor Julian Chokkattu says the Embody is the chair against which he tests all other chairs. Sitting down in it feels like taking a breath of fresh air. The mechanical supports kept his back well-rested and even soothed some chronic back pain. At full price it’s a great chair, and at a discount it’s a great deal.
The Herman Miller Aeron is the other office chair you’ll see other companies trying to imitate. it has an iconic design, emphasizing airy breathability, minimal bulk, and stylish modernism. On our office chairs buying guide, we recommend most buyers shop for a used Aeron—they’ve been around for a long time, and they hold up well. But with a decent discount for this weekend, getting a factory-fresh Herman Miller Aeron is a pretty good deal. Even if you aren’t as lucky as WIRED senior editor Michael Calore, who managed to snag one for free when a San Francisco startup closed one of its offices.
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Open up my medicine cabinet and it’s immediately obvious: this girl is a skincare junkie. I’ve tested all the best moisturizers, decided which eye creams are worth the splurge, and found serums to rival any in-office treatment. But with so many brands entering the space every day, it can feel impossible to keep up—and decide where to direct your beauty budget. The brand that sits front and center on my (admittedly overcrowded) skincare shelf? Jordan Harper’s Barefaced.
Now, I’m wary of anything buzzy. As much as I love diving into trends and dissecting new-to-me beauty rituals and routines, I want the science and anecdotal evidence as proof. With celeb backing and the expertise of a nurse practitioner advising every formulation, I knew I needed to get my hands on Barefaced for myself.
Jordan Harper, Founder of Barefaced, Shares Her Glowy Skin Secrets
Barefaced first came on my radar after I caught tennis darling and lifestyle brand founder Paige Lorenze dishing about the products on Instagram stories. Her AM skincare ritual leans on the brand’s antioxidant-packed Toning Pads to exfoliate and the Overachiever to hydrate and soothe. At the end of the day, the Hydrating Lotion and Everyday Eye Hero offer some much-needed moisture before going to bed.
But because I know that so much of social media is smoke and mirrors, I went straight to the source to better understand the efficacy behind these buzzed-about products—and why our favorite celebs can’t get enough.
Jordan Harper
Jordan Harper is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner and Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist focusing on preventative/restorative skincare solutions. She is also the founder of the skincare brand, Barefaced whose mission is to simplify skincare and help you achieve healthy, vibrant, beautiful skin.
Paige Lorenze uses Barefaced to get her signature glow. How do the Barefaced products in her skincare routine work together to give her that coveted, lit-from-within complexion?
At Barefaced, our philosophy is “Less but Better.” We intentionally formulate all our products to work synergistically, ensuring you get the maximum benefit from each. Using the core four products, we call them the Bare Necessities, to promote long-term skin health is what really gives the lit-from-within glow.
When your skin is properly exfoliated, hydrated, and protected the glow speaks for itself!
What should everyone include in their morning and evening skincare routines?
After treating thousands of patients as a nurse practitioner, I recognized a common theme: my patients didn’t know which products they actually needed for their skin to be healthy. You can do all the face masks and hydrating serums you want but if you’re not using the core four products to prevent, protect, correct, and repair the skin, your skin lacks the essential nutrients it needs to be healthy. Remember, glowing skin is healthy skin.
The core four products include an exfoliant, vitamin C, a retinoid, and SPF. At Barefaced, we understand that the skincare industry is vast and starting a daily routine can feel overwhelming and confusing. To simplify this process, we’ve curated The Bare Necessities bundle. This collection features the core four products essential for improving skin health and strengthening the skin barrier.
Exfoliant
These treatment pads are packed with AHAs, BHAs, antioxidants, and hydrating ingredients to tackle dullness, rough texture, and breakouts.
Vitamin C
Formulated with pro-collagen ingredients, Liquid Gold brightens, defends against damaging environmental stressors, and minimizes the appearance of premature fine lines and wrinkles.
Retinoid
Our key ingredient, RetinAL, surpasses all retinols in strength by about 20 times while working about 11 times faster. Encapsulated in a time-released formulation, RetinAL Skin Therapy also includes bakuchiol and other soothing ingredients to ensure it’s well tolerated with minimal sensitivity.
Sunscreen
These broad-spectrum, oil-free SPFs are crafted for everyday wear, catering to all skin types and tones.
We always say, if you’re not wearing a daily sunscreen, investing in other skincare is a waster. Daily SPF is the ultimate anti-aging product. What sets [our sunscreens] apart is their added skin benefits. They’re more than just sunscreen, formulated with these key ingredients:
Caffeine. Works as an antioxidant to delay the skin’s aging process and helps tighten the skin/pores.
Niacinamide. Provides anti-aging benefits while brightening, helping control oil production and reducing redness.
