Be it a dinner party, a family gathering, or just another simple weeknight meal, our shrimp fajitas recipe will ensure you have a great time.
While tacos and fajitas, just like other Mexican dishes, are both delicious, we wouldn’t say it’s for the same reasons. Tacos are all about the crunchy, hard textures, but fajitas veer towards the comfy side. The warm wraps, the spiced meat, the sweet peppers, and the rich sauce, all make for the perfect comfort food.
Today’s shrimp fajitas recipe aims to make this comfort food exactly like it should be, with minimal effort. We make sure the shrimp and peppers are perfectly charred, the tortillas are warm, the sauce is spot-on, and the spices are plentiful. It’s classic, it’s straightforward, and it’s really fun assembling the rolls.
And hey, if you love fajitas as much as we do, one meal will never be enough. Satisfy your cravings with these Beef Fajitas and Chicken Fajitas as well.
How Healthy Are Shrimp Fajitas?
Each of our fajita rolls contains three or four shrimp and is loaded with bell peppers. These ingredients are beneficial to the body in their own ways.
- Within shrimp, you’ll find a good amount of complete proteins along with omega-3 fatty acids. This type of fat is considered to be good for the brain and heart and only found in certain foods.
- Bell peppers, on the other hand, provide some fiber, minerals like zinc, copper, manganese, etc. and lots of vitamin A and C.
- The wraps also provide you with some carbohydrates, along with natural minerals from corn flour in trace amounts.
Besides nutrient diversity, healthy eating involves certain limitations as well. For instance, overconsuming salt (more specifically, sodium) is linked to increased risks of cardiovascular diseases, so controlling levels of salt or sodium-rich ingredients is crucial. These limitations are discussed in detail in our guidelines.
Once they’re served at an appropriate serving size, fajitas will not put you at risk of exceeding these limitations. Ours, for instance, come in two rolls per serving with 461 calories, 2 g saturated fats, and 580.8 mg sodium. They can help to keep your diet within moderation easier.
Ingredients That Our Shrimp Fajitas Recipe Calls for
There are corn tortillas, shrimp, bell peppers, onions, spices, herbs, and several others that make the white sauce:
1. Main Ingredients
Tied to the image of fajitas are flour tortillas: compared to corn tortillas, they are chewier and more resilient for forming wraps. It’s something that all products made of wheat flour share, actually, the glutinous texture and gluten also. Made of corn flour, corn tortillas are firmer and thus often seen in tacos as the hard shells.
But still, if you’re after a gluten-free dish like we are, they will do just fine.
For fajitas, it is best to use small shrimp since they spread across the rolls evenly. You can use large shrimp and then cut them into smaller pieces, but if possible, we recommend using small shrimp.
They do, however, take longer to peel than large shrimp. To save time, we suggest you purchase shrimp that are already peeled and frozen in bags instead. They will work just as well as fresh shrimp, but with the extra work already done for you.
And no, the color of your bell pepper won’t affect the taste much. Green bell peppers have less sweetness in theory, but the difference is very subtle. What matters, at least to us, is how colorful the rolls are, which is why we used both yellow and red bell peppers.
We also cook the sweet peppers with onions to add the right amount of pungent flavor and more sweetness. If you prefer the pungent flavor to be stronger, opt for red onions instead.
2. Seasonings
The shrimp and bell peppers are seasoned with:
- Cumin: it’s the base of aroma for Mexican foods in general.
- Salt and pepper: the must-haves.
- Onion and garlic powders: because the aroma of fresh garlic and onions isn’t enough.
- Spicy seasonings: we have smoked paprika, and chili powder.
Technically not seasonings, but with just small amounts, fresh cilantro and jalapenos can make a world of difference. Jalapenos can be really spicy, so if you just want their aroma and not the heat, half them then scrape the seeds out.
3. The White Sauce
This rich, decadent condiment is made with Greek yogurt and mayo, with a squeeze of lime juice. It has the right tang and sweetness with enough salt already in the mayo that we don’t need to add more.
Storing and Reheating
The filling, the tortillas, and the sauce can all be refrigerated separately in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you want to serve, stir the filling over medium heat, bake the tortillas, and enjoy all with the sauce.
What to Serve With
Traditionally fajitas are served with either guacamole or salsa, and considering the rolls are already fulfilling, we choose to serve them with this salsa, pico de Gallo. It’s fresh, it’s pungent, and it’s sure tangy enough to cut through the richness of the white sauce.
Having plenty of flavor, we decided to round the meal off with a simple-tasting drink, made by steeping fresh cucumber and lemon slices in water. It’s very fragrant and refreshing.
- Shrimp Fajitas
- Pico de Gallo
- Cucumber And Lemon Juice
More Shrimp Recipes Right Here
For similar Mexican dishes, check out our Mexican Shrimp Recipes.
Shrimp Fajitas Recipe
No matter if it's a dinner party, a family gathering, or a simple weeknight meal, our shrimp fajitas recipe will guarantee you a good time.
- cook TIME 15 mins
- prep TIME 5 mins
- total TIME 20 mins
- COURSE Main Course
- CUISINE Mexican
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 461 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 12 oz peeled shrimp (from 24 oz whole shrimp)
- 8 6-inch corn tortilla
- 6 oz red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
- 6 oz yellow bell pepper (thinly sliced)
- 4 oz onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 oz jalapeno (sliced)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (halved)
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp cilantro (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp lime juice
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Sauté 12 oz bell peppers and 4 oz onions in it for about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, then set it aside.
Heat another 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil in that same skillet over medium heat, and sauté 1 tbsp minced garlic in it for 30 seconds. Add 12 oz shrimp and the seasonings (salt, pepper, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp each, and 1/4 tsp onion powder). Stir for 4 minutes or until the shrimp just begins to curve.
Add the cooked peppers and onions back to the pan. Stir to spread the seasonings evenly, then let them sit still for 1 minute or until they’re slightly charred. Stir again before turning off the heat.
Sprinkle 2 tbsp cilantro and 1 oz sliced jalapenos over the top, and set aside.
Warm 8 6-inch corn tortillas in the oven.
Combine 2 tbsp mayo, 3 tbsp Greek yogurt, and 1 tbsp lime juice in a bowl.
Enjoy.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary ConsultantLuna Regina
Writer, AuthorNatalie Butler, RD, LD
Nutrition Reviewer- SaraschenSpicy and flavorful shrimp fajitas.