Mexican Shrimp Recipes for Quick, Family-Friendly Dinners

Our Mexican shrimp recipes consist of pantry staples and provide much flexibility for experimentation. If you want to alter these recipes more to your liking, please feel free to use simple substitutions of your choice.

What Spices and Herbs Go Well in Mexican Shrimp

When it comes to seafood, garlic and citrus fruits such as lemon and lime are flavors that can never go wrong. Simple spices such as salt, pepper, and paprika also work well without dominating the shrimp's flavor.

In addition to salt and pepper, there is a vast array of condiments that may be used to flavor this shellfish. In terms of herbs and spices, try shrimp with fresh aromatics such as dill, parsley, sage, garlic, and chives, all of which will impart a subtle yet sharp punch to your food. Otherwise, combine shrimp with paprika to give them a pleasantly spicy flavor.

For a nostalgic flavor, we recommend Achiote. Herbs, spices, and garlic comprise this classic Mexican seasoning.

Annatto seeds, in addition to their rich natural red color, are also often used to provide a mild, peppery, and earthy flavor to this cuisine. Whether used alone or in combination, this spice will enhance the delicate natural flavor of shrimp.

Best Mexican Shrimp Recipes

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Chili Lime Shrimp Recipe

Two dynamic flavors go head to head in this chili and lime recipe to create a knockout dish. Add a bit of Cajun seasoning and paprika to complete a robust flavor profile. Whenever you have 15 minutes to spare, you can whip this recipe out!

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Shrimp Enchiladas Recipe

This fulfilling Tex-Mex specialty will attract heaps of attention. The enchiladas are pretty as a picture, plus, they taste exceptional. A worthy addition to your repertoire!

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Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe

This cheese-stuffed tortilla includes bell peppers for a pop of color and an added crunch. Typically served as a snack, this dish's popularity lies in its being easy to prepare and inexpensive.

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Shrimp Ceviche Recipe

It’s hard not to love this ceviche. Made incredibly zesty with lime, lemon, sriracha, and Tabasco sauce, you won’t go wrong serving it as a refreshing summer treat.

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Tequila Lime Shrimp Recipe

There’s just something magical about Tequila and lime. It’s almost the perfect way to animate seafood with a much-needed zing. Serve this Mexican masterpiece with potatoes and corn, and you will not be disappointed!

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Shrimp Diablo Recipe

Far from a hellish meal, this diablo (devil) dish delivers a divine experience. A juicy, tomato-simmered feast with savory heat that’ll take you south of the border in minutes.

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Shrimp Tacos Recipe

Tacos made from scratch are delicious. These are simple, with no over-the-top ingredients. Rustics like cabbage, avocado, onion, and cheese create the bulk of each taco, yet they taste like a fortune.

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Shrimp Burrito Recipe

Here’s a burrito your family will request repeatedly. Straight from the stovetop, the filling is stuffed and rolled between tortillas, along with lettuce and avocados for a filling meal that comes together in minutes.

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Shrimp Fajitas Recipe

Fajitas are one of those cozy, hold-in-your-hand meals you always want to eat. You won’t get tired of them with this cumin-seasoned crustacean version with Greek yogurt to tie the flavors together.

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How to Prepare Shrimp

The majority of shrimp are marketed frozen, either raw or cooked, with or without shells, and according to grade, color, and consistency.

If you see raw shrimp in the seafood section, they were likely previously frozen and defrosted. Therefore, we recommend purchasing the frozen shrimp and defrosting them at home in the refrigerator or a basin of cold water.

As for cooking, you can prepare them with or without the shell. If you want to remove the shell, begin by removing the legs, and the shell will come off effortlessly. Depending on the recipe, the shrimp’s tail may be left on or removed.

Note that shrimp have a thin, black digestive tube along their bent backs that resembles a vein. This must be removed after defrosting and prior to boiling shrimp; otherwise, the dish may contain traces of sand.

To remove the vein, use kitchen scissors or a tiny, sharp knife and cut through the shell along the back of the shrimp. Then from the head to the tail, carefully remove the shell.

Once the shell has been removed, just make a slit along the back and extract the vein. If any sand residue remains, simply remove with cold running water. This way, you can retain all the deliciousness of this shellfish.

Easy Ways to Cook Mexican Shrimp

You may be searching for a specific cooking method for your shrimp but this seafood is actually rather simple to cook.

Shrimp cooked in a skillet or sautéed in a pan is one of our favorite weekday meals. With shrimp, additional veggies, and rice or noodles, this dish can easily be turned into a satisfying and nutritious main course.

You may also prepare your shrimp in a stew. Simply add herbs of choice to build flavorful depth and complexity to the pot. Finally, serve the soup with plenty of crusty bread and butter to sop up the liquid.

If you have an oven, baking is another option. Although baking shrimp may sound difficult, it is actually quite straightforward. All you need to do is marinate the shrimp for at least 30 minutes to allow them time to soak up all the spices, and the oven will do the rest of the work.

Serve the baked shrimp alone, over rice, filled into tortillas for tacos, wrapped in lettuce leaves, or on a large bed of greens for a shrimp taco salad.

Now, let's take a look at our collection of Mexican shrimp recipes. You will find excellent ideas for a family-friendly Mexican feast at home.