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Mexican Shrimp Taco Salad is a healthy way to satisfy your taco cravings. This is a wonderful combination of spicy sauteed shrimp, healthy leafy greens, classic taco toppings, and a light lime dressing turn a simple salad into a delicious meal you will wonder how you lived without.
HOW TO MAKE A MEXICAN SHRIMP HEALTHY TACO SALAD
This recipe for Mexican shrimp is a perfect way to build a healthier taco salad recipe. I always begin with making my dressing so it is ready to add when the shrimp are ready to eat. A blender or dressing shaker is great for this recipe so the oil, lime juice, and spice mix together well.
Next up, I will gather my taco salad base. I find it best to go ahead and prepare these items by chopping, dicing, washing, etc. so when I am ready I can just layer my salad and sit down to eat.
My final step is to mix up my seasoning for the shrimp. This simple Mexican shrimp taco seasoning is so basic but so flavorful! Olive oil, garlic powder, chili powder, and black pepper are mixed together before you toss the shrimp and coat it well. Next, you will add to a hot skillet or saute pan and cook until the shrimp have turned pink and curled in on itself. This usually takes only 1-2 minutes per side.
When the shrimp are ready, I remove the pan from heat and assemble my salad.
HOW TO CHOOSE TACO SALAD INGREDIENTS TO GO WITH MEXICAN SHRIMP
A healthy taco salad begins with a lovely bed of salad greens. My preference is romaine as it holds up well to toppings and isn’t bitter like some greens. You can, of course, use your preference. Spinach, kale, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, bibb lettuce, butter lettuce, or even old fashioned iceberg are all options for your taco salad.
Next, you will choose toppings. I love using black beans and corn in a taco salad. They also go really well with this Mexican shrimp. Tomatoes and avocado are a must on every taco salad. A slice of lime is a great accent that pairs well with shrimp.
You can also garnish with cilantro, but that is one item I always leave to the side. Not everyone likes the flavor of cilantro, so leave it as an optional topping for your Mexican shrimp taco salad.
WHEN SHOULD I ADD THE TACO SALAD DRESSING?
When serving this to others, I always prefer to add the dressing last. Assemble your salad and then drizzle the taco salad dressing over the top for each person to mix together with their greens and shrimp as they prefer.
If I am making Mexican shrimp for myself as a single serving, I will toss the greens with the dressing before adding to my plate. The biggest difference is if the salad will be eaten in one serving or not. Dressed greens get soggy easily, so I tend to only add dressing when I know I am ready to eat the salad.
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OTHER SHRIMP RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY:
If you enjoyed my Mexican shrimp taco salad recipe, you’ll love these shrimp recipes too.
Shrimp Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
DRESSING
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp agave
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
SALAD
- 2 cups leafy romaine, chopped
- 1/2 cup black beans, drained
- 1/2 cup corn kernels, removed from cob
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and cubed
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- Crumbled queso fresco
- Blue corn tortilla chips
- Lime wedges
- Garnish: freshly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except for the olive oil for the dressing. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking the mixture, until well-combined.
- Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine garlic powder, chili powder, and black pepper. Add shrimp and toss to combine.
- In a medium skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side, until cooked through and pink. Remove from heat.
- To assemble the salad, add lettuce, black beans, corn, and tomatoes to a large bowl.
- Toss to combine. Divide salad between two bowls or plates evenly. Top each plate with half the shrimp, half the cubed avocado and drizzle over the dressing as desired.
- Serve with blue corn tortillas and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, queso fresco, and lime wedges.
Notes
- Take care not to overcook the shrimp. They only take a couple of minutes a side to cook through. If you overcook them, they can become quite chewy.
- Make it your own! These are my favorite ingredients to use, but you can mix and match the ingredients to what's in season or what you have in your fridge!
- Make the dressing ahead of time. It will keep well in the fridge for up to a week and is great on so many other salads.
