Sizzling shrimp fajitas are a staple at many popular Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. They are spicy, savory and flavorful, with a taste of the sea from the shrimp. If you love eating these while dining out and want to replicate the recipe at home, then read on to learn how to make shrimp fajitas.
The way that you serve shrimp fajitas is almost as important as how you prepare them. In restaurants, the hot portion is usually served on a cast-iron skilllet. However, many home cooks do not have one of these laying around. You can still help your fajita filling stay warm by heating your serving dish in the dishwasher on "hot dry" beforehand. Serve tortillas wrapped in a clean kitchen towel, and present all cold condiments on a separate plate. All of the fixings should be placed at the center of the table, and diners can create their own fajitas.
Making Shrimp Fajitas
In this video, the "Sauce Goddess" demonstrates how to cook the filling for your fajitas. Here you can see how to tell when the vegetables are cooked enough to add the shrimp, and then how to tell when the entire dish is cooked to the right temperature. Her ingredients vary from the ones in the recipe here, but the cooking process is the same.
Step 1: What You Need to Make Shrimp Fajitas
- 1 1/2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 2 jalapenos, sliced (seeded if you prefer mild fajitas)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 10 small flour tortillas
Step 2: How to Make Shrimp Fajitas
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium to medium high
- Melt butter in oil
- Add bell pepper, jalapeno and onion
- Cook until onion is translucent
- Add garlic and shrimp
- Add salt, pepper and cumin
- Cook until shrimp is pink all the way through
- Remove from heat
- Heat tortillas in the microwave for about 60 seconds
- Transfer shrimp and vegetables to serving platter
- Serve with tortillas on the side, tomato, cabbage and sour cream on a separate plate, and salsa in a ramekin
Step 3: Use Caution with Jalapenos
Jalapenos contain an alkaloid called capsaicin, which gives them their heat. Most of the capsaicin is contained in the seeds and membrane of the pepper, so removing these will remove most of the heat.
- When working with jalapenos, avoid handling as much as possible, and always wash hands after touching them. If capsaicin gets on your fingers, it can be transferred to your eyes or other tender membranes through touching, which can be quite painful.
