Shrimp Fajitas
These shrimp fajitas are a super easy, family friendly dinner that’s incredibly delicious. This is highly requested by my entire family whenever we have fresh or frozen shrimp on hand.These fajitas consist of tortillas, marinated then grilled shrimp, sautéed peppers and onions, homemade guacamole, and a corn sour cream crema.They come together in 45 minutes, after the shrimp have been marinated! The rest of the components are super simple and super delicious.These are also super fun for dinner because they are assembled right at the table, allowing anyone to customize their fajita!
Equipment
- cast iron pan/grill
- good knife
Ingredients
- 8 tortillas
Shrimp:
- 1.5-2 lbs shrimp medium, peeled
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lemon zested, juiced
- 1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp sumac
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Sauteed Vegetables
- 2 bell peppers medium
- 2 yellow/white onions
- 1/2-1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Guacamole
- 2 avocados medium
- 1/4 red onion
- 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes
- 1 jalapeno
- 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 lemon juiced
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
Corn crema
- 2 ears corn medium
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 8 cups water plus 1 tbsp
- 1/2 tsp salt plus an additional pinch
- one pinch pepper
Instructions
For the shrimp:
- Add the shrimp and the ingredients listed for the marinade (olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, cilantro, paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, sumac, oregano, salt, and pepper) to a bowl and mix gently.
- Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge to marinate anywhere between 10 minutes and 3 hours.
- When ready to cook the shrimp, heat a large cast iron pan or grill. Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes on the first side, then 1-2 minutes on the second side until completely opaque in the center.
Sauteed Vegetables:
- Slice the peppers and onions into thin, longer slices and set aside. Heat a large cast iron pan and add 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Add the peppers and onions and cook for 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium/low and add the salt, pepper, paprika, and cinnamon. Cook for a further 20-25 minutes until the peppers and onions are soft.
Guacamole:
- Cut the avocados in half, take out the pit, and scoop them out into a bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
- Chop the tomatoes into small pieces, and finely dice the onion and jalapeno. Add these, along with the cilantro, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the mashed avocado.
- Mix gently and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Corn crema:
- Bring the 8 cups of water to a bowl. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and the 2 ears of corn, then boil for 10 minutes. After, remove the corn and dry it off.
- Heat a large cast iron pan/grill. Add the corn and grill it until it is somewhat charred, about 15-20 minutes. Cool.
- Mix together the sour cream, water, pinch of salt, and pinch of pepper. Using a knife, cut the corn kernels off of the center of the ear of corn and add to the sour cream. Mix.
Assembly:
- Heat the tortillas in a pan of your own choice or on an open flame for 10-15 seconds on each side.
- To assemble, take a tortilla and add 3-5 shrimp, a spoonful of sauteed vegetables, and a scoop of both the guacamole and crema. Enjoy!
Notes
- The calories listed above do not include tortillas, as those depend on the ones you choose to use.
- Macros: 34 g fat, 24.1 g carbohydrates, 39 g protein
- The shrimp can also be substituted with chicken, beef, or even tofu! Feel free to make changes and adjust the seasoning to your taste to help it coordinate with the protein you choose.
- When I make this recipe, I typically use one cast iron grill and one large cast iron pan for all of the components. To make it in 45 minutes, here are the steps that I follow: I start with the shrimp, and get those marinating in advance. Then, I put the water on the stove to boil for the corn. After, I start by preparing the vegetables for the saute and for the guacamole, so I can have those in advance. After I have those prepared, the water is typically boiling for the corn. While the corn is boiling, I start the sauteed vegetables. After the corn is done boiling, I throw it on the grill and make the guacamole and sour cream mix for the crema. During this, the vegetables are still slowly cooking and I can start the shrimp on the remaining area of the grill. The shrimp cook super fast, so I take this time to set the table and clean while I wait. By the time I get all the shrimp cooked (it typically takes about 3 batches) the corn is done and I can start heating the tortillas. I can also add the corn to the crema, and everything is ready to go!
- See the blog post above for a more descriptive version of this recipe.