Lactic Acid. Helps reduce the appearance of dark spots, boosts natural moisture levels of the skin, and improves skin’s firmness.
Hyaluronic Acid. Provides intense hydration and helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
How to Build on Your Basic Skincare Routine
Once you’ve established this strong foundation, you can gradually expand your routine to target specific concerns like breakouts, dark spots, or skin aging. Prioritizing healthy skin initially before tackling other concerns is vital, as healthy skin is better equipped to address your additional concerns more effectively.
There’s never a better time of year than *right now* to simplify your meals. (And life, for that matter!) The warmer season sees us soaking up long, late-into-the-evening al fresco dinners, complete with fresh and vibrant mains and summer side dishes that inspire. With the weather ripe for outdoor dining, having an arsenal of delicious and easy-to-prep side dishes is the easiest way to elevate any meal. From refreshing dips to tangy slaws and fruit-forward salads, the possibilities are endless. We’re here to guide you through a selection of delicious summer side dishes sure to please any crowd.
15 Summer Side Dishes Your Guests Will Devour
Whether you’re planning a beach picnic, backyard barbecue, or a casual get-together with friends on the patio, these summer side dishes are perfect no matter the occasion. Each recipe makes the most of all the fresh, seasonal ingredients at your fingertips. And what’s more, they celebrate the essence of summer—lending a burst of color and crisp flavor to your table. With your grocery list at the ready, let’s dive into all the best summer side dishes to accompany your summer feasts.
Why We Love It: When summer rolls around, I’m all about dishes that balance sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. Creating a recipe that hits this trifecta is hard—but this watermelon feta salad delivers. The feta’s rich, salty bite contrasts with the sweet, juicy watermelon. And the jalapeño’s punchy spice is all I need to confirm: this is the official side dish of the summer.
Hero Ingredient: Basil leaves might be my favorite summer ingredient. The aromatic herb enhances this salad’s overall flavor profile, tying all of its elements together.
Why We Love It: I’ve never met a spread I didn’t love—and proceeded to dive into, crudité-first. This spread is not only packed with fresh summer flavor (think: peas, garlic, lemon juice, and a little heat from the red pepper flakes), but it’s also a breeze to whip up. Pull out your food processor and you’re already halfway there.
Hero Ingredient: I love a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg sprinkled into my creamy dips. It’s warm, nutty, and—with a hint of clove and tobacco—adds a beautiful complexity to this simpler-than-it-seems summer side.
Why We Love It: It’s an unspoken rule: guacamole is a must on any summer table. And though people like to keep theirs simple, I’m here for this Indian-inspired spin. Corn (sliced freshly off the cob) is a summertime classic. When mixed with a vibrant medley of avocados, jalapeño, cilantro, and unexpected spices, you have a summer side that’s right at home alongside your favorite tacos, protein of choice, or with as many tortilla chips as you can manage.
Hero Ingredient: Chaat masala—end stop. It adds a complex blend of tart, spicy, salty, and tangy flavors that awards this dish the title of The Most Interesting Guacamole in the World.
Why We Love It: When the temps reach into the triple digits, the oven is off and we need sides that deliver all the fresh flavor. This snap pea salad satisfies with an addictively crunchy texture. The goat cheese and feta, plus the creamy white beans, keep things interesting and make this salad more satiating than your typical summer go-to.
Hero Ingredient: This mustard-y champagne vinaigrette has quickly become a staple drizzled atop all of my salads. You’ll love its sharp acidity and slightly sweet tang.
Why We Love It: When you want a summer side that leans closer to the satisfying end of the spectrum, this torn halloumi variation is your go-to. It’s comprised of a blend of simple ingredients that complement and contrast each other to create a truly addictive dish. And I love how, when you tear the halloumi, it boasts all these beautiful, craggily nooks and crispy bits that lend plenty of satisfying texture.
Hero Ingredient: Halloumi will always be the hero ingredient in my heart. Its flavor is mellow but not at all boring, and it can stand up to all sorts of cooking methods. Though it’s usually expensive, I’d argue that it deserves staple-status in your kitchen.
Why We Love It: My relationship with tomato salads: the simpler, the better. Summer is peak tomato season (I’d argue you should never buy tomatoes outside of June through September), so of course, you want their vibrancy to shine. With just six ingredients, this tomato salad follows my rules to perfection—and reaps the delicious benefits as a result.
Hero Ingredient: The tomatoes, hands down. All the other ingredients (salt, lemon juice, sunflower oil, garlic, and onion) serve simply to enhance your tomatoes’ flavor. Opt for farmer’s market, fresh tomatoes—you’ll be happy you did.
