Mexican Shrimp Salad Recipe

Closeup on a bowl of the cooked shrimp plus the veggie topping.

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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!

Course Main Dish, Salad

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword Mexican shrimp salad

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 371kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

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.

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