Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click on the link and make a purchase.
Shrimp tostadas are the perfect light summer meal! Crispy tortillas are topped with perfectly cooked shrimp, homemade crema sauce, creamy avocado, and a dash of hot sauce! This quick and easy seafood appetizer or light dinner cannot be easier to make in a little over 30 minutes! Pair these tostadas with Chelada and Churros for the best summer dinner!
We may not be on the beaches of Baja Ensenada but we can be transported there by serving these tostadas with Grilled Corn with Chipotle Bourbon Butter, Cuban Black Bean Soup, or Frozen Daiquiris.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Shrimp Tostadas
- Shrimp – Use good quality fresh shrimp that way they’ll be briny and perfectly meaty!
- Cucumber and avocados – The cucumber is used for the crema sauce and cubed avocados are used for serving. They give a nice crunch and extra creaminess to this recipe!
- Lime – A lot of fresh lime juice is used both in the crema sauce and tossed with the cooked shrimp. Grab an extra lime to cut into wedges for serving if you like!
- Mexican crema – It’s tangy, creamy and very similar to sour cream! Crema is richer and thicker than sour cream so it makes a wonderful creamy sauce for these tostadas.
- Tortillas – For this recipe we are making our own tostada shells. All you need to do is fry then in a hot skillet with vegetable oil.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How to Make Shrimp Tostadas
- For the crema sauce. Sprinkle cucumbers with salt and allow them to sit and release their juices, then mix with freshly squeezed lime juice and Mexican crema. Allow to chill in the fridge.
- For the tostadas. In a hot skillet fry corn tortillas until crispy. Transfer them to a bed of paper towels then sprinkle with salt.
- For the shrimp. Boil shrimp until they are pink but still undercooked. Allow it to cool slightly, then slice shrimp in half, horizontally. Toss with more lime juice, and salt then chill in the fridge.
- Assemble. Top each tostada with a little bit of crema sauce, shrimp, diced avocados and a dash of hot sauce.
Tips and Tricks
Start with making the crema sauce first. It will only get better the longer it sits in the fridge.
For a lighter version: Instead of frying brush your tortillas with vegetable oil then bake in a 400 degree oven for a few minutes on either side or until they crisp up to your liking.
Recipe FAQs
Tostada means “toasted” in Spanish. It is a popular Mexican/Latin dish that originally used stale tortillas as the base and then it was piled high with taco toppings.
Tostadas are basically a taco! A fried corn tortilla(sometimes wheat tortillas can be used instead) is topped with meat or seafood, crema sauce, guacamole, refried beans, and fresh chopped vegetables or salsa.
More Shrimp Recipes
If you tried this Shrimp Tostadas Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Shrimp Tostadas
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 cast iron skillet or sautรฉ pan
Ingredients
Tostadas:
- Vegetable oil
- 6 to 8 tortillas
- 1/2 pound medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the cucumber and sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. Allow to stand for 5 minutes to release some of its water. Squeeze in the lime juice and quickly mix in the crema. Salt to taste. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- In a cast iron skillet (or a sautรฉ pan), add about 1-inch of oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat; when the oil is hot add the tortillas, in batches, and fry until crispy, flipping them at the 30-40 second mark. Transfer the tortillas to a bed of paper towels and sprinkle both sides with a bit of salt. Repeat frying step with the remaining tortillas.
- In a saucepan, boil the shrimp for 30-40 seconds, until pink and a bit undercooked (weโre going to toss them with lime juice, which will cook them a bit more). Transfer the shrimp to a cutting board and allow to sit until theyโre cool enough to handle. Slice the shrimp in half, horizontally. Add the shrimp to a bowl and toss with a few pinches of salt and the juice from the limes. Transfer to the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
- To assemble, add a few tablespoons of crema/avocado sauce to each tostada. Top with a few shrimp, a scoop of diced avocado and a couple dashes of hot sauce. Repeat with the remaining tostadas.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Start with making the crema sauce first. It will only get better the longer it sits in the fridge. For a lighter version: Instead of frying brush your tortillas with vegetable oil then bake in a 400 degree oven for a few minutes on either side or until they crisp up to your liking.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Your recipes are so refreshing and colorful
Thanks so much, Lisa!
These look awesome!! What a great light summer dinner idea!!
What a perfect light summer meal!! Shrimp is so good when its so hot out!!
YESyeyseysysye. I’ll never not love this.
These tostadas sounds amazing, and so perfect for summer1 Also, now I want a modelo very badly. ๐
I’ve been waiting for this recipe since I saw your little sneak peak on instagram! Can’t wait to try these out, and can’t wait for your new book!!
People watching and great food is really something (re: romantic). These look awesome.
your shots are so beautiful!!
Wow so refreshing! Your combination of flavours are simply made for each other. No wonder you have such fond memories of it.
LOVE this recipe – especially that cucumber crema! So simple, fresh, and perfect for summer.