Shrimp Fajita Taco Salad

Taco salad is my all-time favorite salad. This flavorful shrimp fajita taco salad is full of spicy shrimp, sautéed onions and peppers, and crispy tortilla strips, all topped with a creamy salsa ranch dressing. This delicious meal will have you looking forward to salad for dinner.

If I had to choose one lunch to eat every day for the rest of my life, it would be taco salad. I love getting a bunch of veggies in my day, and eating a salad at lunch is an easy win. But, I’m not one to eat a flavorless or boring meal. Thankfully, this shrimp fajita taco salad has so much flavor and color, it is decidedly NOT boring!

This salad is made with a bed of crisp salad greens piled high with juicy shrimp, plenty of peppers, sweet cherry tomatoes and creamy avocado. Topped with crunchy tortilla strips and a yummy homemade salsa ranch dressing, and this salad is so delicious, you’ll be dreaming about it.

For more delicious salads, try my blackened chicken caesar salad, arugula caesar salad with bbq chickpeas, or burrata salad with balsamic glaze.

You Will Love This

• This easy recipe cooks all in one large skillet for minimal cleanup.
• This is a perfect recipe for your next taco night, with a lot of versatility. Serve with some warm tortillas, and you can enjoy a fresh salad while your kiddos eat shrimp tacos!
• Use cooked frozen shrimp and store bought fajita or taco seasoning for a super easy dinner that is on the table in less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients

For this simple shrimp fajita salad, you need the following ingredients (exact measurements are in the recipe card below):

• Olive oil or avocado oil
• Bell peppers: I used red, yellow and orange peppers, but green bell peppers would also work great. You could use poblano peppers in place of one of the bell peppers for a little more spice.
• Red onion
• Cooked or raw shrimp, peeled and deveined with the tails off: You can use either cooked or raw shrimp in this recipe. I used cooked shrimp because I had some in the freezer, but either type of shrimp will work great. Instructions to cook both are included below.
• Fajita seasoning: Use your favorite store-bought fajita seasoning, or make your own! The fajita seasoning from my sheet pan chicken fajita recipe is my personal favorite. It is a simple blend of salt, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and cumin.
• Romaine lettuce, or other crisp salad green
• Cherry tomatoes: I liked the sweetness of ripe cherry tomatoes in this recipe, but fresh pico de gallo would be a great substitute to add a little more spice.
• Avocado
• Crispy tortilla strips: Substitute tortilla chips if you don’t have any strips on hand!
• Prepared salad dressing: I used my favorite homemade salsa ranch dressing. You could substitute store-bought ranch dressing, or the salad dressing of your choice.

Instructions

Step One: Thaw the shrimp if necessary. Prepare your vegetables. Wash and chop the lettuce. Slice the red onion into thin strips. Seed and slice the bell peppers. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Remove the pit from the avocado and slice it into thin slices.

Step Two: Warm olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt, and saute for a few minutes, until the onion starts to soften. Add the bell peppers, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the onions and peppers are soft and nicely charred. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Step Three: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the thawed shrimp to the skillet with the fajita seasoning. Stir together until the shrimp are well coated and cooked through. If using cooked shrimp, saute for about 1-2 minutes total, just until they are warm. If using raw shrimp, cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, until the shrimp curl into a C shape, are firm to the touch and are pink throughout.

Step Four: Assemble the salad. In a large bowl or platter, layer the romaine lettuce. Top with the seasoned shrimp and sautéed peppers and onions. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and avocado slices. Drizzle the salad with dressing, and top with crispy tortilla strips.

Storage

Once you have assembled the salad, it’s best to eat it immediately. If you are making salads for meal prep, you can store cooked shrimp and fajita veggies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Store chopped lettuce in a separate container (you can add washed and dried cherry tomatoes in with the lettuce if you like, but leave them whole!). When you are ready to eat your salad, reheat your shrimp and fajita veggies slowly on medium power in the microwave until just warmed through. Continue assembling the salad according to the instructions above. Tip: It’s best to cut the avocado up the day you will eat it, or it may brown.