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This shrimp fajitas recipe is a deliciously easy dinner idea—a 30 minute meal full of big flavor! Everyone loves the custom seasoning blend. Eat it with tortillas or as a fajita salad!
Looking for an easy, tasty 30 minute meal that’s a hit every time? Try these Shrimp Fajitas! Every time we serve this Tex Mex favorite, it gets rave reviews from everyone around the table.
The fajita veggies are seasoned to perfection, and the shrimp are juicy and buttery. Throw them in a tortilla and spritz with lime, and each bite makes you want to do a happy dance! You can also serve these as a fajita salad over greens as a gluten-free option, or offer pinto beans as a vegan and vegetarian option. It’s a great way to cook for multiple diets at once!
Featured reader comment
“Very good fajitas! The flavors were well balanced and they looked very professional! I used sour cream and avocado and extra hot sauce on the side and they were delicious.” -Judith
How to make shrimp fajitas (basic steps)
Shrimp fajitas are a great 30 minute meal to add to your regular dinnertime rotation! You can make them using spices you already have on hand, or with fajita seasoning purchased from the store. They’re loaded with deliciously tender vegetables and are simple to whip up. Here’s an overview (or jump to the recipe to get started):
- Prep the veggies: Cutting lots of veggies takes time, but using the right skills makes it quick and easy. If you need to brush up, here’s How to Cut a Bell Pepper and How to Cut an Onion.
- Cook the veggies (15 minutes): Throw the veggies into your biggest skillet and cook until they’re super tender and lightly charred.
- Cook the shrimp (3 minutes): Remove the veggies and cook the shrimp! It takes just a few minutes to get that classic fajita skillet sizzle.
- Serve. Grab your favorite toppings and throw it all into a tortilla!
Variation: sheet pan shrimp fajitas
These shrimp fajitas also work baked in the oven on a sheet pan. The advantage to a sheet pan shrimp fajitas is that it’s a hands off method. However, it does take longer: 45 minutes total, compared to 30 minutes for stovetop. To make shrimp fajitas on a sheet pan:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare the veggies and shrimp as noted in the recipe below.
- Place the veggies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast 25 minutes until tender.
- Use a scraper to pull the veggies to one side. Add the shrimp to the baking sheet and bake 4 to 6 minutes until juicy and opaque, depending on the size of the shrimp.
For the fajita seasonings
Our favorite way to make fajitas is using homemade spices, so you don’t have to go out and buy packets of fajita seasoning! You can use this combo of seasonings on both the veggies and shrimp. You’ll need cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
You can also use a purchased or homemade fajita seasoning. Keep in mind that most store-bought fajita seasoning has salt, so pay attention to the notes in the recipe on adjusting the salt quantity.
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options
Fajitas are a great customizable meal idea for people of different diets! These days, it’s not surprising to be feeding many different eaters around one table. You might be cooking for people who eat seafood and vegetarian, gluten-free, or vegan eaters at the same time.
Shrimp fajitas is a great option for serving everyone! For vegan and vegetarian, make the pinto beans from these Vegetarian Fajitas as the protein for vegetarian or vegan eaters. For gluten-free, serve with corn tortillas or as fajita salad.
Fajita toppings ideas
Use any of your favorite fajita toppings here! You can customize your topping ideas based on diet. Sour cream is a favorite of ours, but you can use cashew cream or another sauce if dairy free! Here are our must-have fajitas toppings:
- Pico de gallo: It adds just the right zing.
- Sour cream: Sour cream makes a creamy make-shift sauce that’s essential for fajitas. For dairy-free, substitute Cashew Cream or Cilantro Sauce.
- Fresh cilantro: This fresh herb is the perfect contrast to the savory veggies.
- Guacamole: This savory sauce is optional, or you can use a mashed avocado.
- Cheese: You can add shredded cheddar, feta, queso fresco or cotija cheese, or simply omit it! This recipe is ultra flavorful without the cheese.
