You’re going to love this loaded Grilled Mexican Shrimp Salad! This light and flavorful Mexican-inspired shrimp salad recipe is made with marinated grilled shrimp, grilled corn, black beans, avocado, tomatoes, crisp salad greens, and crumbled queso fresco cheese. It's the perfect salad for the summer grilling season!
If you're bored with your everyday taco salad, prepare this fully loaded Mexican-style shrimp taco bowl instead! It's packed with fresh, wholesome ingredients and maximum Mexican-inspired flavors.
We love Mexican food in this house. Fajitas are a staple in my menu rotation. They are not only delicious but really quick and easy to throw together for a fresh summer weeknight meal.
I immediately thought of using our favorite Mexican flavors to make this grilled Mexican shrimp salad. I knew that I could whip up my own version with marinated grilled shrimp, using a flavorful rub, grilled fresh corn, and avocados. The resulting light and healthy recipe has great color and a nice contrast in textures. A side dish that I ordered at a restaurant on Hilton Head Island sparked this recipe idea, it was simple, yet really tasty. The salad consisted of a blend of grilled corn, black beans, crumbled queso fresco, and a simple light dressing. Of course, I had to add a lean protein to the mix. 🙂
This grilled shrimp taco salad is perfect for meal prepping and enjoying throughout the week, but it's also perfect for parties; and when it comes to feeding a crowd, you can't go wrong with flavorful Mexican dishes.
This salad is gluten-free, and if you leave out the queso fresco, it's also dairy-free! Ready to make the BEST loaded taco shrimp salad? Fire up the grill, and let's get started.
Why you'll love this savory shrimp recipe
- It's packed with lean protein, fiber, healthy fat, and nutrient-rich veggies.
- It makes a hearty lunch or light dinner and is meal prep friendly!
- It's gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free (omit the cheese!)
- It's easy to customize to your preferences.
Ingredients you'll need
For the salad you'll need:
- Large raw shrimp - you’ll need peeled and deveined shrimp, or frozen shrimp that have been completely thawed and patted dry. Jumbo shrimp are also great here.
- Salad greens - I use green leaf lettuce or butter lettuce. You can also use a blend of romaine lettuce and mixed artisan greens, but go with your favorite leafy greens here!
- Fresh corn - husks, and silk removed
- Tomato - Use a large, meaty tomato like beefsteak or Roma. You can also use halved cherry or grape tomatoes.
- Black beans - Canned black beans are perfectly fine here. All you need to do is give them a good rinse, and they're all set.
- Queso Fresco - A crumbly mild Mexican-style cheese with a bright, fresh flavor. Feel free to use cotija cheese (it's a bit saltier), shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend.
- Avocado - it’s not a Mexican salad without fresh avocado!
- Cilantro- if you love cilantro, it’s a great garnish for this dish. I add a generous amount of chopped cilantro to the top of the salad. I know a lot of people hate cilantro, it's one of those herbs you either love it or leave it. If you're a hater, just leave it out. The recipe will still be full of flavor.
- Sea salt, or coarse salt, and pepper- for seasoning
For the ancho chili lime shrimp marinade you'll need:
- Extra virgin olive oil - The base of the dressing. You can also use avocado oil.
- Lime zest - Gives the dressing a tangy, citrus flavor. I do not recommend using bottled lime juice. Fresh lime makes a huge difference.
- Ancho chili powder - Adds mildly sweet, fruity flavor reminiscent of raisins. It’s made from ground-up poblano peppers. It’s incredible as a rub for grilled shrimp.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic adds a great flavor kick to the marinade
- Fresh thyme - don’t skip this fresh herb, it’s the perfect accompaniment to the ancho chili powder.
- Wooden skewers- soaked in water for at least 30 minutes.
How to make Mexican shrimp salad
Step 1: Prepare the grill. Start by preheating the grill over medium heat and brush the grill grate with a little oil to season.
Step 2: Marinate the shrimp. Whisk together the olive oil, fresh chopped thyme, chili powder, Iime zest, and garlic. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and thread them onto the wooden skewers. Brush the shrimp with the chili lime marinade, thoroughly coating both sides. Season with a little salt and pepper.
Step 3: Grill the corn and shrimp. Spray the corn with olive oil spray and season with a pinch or two of salt. Grill the corn for 14-16 minutes, turning every 4 minutes.
Set the corn aside to cool to room temperature while you grill the shrimp. Crank the heat up to high and cook the shrimp for 1 ½ minutes per side until golden and no longer pink. Season with a pinch of coarse kosher salt.
Step 4: Assemble the salad. Add the salad greens to a large bowl. Scrape the corn off the cob and add to the bowl, followed by the chopped tomatoes, black beans, queso fresco, avocado, and fresh cilantro (if using). Then, place the grilled shrimp on top. You can also assemble the salad into separate bowls for serving. Serve with one of the dressing recommendations below or your favorite vinaigrette.
