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Serve these flavorful Mexican shrimp with a fresh corn, avocado, and tomato salad for an easy dinner that’s ready in just 20 minutes! They’re delicious tucked inside tacos, on top of rice bowls, or on their own with tortilla chips for scooping.
Table of Contents
If you love shrimp and other seafood recipes, be sure to try our favorite shrimp and grits with tomato gravy, these delicious marinated grilled shrimp, and these 15-minute honey garlic shrimp, too!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Quick and Easy. Shrimp recipes are so great for easy weeknight meals, since they’re quick-cooking. This dinner is ready from start to finish in about 20 minutes!
- Kid-Friendly. Mexican-inspired dinners are always popular in our house, but sometimes we need a break from the regular ground beef tacos, flank steak fajitas, and chicken enchiladas. Mexican shrimp are the perfect solution because they combine light, fresh seafood and vegetables with a familiar zesty taco seasoning that everyone at the table can agree on.
- Versatile. There are so many different ways to serve this dish. Pair the shrimp with a tomato, corn, avocado, and onion salad that’s tossed with lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The salad is optional, as the shrimp are equally delicious when stuffed inside tacos or piled on top of a bowl of rice. Adapt the meal to suit your family’s preferences!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for this Mexican shrimp skillet. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Corn, tomatoes, red onion, avocado and cilantro: fresh ingredients for the salad.
- Olive oil and lime juice: combine with salt and pepper to dress the salad.
- Kosher salt and pepper: enhance the flavors in both the salad and the shrimp.
- Shrimp: I prefer the meaty texture of large or extra large shrimp, but you can use any size that you like. Use fresh or frozen shrimp. If starting with frozen shrimp, you can quickly thaw them by placing them in a colander and rinsing under cold water for a few minutes.
- Chili powder, all-purpose flour, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, dried oregano and cayenne pepper: combine to make the homemade Mexican shrimp seasoning. The flour is an important component in this homemade taco seasoning blend. It acts as a thickening agent so that the shrimp are coated in a rich seasoning, while also helping the shrimp brown and crisp in the skillet (rather than steam).
Instructions
This easy Mexican shrimp recipe comes together in just 20 minutes, so it’s a great family-friendly option for busy nights. You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Stir together the salad and let the ingredients “marinate” while you prepare the shrimp.
- Combine the taco seasoning in a small bowl.
- Toss the shrimp with the taco seasoning.
- Cook the shrimp in a hot skillet with olive oil for about 3-4 minutes, or until they are cooked through. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your shrimp, so remove them from the skillet as soon as they are pink and opaque. If you overcook shrimp, they become rubbery and tough — not ideal!
Serving Suggestions
Serve the shrimp and fresh tomato salad on their own, with easy Spanish rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or brown rice; over hoe cakes or Mexican cornbread; on top of lettuce or greens; or tucked inside shrimp tacos. Don’t forget the chips, salsa, guacamole, and black beans, too!
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Prep Ahead: You can prepare the salad up to 8 hours in advance. In order to prevent the avocado from browning, I recommend tossing the avocado separately with extra lime juice before stirring it into the dish. If you’re assembling the salad in advance, you can skip the step of cooking the corn first. I find that the corn softens nicely as it marinates in the bowl, so it doesn’t need the pre-cooking to be crisp-tender.
- The taco seasoning can also be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container for at least 3 months.
- How to Store: Leftover cooked shrimp will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. The salad will stay fresh for about the same amount of time in the fridge; however, the avocado may start to brown and the tomatoes become soft as they sit.
- How to Freeze: The shrimp will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. I do not recommend freezing the salad, as the vegetables will have a watery, mushy texture when thawed.
- How to Reheat: Warm shrimp in a skillet over low heat. Add extra oil to the skillet to prevent sticking. You can also reheat extra shrimp in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds.
Recipe Variations
- Substitute with frozen, thawed corn. If using thawed frozen corn, you do not need to steam or boil it before adding it directly to the salad.
- If you like the fresh corn very crisp, you can skip the step of steaming and boiling. Instead, just cut the kernels from the cobs and add them directly to the salad. The corn will soften a bit as it sits in the dressing and absorbs some of the other ingredients.
- Don’t want to make a fresh tomato salad? Omit that step and just serve the seasoned shrimp in bowls, on top of green salads, in tacos, or with rice.
- Spicy Mexican Shrimp: add more cayenne to the seasoning blend for extra heat. As written, this dish is fairly mild.
- Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half to prepare less salad and just one pound of shrimp.
More Easy Shrimp Recipes in Less Than 30 Minutes
Garlic and Rosemary Broiled Shrimp
45 minutes mins
Skillet Shrimp Fajitas
30 minutes mins
15-Minute Shrimp Ramen with Peanut Sauce
15 minutes mins
Mexican Shrimp
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Serve these flavorful Mexican shrimp with a fresh tomato, corn, and avocado salad for an easy dinner in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn (about 3 medium ears)
- 10 ounces halved cherry tomatoes (or about 1 ¾ cups of cored, chopped tomatoes)
- ½ small red onion, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (or substitute with fresh parsley)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
FOR THE SHRIMP
- 2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or substitute with regular paprika)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Optional, for serving: tortilla chips; hoe cakes; rice; additional cilantro or fresh parsley garnish
Instructions
PREPARE THE SALAD
- Steam or boil the corn until crisp-tender (about 3-4 minutes). Drain and cool to room temperature. NOTE: If you like your corn very crisp, you can skip the step of cooking the kernels. Just add the raw corn straight off the cob directly into the salad. It will soften a bit as it sits in the dressing and combines with the other ingredients.
- In a large bowl, combine corn with remaining salad ingredients. Toss to coat, then set aside and let “marinate” while you prepare the shrimp.
COOK THE SHRIMP
- Place shrimp in a large bowl; set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, flour, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, oregano, cayenne and salt.
- Sprinkle the seasoning blend over the shrimp; toss to coat.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes, flipping once, until they are opaque and cooked through.
Notes
- Substitute with frozen, thawed corn. If using thawed frozen corn, you do not need to steam or boil it before adding it directly to the salad.
- If you like the fresh corn very crisp, you can skip the step of steaming and boiling. Instead, just cut the kernels from the cobs and add them directly to the salad. The corn will soften a bit as it sits in the dressing and absorbs some of the other ingredients.
- Don’t want to make a fresh tomato salad? Omit that step and just serve the seasoned shrimp in bowls, on top of green salads, in tacos, or with rice.
- Spicy Mexican Shrimp: add more cayenne to the seasoning blend for extra heat. As written, this dish is fairly mild.
- Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half to prepare less salad and just one pound of shrimp.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of the shrimp and saladCalories: 359kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 34gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 381mgSodium: 1400mgPotassium: 566mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1018IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 245mgIron: 5mg
Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of shrimp are in Mexico? In Mexico, you can find various species of shrimp including white shrimp, brown shrimp, and pink shrimp, among others, which thrive in both coastal waters and aquaculture farms.
- How do you clean shrimp? First, remove the shell by peeling it off starting from the legs. Then, devein the shrimp by making a shallow incision along its back and pulling out the dark vein with a knife or a deveiner tool. Finally, rinse the shrimp under cold water to remove any remaining debris before cooking.
- How do you peel shrimp? Gently grasp the legs and pull them away from the body. Next, peel off the shell starting from the underside and working towards the tail, ensuring to remove it completely while leaving the tail intact if desired.
This recipe was originally published in July, 2021. It was updated in May, 2024.
Love so many of your recipes!!
Thank you, Joan!