Sides to serve with shrimp fajitas
When we make these shrimp fajitas as a 30 minute weeknight meal, we usually don’t even make a side dish. But if you have time, here are a few easy ideas for what to serve with fajitas:
- Fresh pineapple: This makes a lovely easy side to snack on.
- Chips and guacamole: Quick and easy! Look for organic chips with just 3 ingredients (corn, oil and salt), and serve with this Simple Guacamole.
- Rice: Try this easy Cilantro Lime Rice.
- Easy green salad: Try a Mexican Chopped Salad with taco salad dressing.
- Avocado salad: Try an easy Cucumber, Tomato & Avocado Salad.
More shrimp recipes
Shrimp is a quick and simple protein for a tasty dinner. Here are a few more shrimp recipes to try:
- Go for Cajun Shrimp or Honey Garlic Shrimp
- Try simple Marinated Shrimp, a Shrimp & Rice Skillet, or BBQ Shrimp
- Go Italian-style with Shrimp Scampi, Shrimp Fra Diavolo, or Shrimp Risotto
- Opt for a Shrimp Stir Fry, Shrimp Bowl, Shrimp Burger, or Shrimp Nachos
Dietary notes
This shrimp fajitas recipe is pescatarian, dairy-free and gluten-free (with corn tortillas or other gluten-free tortilla option). See notes above for vegetarian and vegan options.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use frozen shrimp, but make sure to thaw the shrimp completely before cooking. Pat them dry to ensure they cook properly and don’t become watery.
Shrimp cook quickly and are done when they turn pink and opaque. Overcooked shrimp become rubbery, so keep a close eye on them while cooking.
Bell peppers and onions are the classic choices for fajitas, but you can also add other vegetables like zucchini, mushrooms, or even corn.
Shrimp Fajitas
This shrimp fajitas recipe is the ideal 30 minute meal: full of big flavor that everyone loves! Add it to the dinnertime rotation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the fajita veggies
- 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, and green)
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 portobello mushrooms
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin*
- 1 teaspoon each chili powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika*
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
For the shrimp fajitas
- 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, deveined (tail on or peeled)
- ¾ teaspoon each kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
- 3 lime wedges
- 8 to 12 small tortillas (flour or gluten free)
- For the toppings: Sour cream, pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, guacamole (optional), shredded cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Thaw the shrimp, if frozen.
- Prep the veggies: Thinly slice the bell peppers and thinly slice the onion. Remove the stems and slice the portobello mushrooms. Smash the garlic cloves. Place all vegetables and garlic in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and kosher salt.
- In your largest skillet**, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add the vegetables and cook about 13 to 15 minutes until tender and lightly charred, stirring occasionally. Add additional salt to taste (we usually add a few more pinches). Remove and discard the garlic cloves. Place the vegetables in a bowl while you cook the shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry. In a medium bowl, mix the shrimp with the salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. In the same skillet, heat the butter on medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until just opaque and cooked through, turning them with tongs. Spritz with juice of the lime wedges.
- Serve: Warm the tortillas. Top with the toppings and serve.
Notes
*If you have homemade or purchased Fajita Seasoning, you can substitute it for the spices. For the veggies, use 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning and reduce the kosher salt to 1 teaspoon. For the shrimp, use 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning and add ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
**Sheet pan shrimp fajitas variation: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Prep the veggies and shrimp as noted in the recipe. Place the vegetables on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast 25 minutes until tender. Use a scraper to pull the veggies to one side. Add the shrimp to the baking sheet and bake 4 to 6 minutes until juicy and opaque, depending on the size of the shrimp.
Very good fajitas! I followed the recipe exactly using the stove top. The flavors were well balanced and they looked very professional! The only thing missing was the sizzling hot plate that is served to you in a restaurant! I used sour cream and avocado and extra hot sauce on the side and they were delicious. Thanks for the recipe and the colorful pictures!
Thanks for making!