Dressing: I highly recommend this cilantro lime dressing that I use for my grilled chicken Mexican salad! It’s quick and easy, made with fresh lime juice, and so good I could almost drink it!! You'll already have the lime because you need the zest for the marinade. To make: add the dressing ingredients to a blender, then blend until smooth. When ready to serve, drizzle the dressing over the top and toss to combine. Store any leftover dressing in a small mason jar in the refrigerator. If cilantro lime dressing isn’t your jam, this creamy mayo vinaigrette, or citrus lime vinaigrette dressing (no cilantro) are great alternatives. Store-bought creamy avocado dressing is another great dressing option.
Recipe tips
- Do not overcook the shrimp! If it's even the slightest overcooked, it will taste rubbery. If the heat is cranked up, all it takes is 1 ½ minutes per side, just make sure that the grill is clean to avoid any flame flare-ups.
- For meal prep- use unsliced cherry tomatoes, or store the tomatoes separately in an airtight container. I use the glass containers with dividers and place the salad on one side and the shrimp and cheese on the other. Wait to add the avocado when serving so it doesn’t turn brown. Always store the dressing in a separate container.
- Scale up the ingredients, and make a big batch for summer parties, potlucks, and outdoor events.
- Time saver tip: You can use canned shoepeg corn or thawed frozen corn kernels to save time, but fresh grilled corn adds amazing flavor.
Grilled shrimp salad variations
Switch up the protein - Instead of shrimp, Mexican marinated chicken or steak pairs nicely with this salad.
Make it a wrap or a shrimp taco bowl - Wrap up the ingredients in a burrito-size tortilla or your favorite wrap -or use small flour or corn tortillas for tacos, or hard shells for taco bowls.
Mix-in ideas - Add chopped bell pepper, fresh or pickled red onion, fresh or pickled jalapeno, and tortilla strips. You can also add fresh mango to the mix for a sweet savory combo.
Storing
Storing leftover salad: If the shrimp, vegetables, and dressing are refrigerated in separate containers, the shrimp will last 3-4 days, and the veggies will last 2-3 days. The dressing is best within 5-7 days.
More salads you'll love
Chicken Salad with Mashed Avocado
Mexican-inspired Chicken Salad
Roasted Vegetable Avocado Salad
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Grilled Mexican Shrimp Salad
Equipment
- grill
Ingredients
- For the shrimp:
- 1 lb large raw shrimp fresh, or thawed from frozen, peeled and deveined
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoon ancho chili powder this ingredient is key for incredible flavor
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime zest
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- wooden skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
- For the salad:
- 2 ears fresh corn husks and silk removed
- olive oil or avocado oil cooking spray
- coarse salt and pepper for seasoning the corn and salad
- 6-8 cups green leaf lettuce can also use butter or romaine lettuce, chopped
- 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 large tomato seeded and chopped
- 1 lg avocado chopped
- 4 oz queso fresco cheese crumbled
- fresh chopped cilantro: for garnishing, if desired
Instructions
- Start by preheating the grill over medium heat and brush the grill grate.
- Whisk together the olive oil, fresh chopped thyme, chili powder, Iime zest, and garlic. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and thread them onto the wooden skewers. Brush the shrimp with the chili lime marinade, thoroughly coating both sides. Season with a little salt and pepper.
- Spray the corn with olive oil spray and season with a pinch or two of salt. Grill the corn for 14-16 minutes, turning every 4 minutes. Set the corn aside to cool to room temperature while you grill the shrimp. Crank the heat up to high and cook the shrimp for 1 ½ minutes per side until golden and no longer pink. Season with a pinch of coarse kosher salt.
- Add the salad greens to a large bowl. Scrape the corn off the cob and add to the bowl, followed by the chopped tomatoes, black beans, queso fresco, avocado, and fresh cilantro (if using). Then, place the grilled shrimp on top. You can also assemble the salad into separate bowls for serving. Serve with cilantro lime vinaigrette or your favorite dressing.
Notes
- Do not overcook the shrimp! If it's even the slightest overcooked, it will taste rubbery. If the heat is cranked up, all it takes is 1 ½ minutes per side, just make sure that the grill is clean to avoid any flame flare-ups.
- For meal prep- use unsliced cherry tomatoes, or store the tomatoes separately in an airtight container. I use the glass containers with dividers and place the salad on one side and the shrimp and cheese on the other. Wait to add the avocado when serving so it doesn’t turn brown. Always store the dressing in a separate container.
- Scale up the ingredients, and make a big batch for summer parties, potlucks, and outdoor events.
- Time saver tip: You can use canned shoepeg corn or thawed frozen corn kernels to save time, but fresh grilled corn adds amazing flavor.
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