Why We Love It: While sweet potato fries may not seem like an obvious homemade summer side dish, they might be one of my favorites on this list. Why? 1) Hello, french fries. 2) Counting salt, this recipe calls for just five ingredients. So when you’re in a pinch and want to serve something statement-making, these sweet potato fries are always your answer.
Hero Ingredient: I’m a toppings girl at heart. Give me all the yogurt, mint, cilantro, red onion, and jalapeño. Oh—and a drizzle of lime for good measure.
Why We Love It: It’s not summer without a potato salad. And while potato salads of yore might have looked more like a gloppy mess than a delicious summer side dish, this recipe understood the assignment. Yukon gold potatoes roasted in olive oil get tossed with soft-boiled eggs and a smoky-spicy aioli to bring it all together. This recipe is your sign to step away from the sub-par grocery potato salad.
Hero Ingredient: I will happily devour the smoked chile aioli straight with a spoon.
Why We Love It: I’m here for the trend of deeming any salad that involves tomatoes and mozzarella a caprese—and this avocado spin is my newfound fave. I love how the avocado introduces a creamy texture and rich, buttery bite to the salad’s fresh components. The result is so satisfying, and I’m obsessed with all the colors this salad packs.
Hero Ingredient: Camille opted for burrata here, and I live by the rule that burrata makes everything better.
Why We Love It: Sure, you probably don’t need a recipe for a green salad. But—an herby, crunchy, green salad tossed with the best shallot vinaigrette of your life? For that, you need Camille’s secrets. I love the variety of greens this salad packs, and the mixed herbs add so much fresh flavor.
Why We Love It: Let this be a PSA to start adding fruit to your salads, stat. Figs, when halved lengthwise, display a beautifully ornate cross-section that yields plenty of visual interest. In terms of flavor, they add a fruity element—a mix between strawberries and dates—to the mix, and their jam-like quality plays up the creamy burrata to perfection.
Hero Ingredient: The candied nuts add a perfect crunch, and if you make extra, the leftovers are an ideal afternoon snack.
Why We Love It: To reiterate: fruit belongs in your summer salads. When strawberries are at their freshest peak-summer, this salad is a must-make. You’ll macerate the strawberries, drawing out their natural flavors and concentrating their fruity bite. Paired with freshly torn basil and burrata (bless), this salad is summer personified.
Hero Ingredient: How can wax poetic about summer-fresh strawberries and not call them this salad’s hero ingredient?
Why We Love It: When you’re keeping your salad simple, it’s all about the dressing. Case in point, this summery green salad with a ginger-packed tahini vinaigrette. And while the salad itself only calls for four ingredients—baby greens, freshly grated parmesan, roasted and salted pistachios, and furikake—it layers in so much flavor and texture that’s sure to keep all your guests satisfied.
Hero Ingredient: Furikake (a Japanese seasoning made with toasted sesame seeds, nori, salt, and sugar) is an unexpected—though obsession-inducing—topping. Get the big bottle: you’ll be putting it on everything.
Why We Love It: Every summer gathering needs a quick and easy slaw. Although pulling out the coleslaw mix and blending a quick dressing works in a pinch, this fennel salad is just as fast—and might even call for fewer ingredients.
Hero Ingredient: Fennel needs to start getting the good press it deserves. While some people are put off by the anise-like flavor, I love its fresh, pleasantly sweet bite. All of that is amplified in this simple dish—the herbs, citrus, and slight sweetness from the honey give this standout veg the star treatment.
Why We Love It: Can we—right now—all agree that bitter flavors deserve a spot in our daily diets? Bitter ingredients make the perfect foundation for creamy additions. Some examples: coffee with cream, lemon with butter, and arugula with olive oil. As Camille notes in this recipe: it’s all in the balance. And balance, this salad perfects. I’m obsessed with the spectrum of hues, flavors, and textures this salad takes on. It’s salty (prosciutto), it’s crunchy (pistachios), and it’s one of the best summer side dishes you’ll make this year.
Hero Ingredient: This salad is a compendium of underrated ingredients. Let this be a shoutout to the balsamic vinegar that yields a rich, complex sweetness to every bite.
Whenever I’m at the beach, I can feel my entire system reset. Our family’s schedule is cleared of most commitments, so the time allows us to downshift into a more relaxed state of mind. When we’re in Malibu, my favorite time of day is just before sunset, when everything’s dipped in golden light and you can find us gathered around the grill prepping ingredients from the farm stand, cold drink in hand. And this summer, our MVPs have been these grilled shrimp tacos with grapefruit-avocado salsa, also know as the best shrimp tacos on the planet. Call us obsessed.
Now, when I’m back in Austin, I’m committed to bringing that relaxed Cali vibe home. (Yes, even as I’m juggling the realities of a busy work schedule combined with carpooling our kids from one activity to another.) For me, the best way to lean into the summer spirit is to cook (and eat!) as many meals outside as possible. This shrimp taco recipe is the perfect excuse to enjoy an al fresco meal any night of the week. Let’s dive in—I’ll show you how easily they come together.
