Shrimp Tostadas
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
It's easy to eat healthy with delicious options like these shrimp tostadas. Crispy tostadas are topped with a crunchy salad mix and perfectly seasoned shrimp for an easy summertime meal that's ready in under 20 minutes!
If you love shrimp as much as we do, also try our shrimp fajitas, chili lime shrimp, or shrimp tacos with creamy pickled jalapeño slaw.
These healthy fuss-free shrimp tostadas are perfect for summer because they're practically no-cook. They're a light but satisfying meal that's crunchy, flavorful, and fresh.
They're really easy to make, too. The salad is a mix of crisp lettuce, corn, tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado simply dressed with olive oil and a squeeze of lime. We layer it on top of a crunchy tostada, tuck in seasoned shrimp, and top it all with cojita cheese for an easy breezy meal that everyone will enjoy.
While we eat a lot of tacos around here, we love tostadas for their unique crunchy texture. They're a little like eating an open-faced taco sandwich.
What is a tostada?
A tostada (pronounced tuh-staa-duh) is like a taco, but flat. The word ‘tostada' means ‘toasted' and refers to Mexican dishes made using flat, crispy tortillas. To make a tostada, tortillas can be toasted in the oven or fried then layered with a variety of toppings like beans, guacamole, beef, cheese, shredded lettuce or cabbage, tomatoes, and salsa.
How to make shrimp tostadas
These shrimp tostadas are super simple to make, with very little cooking. Here's how they come together in a few easy steps:
- Start by preparing the shrimp. Combine the shrimp, olive oil, chili powder, garlic, and salt in a bowl and set it aside to marinate.
- Next, make the salad mix. Add the romaine, tomatoes, corn, cucumber, and cilantro to another bowl. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper, then squeeze half the lime juice over the top and mix everything together. Lastly, add the avocado and gently mix.
- Cook the shrimp. Heat a large pan and add the shrimp and marinade. Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes, then remove it from the heat and squeeze half a lime over top.
- Now it's assembly time. Pile the salad on top of tostadas then top with shrimp and cojita cheese. That's it!
How to make a homemade tostada
In this recipe we use store-bought tostadas, but you can easily make your own at home. Simply lay corn tortillas flat on a baking sheet, spray them with cooking oil on both sides, season them with salt, and bake them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes (until they're crisp, like a chip!).
Variations to try
There are lots of ways to put your own spin on these shrimp tostadas. Add your favorite toppings or try these ideas that we love:
- Use our homemade elote seasoning to add extra flavor to the shrimp.
- Spread our easy guacamole on the bottom of the tostada before layering on the other toppings.
- Make them fruity by topping them with our summer peach salsa.
- Try grilling the shrimp instead of pan-frying for a fantastic smoky flavor.
- Add some heat with your favorite hot sauce or thinly sliced japaleño peppers.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make it ahead of time?
This recipe is best eaten right away, but to save time you could prepare all the salad ingredients ahead of time. Chop or slice the veggies and store them in an air-tight container up to 24 hours in advance.
How to serve shrimp tacos
Serve these shrimp tostadas when summer is in full swing with a refreshing fizzy lime or watermelon margarita.
Serving a crowd? Serve them with a family-style Mexican pasta salad and our lightened up Mexican corn dip (and a big bowl of crispy tortilla chips).
Favorite Mexican recipes
Shrimp Tostadas Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb shrimp (peeled and deveined )
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 lime (divided)
- 2 cup thinly sliced romaine hearts
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- ½ cup frozen corn (thawed)
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
- 1 mini cucumber (thinly sliced)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- 1 ripe avocado (diced)
- 12 tostadas
- Cojita or feta cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- Combine the shrimp, olive oil, chili powder, garlic, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set it aside to marinate while you make the rest of the meal.1 ½ lb shrimp, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 lime
- Add the romaine, tomatoes, corn, cucumber, and cilantro to a medium-sized bowl. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper and squeeze half the lime juice over the top and mix everything together. Add the avocado and gently mix.2 cup thinly sliced romaine hearts, ½ cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup frozen corn, 1 mini cucumber, 1 teaspoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper, ¼ cup minced cilantro, 1 ripe avocado
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add the shrimp and marinade to the pan. Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes, stirring a few times. Remove the shrimp from the heat and squeeze half a lime over top.
- Pile the salad on top of tostadas then top with shrimp and cojitaCojita or feta cheese, 12 tostadas
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our Mexican & Southwest recipes!
Great recipe!! I added some paprika to the shrimp. But otherwise so good!
Easy, quick and delicious! Adding this to the rotation.
I am a tostada virgin and wondering if you eat tostadas with a knife and fork on the plate or do you pick it up and fold it to eat? These really look delicious!
It’s more like eating an open-faced sandwich. They can be a little messy, especially if the tostada breaks while you’re eating it, but that’s part of the fun!
I love these crispy tostadas with some crunchy salad mix. It is perfectly suited for summertime mix. Lets go for it.