These shrimp tostadas with cilantro lime sauce are an easy weeknight dinner that brings the heat, the crunch, and a whole lot of flavor. Juicy shrimp seasoned with bold spices, piled high on crispy corn tortillas, and drizzled with a tangy, creamy cilantro lime sauce—it’s basically taco night’s cooler, sassier cousin.
Whether you're cooking for Taco Tuesday or just need something delicious on a random Wednesday, this shrimp tostada recipe is fast, fun, and full of fresh ingredients.
This shrimp tostada recipe is one of my favorite go-to meals because it’s fast, flavorful, mostly healthy, and super satisfying. With just a bit of prep work, you'll have an easy shrimp tostada dinner on the table in under 40 minutes. It’s perfect for those nights when you want something bold and fresh but don’t have hours to cook. The contrast of crispy corn tortillas, juicy shrimp coated in warm spices, and the cool, zesty cilantro lime sauce hits all the right notes.
Also - it's customizable AF—you can keep it simple or pile on extras like red onion, refried beans, or a spoonful of homemade guacamole if you're feeling fancy. It's a total flavor bomb that typically has my whole family screaming for seconds.
In This Post
Key Ingredients
Here’s what makes these spicy shrimp tostadas so irresistible (see full list of ingredients in recipe card):
- Fresh shrimp. Peeled, deveined, and ready to soak up all that bold seasoning.
- Corn tortillas. The base of your crispy tostadas. Bake them to golden perfection for max crunch.
- Spices. Cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper bring the medium heat.
- Sour cream. Blended with cilantro, lime, and garlic for a creamy, dreamy sauce.
- Cilantro + Lime. The power couple behind the zesty topping.
- Red cabbage + avocado. For fresh crunch and creamy contrast.
Optional but delicious: red onion, serrano peppers, a scoop of pico de Gallo, or a splash of hot sauce.
How To Make Shrimp Tostadas
Here’s how to pull off this easy recipe like a pro:
- Marinate the shrimp. Start by marinating your shrimp. In a medium bowl, combine olive oil with cumin, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Toss in the peeled and deveined shrimp and let them soak up all that flavorful seasoning for about 20–30 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Make the crunchy tostada shells. While the shrimp is marinating, get your tostadas going. Preheat your oven to 400°F and arrange the corn tortillas on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush both sides very lightly with olive oil (too much oil will make your tostadas soggy, and we definitely don't want that!) and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Bake them for 4 minutes, flip, and bake another 4 minutes until they’re golden and crisp. Work in batches or use two sheets if needed to keep everything in a single layer—crispy tostadas are the goal!
- Blend the creamy cilantro lime sauce. Next, make the cilantro lime sauce. In a food processor or blender, combine the cilantro (no need to remove the stems), sour cream or Greek yogurt, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy, then set aside—this is your drizzle-worthy moment.
- Cook the shrimp. Once the shrimp have finished marinating and your tostada shells and cilantro lime sauce are made, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and sauté the shrimp in a single layer for about 3 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes until they’re fully opaque and slightly browned on the edges.
- Assemble the tostadas. To assemble, top each crispy corn tortilla with 3–4 of the sauteed shrimp, a handful of red cabbage, a few avocado slices, and a generous drizzle of the cilantro lime sauce. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice, some fresh cilantro, and any extras you love—like refried beans, red onion, or pico de Gallo.
Pro tip: If you're feeling it, swipe a layer of refried beans or mashed avocados on the tortilla before adding your shrimp mixture to the top of each tostada for extra delicious topping action.
Variations And Substitutions
This easy meal is endlessly riffable, and it's easy to change it up to use what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas.
- Make it vegetarian. Swap shrimp for grilled veggies or refried black beans.
- Dial up the heat. Add chili powder or chopped serrano peppers to the shrimp seasoning.
- Try Mexican crema: Use it in place of the sour cream for a tangier twist on the cilantro lime sauce. (You could also use whole milk Greek yogurt as a sour cream sub.)
- No shrimp? Use grilled chicken, steak, or even tofu for a different protein spin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. Cook the shrimp up to 1 day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat gently in a hot pan, cast iron skillet, or microwave. (Just be careful not to overheat the shrimp or else they'll turn a bit rubbery.) You can also prep the tostadas and cilantro cream sauce ahead to make everything easy to throw together when you’re ready.