Join the Club
Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Grapefruit-Avocado Salsa:
Camille’s Cooking Club July Recipe
Make this recipe then comment on this post and leave your star review before 8/1/24 for a chance to win a $100 Casa Zuma gift card! By opting in you agree to receive emails from Camille Styles and Casa Zuma.
Ingredients for Grilled Shrimp Tacos
This is a short and sweet ingredient list—which I consider to be a baseline requirement for any great summer recipe. Here’s what to grab at the grocery:
limes
grapefruit
honey
garlic
chili Powder
mayo
shrimp (peeled and deveined)
cabbage
corn Tortillas
avocados
cilantro
jalapeños
How to Make the Best Shrimp Taco Recipe
Marinate the shrimp
The key to keeping this recipe simple is letting our ingredients do double duty. The marinade is also used as the base for the creamy sauce, and the grapefruit salsa uses several of the ingredients in the marinade. Because again—I like a short grocery list.
To make the marinade, you’ll whisk together the zest and juice from your citrus with honey, garlic, chili powder and olive oil. Then you place the shrimp in a bowl and pour half the marinade over it. You only want this shrimp to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour at most—longer than that, and you’ll risk starting to “cook” the shrimp in the citrus. (We’re not making ceviche here.)
Make the quick crema
This sauce plays a major role in giving this shrimp taco recipe tons of flavor. All you need for the creamy sauce is your reserved marinade that gets combined with either mayo or sour cream. You’ll toss a bit of it with our shredded cabbage for a five-second slaw, then reserve the rest to drizzle over the top of the finished tacos.
Toss together your salsa
I made grapefruit the star ingredient in this addictive salsa. It’s incredibly easy and takes these tacos to the next level. Simply toss together chunks of avocado and grapefruit, then add cilantro and adjust the jalapeño to add as much heat as you like. Double the recipe and serve it as an appetizer alongside tortilla chips.
How to cook shrimp for tacos
Trust me on this: the key to the most delicious shrimp is getting that char, which means that a quick cooking method is the way to go. I like to cook shrimp on high heat in a cast-iron skillet set over the grill grates. It allows you to get that quick sear, while also ensuring that your shrimp don’t fall through the grates.
Once you’ve placed the shrimp into the pan and heard that sizzle, resist the temptation to move or flip the shrimp until the first side is nice and caramelized.
Assemble your tacos
To serve, top a charred corn tortilla with some of your cabbage slaw, grapefruit salsa, and then the grilled shrimp. Garnish with cilantro and a drizzle of crema, and serve with lime wedges. Voila—the best shrimp tacos you’ve ever had.
Tips for Shrimp Taco Success
Change up the toppings
If you want to skip the salsa, just add slices of creamy avocado, bits of fresh cilantro and a few squeezes of fresh lime. Pico de gallo is always welcome!
Switch up the protein
You could turn these into fish tacos, using the same marinade, sauce, and salsa. Cod or halibut filets work great for this recipe.
Make it easy
I rely on a few key shortcuts when I make this shrimp taco recipe:
Use a bag of pre-shredded cabbage.
Buy raw shrimp that’s already peeled and deveined.
Char the corn tortillas right on the grill, so you can keep all the cooking outdoors (with minimal clean-up!).
These shrimp tacos are simply the best. With a citrus-honey marinade and zesty grapefruit salsa, it’s a quick summer dinner that’s prepared almost entirely on the grill—and perfect for entertaining.
Zest of 1 lime and 1 grapefruit
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup grapefruit juice
1/2 cup honey
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for pan
1/4 cup mayo or sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds large or jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 cups shredded green cabbage
Corn tortillas, charred over grill
For serving: cilantro leaves and lime wedges
For the grapefruit salsa:
1 grapefruit, peel and pith removed, and cut into segments
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
Make the marinade: whisk together zest, juice, honey, garlic, chili powder, and olive oil.
Place shrimp in a bowl, then pour half the marinade over it. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix ¼ cup of the reserved marinade with ¼ cup of mayo or sour cream. This is your quick & creamy sauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make the grapefruit salsa: gently toss all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat grill to medium heat (375 F), and place a cast-iron skillet directly on the grates to preheat.
Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of the skillet, then place shrimp in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Baste the shrimp with the reserved marinade, then turn and cook for another two minutes, until opaque.
Remove from grill.
Toss the shredded cabbage with a couple tablespoons of the creamy sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
Assemble tacos: top a charred corn tortilla with slaw, salsa, and then shrimp. Garnish with cilantro and a drizzle of sauce, and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!
