Shrimp Fajita Salad

Name: Shrimp Fajita Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 23 min
Ingredients: 1 ¼ lb Medium Raw Shrimp (peeled and deveined); ½ Teaspoon Salt; ½ Teaspoon Ground Cumin; ½ Teaspoon Chile Powder; ½ Teaspoon Oregano; ¼ Teaspoon Garlic Powder; 1 Lemon or Lime (juiced); 1/4 Head Iceberg Lettuce; 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil; 6 Green Onions (sliced); 2 Red Bell Peppers (sliced); 8 Cherry Tomatoes (halved); Fresh Cilantro and Broccoli Sprouts (optional)

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Yum! Check out this shrimp fajita salad recipe! It's keto, paleo, Whole30, and dairy-free.

I love to read and develop recipes. I'm always surfing the internet, looking at recipe sites and blogs and saving recipes to try later. I also watch a lot of cooking shows and always take notes. Everything is an inspiration for a new kitchen experiment!

Close-up of shrimp salad with lettuce, red pepper, tomatoes, and sprouts, wooden spoon resting on top.

Most of the time, I find recipes that aren't low-carb, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, or dairy-free, but I can make them that way. This is one of those recipes. I stumbled across a beautiful-looking recipe for shrimp fajitas on a great blog I frequent and decided that they looked so scrumptious I had to try to make them "Heather-safe".

I succeeded by ditching the tortillas and making this into a salad. Perfect for topping with whatever you want. This made for the most delightful summer lunch! So light and refreshing, but still full of flavor and quite filling.

QUICK REFERENCE

📋 WHY THIS SHRIMP FAJITA SALAD RECIPE WORKS
🥘 Ingredient Notes
📋 Substitutions
📋 Variations
🔪 Instructions
🍽 Equipment
🍴 How to Serve
🥣 Storage
💭 TOP TIP
👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs
Unanswered Questions?
🍳 More Recipes You'll Love!
Recipe
Discussion

📋 WHY THIS SHRIMP FAJITA SALAD RECIPE WORKS

Endlessly customizable: top it however you like.
Ready in under 25 minutes: including a quick marinade.
Light but filling: perfect for a hot summer day, but satisfying enough to be a real meal.
Fits nearly every plate: keto, paleo, Whole30, and dairy-free.

🥘 Ingredient Notes

Labeled bowls of shrimp, bell peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro, and spices on a wood table.

Shrimp: Medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, work best here. They cook quickly, so keep an eye on them.
Fajita Spices: Salt, cumin, chile powder, oregano, and garlic powder build the classic fajita flavor.
Lemon or Lime Juice: Either works for marinating the shrimp. Use whichever you have on hand.
Iceberg Lettuce: This forms the crisp, refreshing base of the salad.

Coconut Oil: Used for cooking the shrimp; it holds up well to the heat.

Green Onions, Red Bell Peppers & Cherry Tomatoes: These round out the salad with color, crunch, and freshness.
Cilantro and Broccoli Sprouts: Optional, but a great finishing touch.

📋 Substitutions

This recipe is already keto, paleo, Whole30, and dairy-free as written. If you need help with different dietary accommodations, let me know in the comments, and I'll try to help!

📋 Variations

Protein Swap: I think this would be great with any kind of marinated protein. I could definitely get into a chicken or steak version.
Spice It Up: You can also add more heat if you like it spicy. Just add some chili flakes or your favorite hot sauce.

🔪 Instructions

Raw shrimp in a metal bowl beside small dishes of cumin, chile powder, and garlic powder.

Step 1: In a large bowl or zip-lock bag, combine shrimp with salt, cumin, chile powder, oregano, and garlic powder.

Hand pours lemon juice into a bowl of raw shrimp seasoned with spices.

Step 2: Add lemon or lime juice, mix well, and toss shrimp to coat. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 10 minutes.

Tongs toss raw shrimp coated in spices and lemon juice in a metal bowl.

Step 3: In a large skillet, heat coconut oil. Add shrimp with the marinade.

Raw shrimp arranged in a cast iron skillet, tongs turning one piece.

Step 4: Cook while stirring for 3 minutes.

Cooked, browned shrimp arranged in a cast iron skillet.

Step 5: Shrimp should be pink when fully cooked.

🍽 Equipment

Shop non-toxic skillets on Amazon for cooking the shrimp. A good-quality pan makes a real difference here.

🍴 How to Serve

I didn't even think to make some fresh guacamole or salsa when I made this, but I think that would also be a great addition!

🥣 Storage

Store the cooked shrimp separately from the salad greens in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keeping the components separate prevents the lettuce from wilting.

💭 TOP TIP

Watch the shrimp closely while cooking! They only need about 3 minutes, and they're done as soon as they turn pink and opaque. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery quickly, so pull them off the heat right when the color changes.

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

Can shrimp marinate for too long?

Yes. Unlike tougher proteins, shrimp is delicate, and marinating longer than about 15 minutes can start to break down the texture and make it mushy rather than more flavorful.

Why shouldn't shrimp be crowded in the pan?

Overcrowding causes shrimp to steam instead of sear, which leads to a rubbery texture and uneven cooking. Cooking in batches if needed gives better results.