A common problem if you're making ahead! You'll need to cool the tostadas completely on a paper towel before storing in an airtight container (I usually just use a zip lock bag). Any moisture or heat will make the tostadas turn soggy in the bag. Tostadas can also soften in the refrigerator, so do not refrigerate them.
Greek Yogurt, Mexican crema, or even a mix of mayo and a splash of lemon juice works in a pinch.
You sure can! But homemade crispy tortillas baked with just a little bit of oil have better flavor (and fewer ingredients).
This is really a personal preference. I always use frozen shrimp (I think it's actually fresher than the fresh shrimp in grocery stores by me, and I can buy a huge bag at Costco), and I typically buy it already peeled and deveined with the tails removed - it just saves so much time! But feel free to use what's convenient to you. In terms of size, this is really personal preference too. The shrimp I used in this recipe are average size, but you could also use smaller shrimp for these tostadas to make them a bit easier to eat.
No worries—some taste buds just say no. Feel free to skip the green altogether and add a little extra lime and garlic to the sauce. It’ll still be delicious.
What To Serve With Shrimp Tostadas
These babies are a full meal on their own, but if you're looking for more ideas to serve up with your shrimp tostadas, you can round out your Mexican night with any of the following:
- Tortilla chips and homemade guacamole
- Pico de gallo or salsa verde
- Refried beans
- Mexican rice
- Slow cooker pinto beans
- Grilled corn or elote
- A light margarita or agua fresca
Or go bold and serve these as breakfast tostadas with a fried egg on top. No rules here!
Bookmark this one—it’s bound to become your go-to easy dinner when you need something bold, fresh, and totally crowd-pleasing.
If you try these easy shrimp tostadas, please let me know what you think in the comments below! And don’t forget to share pics of your creations with me on Instagram & Facebook!
Recipe
Shrimp Tostadas With Cilantro Lime Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined, tails removed
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (grapeseed, vegetable, or avocado oil), divided
- salt to taste
For the cilantro lime sauce:
- ½ cup fresh cilantro (leave the leaves and stems on)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- zest from 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp salt
For the tostadas:
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- pinch of salt
For the garnishes:
- 1 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 avocado sliced
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- 4 lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Season the shrimp. In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp spices: ½ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon cayenne, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of oil. Toss the shrimp in the mixture and let marinate for 20–30 minutes while you make the tostada shells and cilantro lime sauce.
- Bake the tortillas. Place tortillas in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each side very lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 4 minutes, flip, then bake another 4 minutes until golden and crispy. (You want your tortillas in an even layer on the baking sheet, so do this in batches if needed.) If the tostadas are not crisp, bake them for another minute and check them again.
- Make the cilantro lime sauce. In a food processor or blender, combine cilantro, sour cream, lime juice and zest, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth. Set aside. (If the sauce feels too thick for your liking, add a splash of water to thin it slightly).
- Cook the shrimp. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Cook shrimp in a single layer for 3 minutes on one side, flip, and cook another 1–2 minutes until no longer translucent and fully cooked.
- Assemble tostadas. Top each crispy tostada shell with 3–4 shrimp. Add red cabbage, avocado slices, a drizzle of cilantro lime sauce, and fresh cilantro. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking shrimp. Give them space in the hot skillet to sear properly—work in batches if needed for juicy, lightly charred results.
- Use two baking sheets or work in batches to get truly crispy tostadas. Crowding the oven can lead to soggy tortillas. I can usually fit about 6 tortillas on 1 baking sheet.
- Go easy on the oil. When brushing tortillas, a light, even coating is all you need. Too much oil can make them greasy and prevent them from crisping up properly.
- Cilantro stems = flavor. No need to pick the leaves off—just toss the whole bunch into your food processor for the sauce.
- Marinate while you prep. Letting the shrimp sit in the spice mix while you prep the sauce and tortillas helps lock in flavor without slowing you down.
- Make it your own. Add a base layer of refried black beans, mashed avocado, or a spoonful of pico de gallo for extra flavor and texture.
- Make ahead tip: Shrimp and sauce can be made ahead and stored in airtight containers in the fridge. Assemble tostadas just before serving for max crunch.
- Warm tortillas first if using store-bought tostada shells—just a quick pass in a dry skillet helps bring them back to life.
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