Mexican Shrimp Salad
This Mexican Shrimp Salad is a fresh and vibrant dish loaded with seasoned shrimp, crisp veggies, and bold Tex-Mex flavors all topped with freshly squeezed lime juice. It’s a light yet satisfying meal or appetizer that comes together in minutes and is perfect for warm weather entertaining or an easy weeknight dinner!
Spicy Shrimp Appetizer
While this salad recipe works for a small main course, it works well for an appetizer too. We love to serve it for a gathering of four to six – because it’s just the right amount before grilling a steak or burgers.
While I’m always going to opt for lots of jalapeño (including the seeds) and sriracha sauce, you may want to use less if serving it to guests. Speaking from experience, this one goes great with our skinny margaritas or grapefruit palomas.
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple to make – just a handful of fresh ingredients and shrimp that cooks in minutes. It looks and tastes impressive without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Perfect level of spice – the sriracha and jalapeño bring just the right amount of heat without overpowering the fresh flavors. Dial it up or tone it down based on your crowd.
- Great for entertaining – colorful, fresh, and full of bold flavor – exactly the kind of dish that makes people ask for the recipe before they finish their plate!
What You’ll Need:
I normally keep these items stocked in my refrigerator. Plus we have a jalapeño plant in the backyard!
- shrimp – we use extra large deveined shrimp
- shrimp marinade – a combo of sriracha, olive oil, and seasonings
- salad ingredients – cherry tomatoes, avocado, jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, and freshly squeezed lime juice
How to make Mexican Shrimp Salad:
Step 1
Prep the shrimp. Peel and devein the shrimp, including removing the tails. (You can also buy them peeled and deveined.) If frozen, you’ll need to thaw first.
Step 2
Marinate the shrimp. Place the prepared shrimp in a plastic bag or mixing bowl. Add sriracha sauce, olive oil, and seasonings and mix well. Refrigerate for a couple of hours (or for a least 30 minutes).
Step 3
Prep the other salad ingredients. When you’re close to cooking the shrimp, chop the cherry tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, jalapeño, and red onion. Add to a mixing bowl and squeeze some lime juice over the top.
Step 4
Cook the shrimp. You can either cook shrimp on a grill or on your stovetop in a cast iron skillet.
- If grilling, skewer the marinated shrimp. Cook over a hot fire until done, flipping as needed. The shrimp will cook quickly.
- If cooking indoors, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add oil and then half of the shrimp. Cook on one side for a couple of minutes, and then flip to cook the other side. Again, it will cook quickly. Repeat process for remaining half of the shrimp.
- Add the cooked shrimp to a large serving bowl.
Step 5
Add remaining ingredients. To the bowl with the cooked shrimp, add the remaining salad ingredients. Squeeze additional lime juice over the top of the shrimp salad and gently stir to combine.
Step 6
Serve. Serve Mexican shrimp salad with sides of your choice.
Sides to serve with Mexican Shrimp Salad:
- Some simple cheese quesadillas, tostito chips, and/or a mixed green salad is always nice and simple.
- Green Chile Rice
- Mexican Refried Bean Dip
- Stovetop Cilantro Lime Rice
- Mexican Street Corn Kale Salad
Recipe FAQs:
Shrimp cooks very quickly – usually just 2-3 minutes per side over medium-high heat. You’ll know it’s done when it turns pink and opaque and curls into a loose C shape.
That’s completely up to you! The sriracha is the main source of heat – start with 1 tablespoon for a milder version and work your way up. You can also control the heat by removing the jalapeño seeds before chopping.
Yes, you can use frozen shrimp! Just make sure to thaw it completely and pat it dry with paper towels before cooking. Excess moisture will prevent the shrimp from getting a nice sear in the pan.
The fresh lime juice in this recipe helps slow browning naturally. For best results, chop the avocado right before serving and toss it immediately with the lime juice.
This salad is incredibly versatile! Serve it as written as a simple appetizer or salad – or in tacos or lettuce wraps, with tortilla chips for scooping, or alongside cilantro lime rice for a complete meal.
Definitely, yes! This recipe works beautifully with blackened chicken, grilled salmon, or even seared scallops in place of the shrimp.
Other Delicious Shrimp Recipes:
We love shrimp and have lots of choices for you.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Mexican Shrimp Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 2 pounds extra-large raw shrimp – peeled and deveined (and tails removed)
- 1-2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3-4 Tablespoons sriracha – or less (if you don't like spicy)
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH onion powder and garlic powder
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
For the salad:
- 2 large avocados – chopped
- 6 oz. cherry tomatoes – halved
- 1 large jalapeno – finely chopped
- 1/4 medium red onion (about 1/3 cup) – finely chopped
- 1/3 cup cilantro – minced
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to serve
- 1-2 large limes – freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Prep the shrimp. Peel and devein the shrimp, including removing the tails. (You can also buy them peeled and deveined.) If frozen, you’ll need to thaw first.
- Marinate the shrimp. Place the prepared shrimp in a plastic bag or mixing bowl. Add sriracha sauce, olive oil, and seasonings and mix well. Refrigerate for a couple of hours (or for a least 30 minutes).
- Prep the other salad ingredients. When you’re close to cooking the shrimp, chop the cherry tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, jalapeño, and red onion. Add to a mixing bowl and squeeze some lime juice over the top.
- Cook the shrimp. You can either cook shrimp on a grill or on your stovetop in a cast iron skillet.* If grilling, skewer the marinated shrimp. Cook over a hot fire until done, flipping as needed. The shrimp will cook quickly.If cooking indoors, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add oil and then half of the shrimp. * Cook on one side for a couple of minutes, and then flip to cook the other side. Again, it will cook quickly. * Repeat process for remaining half of the shrimp.Add the cooked shrimp to a large serving bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients. To the bowl with the cooked shrimp, add the remaining salad ingredients. Squeeze additional lime juice over the top of the shrimp salad and gently stir to combine.
- Serve. Serve Mexican shrimp salad with sides of your choice.
Notes
- Shrimp cooks very quickly – usually just 2-3 minutes per side over medium-high heat. You’ll know it’s done when it turns pink and opaque and curls into a loose C shape.
- The sriracha is the main source of heat – start with 1 tablespoon for a milder version and work your way up. You can also control the heat by removing the jalapeño seeds before chopping.
- This recipe works beautifully with blackened chicken, grilled salmon, or even seared scallops in place of the shrimp.