Mexican Shrimp with Fresh Tomato Salad

Overhead shot of a skillet full of spicy Mexican shrimp

Mexican Shrimp with Fresh Tomato Salad

Serve these flavorful Mexican Shrimp for an easy dinner that's ready in just 20 minutes! Tuck them in tacos, pair with rice, or offer alongside a fresh corn and tomato salad.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword mexican shrimp

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 20

Servings people

Calories 359kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD:

2 cups corn, fresh or frozen (about 3 medium ears)
10 oz. 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 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 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 added 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.
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).
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.
Keep a close eye on the shrimp. 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!

Nutrition