Originally published June 3, 2025
Mexican Grilled Shrimp and Kielbasa over Grilled Corn Salsa
Mexican Grilled Shrimp & Kielbasa over Grilled Corn Salsa
Summer heat, charcoal treats — hot-and-smoky meets cool-and-zingy.
Intro
It’s peak Minnesota summer: high temps, heavy humidity, and charcoal blazing in the backyard. For this cookout we paired two simple recipes that sing together — juicy, spice-rubbed shrimp and kielbasa, piled over a chilled grilled-corn salsa. The biggest lift? Getting those briquettes ripping hot so you’ve got steady heat and fast sear.
Why the Corn Comes First
Charred corn is the anchor — smoky-sweet kernels tossed with onion, tomato, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime. Make it early so it can chill while the proteins hit the grates. That cool crunch against hot, sizzling shrimp and sausage is the whole point.
Quick Grill, Big Flavor
Shrimp and kielbasa both love high heat. A light coat of oil plus a bold Mexican-style spice blend gives color and snap fast; pull the shrimp as soon as they’re just opaque and springy, and let the sausage caramelize to mahogany. Serve immediately over the cold salsa so every bite lands hot–cold, smoky–zesty.
Text-Only Recipe (Fallback)
Mexican Grilled Shrimp & Kielbasa over Grilled Corn Salsa — Recipe (Text)
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 ears corn, husks mostly removed
- 2/3 cup white onion, diced
- 1 small jalapeño, minced (seeded for mild)
- 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped (stems removed)
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 lb large cooked shrimp, peeled (tails optional)
- 1 lb polska kielbasa, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Mexican Spice Blend: 4 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat grill to medium-high. Soak corn (lightly husked) 15–20 minutes, drain, then grill covered until tender and lightly charred, ~20 minutes. Cool, strip silks, cut kernels from cobs.
- In a bowl, combine corn, onion, jalapeño, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and 1 tsp salt. Adjust lime and salt. Chill at least 30 minutes (up to a few hours).
- Toss shrimp and kielbasa with olive oil, then season with the spice blend (start with 1–2 tsp and add to taste).
- Grill on a perforated pan over medium-high heat, turning once, until shrimp are heated through and opaque and sausage is browned, ~4–5 minutes per side.
- Serve proteins hot over the chilled corn salsa.
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- SEO Title: Mexican Grilled Shrimp & Kielbasa over Grilled Corn Salsa
- Meta Description: Hot, smoky shrimp and sausage piled over chilled grilled-corn salsa — a fast, flavorful summer grill combo.
- Slug: mexican-grilled-shrimp-and-kielbasa
- Tags: grilling, shrimp, sausage, corn, summer, weeknight dinner
This Is Delicious! What Is It?
Mexican Grilled Shrimp and Kielbasa over Grilled Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 whole ears of corn
- 2/3 cup white onion, diced
- 2 whole limes
- 1 small jalapeno
- 4 whole Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 small cilantro, stems removed, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pounds cooked shrimp, large or extra large, peeled with/without tails
- 1 pound polska kielbasa, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Mexical Spice Blend
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Turn on grill to medium-high heat.
- Prepare corn by stripping the outer layer of husks. Soak in water for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from water and drain. Grill corn over medium-high heat with cover down until corn is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Once corn is cooked, let cool and remove remaining husks and silks.
- Use a sharp knife and cutting board to slice kernels from cob.
- Combine corn, jalapenos, tomatoes, cilantro, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt in bowl with onions. Squeeze the juice from both limes into the mixture.
- Taste corn salsa and adjust salt and lime juice as necessary.
- Refrigerate for at least two hours and serve with chips or your favorite grilled dish.
- Heat outdoor grill to medium-high.
- In a large mixing bowl, drizzle shrimp and kielbasa with olive oil and mix to coat completely.
- Add Mexican Spice Blend, 1 teaspoon at a time, to taste.
- Grill shrimp and kielbasa over medium-high heat, on a grill-safe pan with holes, just until shrimp and kielbasa are cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side.
- Remove from grill and serve over Grilled Corn Salsa.
Recipe and photograph by Robert Meyers-Lussier