If you haven’t had Shrimp Nachos, then you haven’t met the definition of crave-worthy. Crispy, crunchy chips with tender, flavorful shrimp, all smothered with melty cheese? Sign me up for that protein boost and flavor punch, all easy enough for a weeknight meal and beautiful enough for a big game day spread.
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Because they come together in just 20 minutes, these nachos make life easy too. All you have to do is quickly sauté your shrimp in cayenne, cilantro, and olive oil, then layer them with Monterey Jack in gooey layers. Next, pile on pico de gallo, guacamole, sliced jalapeños, and sour cream, ensuring each bite has a little of everything. It feels like a full meal, but requires the prep time of a simple lunch. What’s not to like?
And, because you know I’ve always got a secret hack to make my recipes foolproof, here’s today’s: pre-baking the chips for a few minutes at 375°F before any toppings go on, which keeps them from getting soggy every time. Only once they’ve crisped up do you layer on the cheese, add the shrimp, and pop everything back in the oven until the cheese melts.
Table of Contents
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Skill Level: Easy
Ingredients for Shrimp Nachos
- Shrimp: You want medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined for the easiest prep. Fresh shrimp have a clean ocean smell and plump, glossy skin. Weird oil-slick sheens need not apply.
- Olive Oil: Look for a nice, light, fruity extra-virgin olive oil. That way, its flavor won’t compete with the other ingredients.
- Cayenne Pepper: Good cayenne has a bright, potent aroma and a deep red color. If your cayenne is dull and doesn’t hit you with that peppery punch, it’s time to re-up.
- Cilantro: Seek out vibrant green leaves and perky stems, with no sliminess or brown patches. Give it the sniff test: Fresh cilantro should smell bright and citrusy.
- Tortilla Chips: While flavor is important, construction is key as well. You want chips that are sturdy enough to hold lots of toppings without breaking.
- Monterey Jack Cheese: I love Monterey Jack for its creamy flavor and meltability. Just make sure to shred it yourself rather than buying the pre-grated version, which often contains anti-caking agents.
- Jalapeño: Fresh jalapeños have firm, smooth, bright green skin without woody brown streaks. In a pinch, or if you prefer the flavor, you can also use pickled jalapeños from the condiment aisle.
- Pico de Gallo: If you aren’t making your salsa from scratch, opt for a fresh, refrigerated option without preservatives rather than a jarred product.
- Guacamole or Avocado: You can go either way here. If you want avocados, choose specimens that yield slightly to pressure. If you’re going for guacamole, look for minimal ingredients, or make your own Salsa Guacamole.
- Lime Wedges: Grab a few limes and weigh them up next to their cousins. Choose the ones that are heaviest for their size, a sign of extra juiciness.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream offers a much creamier texture and tangy flavor, so where possible, don’t lighten up.
- Kosher Salt: Kosher salt’s coarse texture is ideal for evenly seasoning shrimp.
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Any black pepper will do, but for the freshest flavor, consider grinding the peppercorns yourself.
How to Make Shrimp Nachos
Start by whisking the shrimp marinade ingredients – cilantro, salt, pepper, cayenne, and a tablespoon of olive oil – together in a medium bowl. Toss bite-size chunks of prepped shrimp into the mixture and stir to coat. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add the shrimp with the remaining olive oil and sauté them until just cooked through. Set aside while preparing the nachos.
Preheat your oven to 375˚F. Lay your tortilla chips on a baking sheet in an even, if overlapping, layer, then place them in the preheated oven until they begin to crisp. Remove them from the oven and build your nachos in layers: half the cheese, all the shrimp, and the other half of the cheese. Bake everything until the cheese melts.
Serve the nachos right out of the oven, garnished with jalapeño slices, lime wedges, and extra cilantro. Place bowls of pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream on the side for folks to serve themselves.
5 Recipe Tips
- Bake the Tortilla Chips Briefly Before Topping: This is my favorite hack for preventing soggy nachos. A quick bake before adding moisture-containing toppings is both easy and worth it. (See recipe for specific instructions on this.)
- Layer the Ingredients Evenly: Although it’s tempting to dump ingredients every which-a-where, taking the time to distribute your cheese, shrimp, and other toppings makes a difference. That way, the nachos cook evenly, and you get well-balanced flavor.
- Monitor the Shrimp While Cooking: Don’t walk away from your shrimp while sautéing, as they can easily become overcooked and tough. As soon as they turn pink and opaque, pull them off the heat.
- Use Fresh Cilantro and Lime: Freshly chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice right before serving brighten up your nachos more than you’d think.
- Adjust Heat With Cayenne and Jalapeños: You can adjust the heat up or down by modifying the amounts of cayenne pepper and jalapeño. Go carefully: While you can always add more spice, you can’t take it away!
Recipe Variations
- Vary Your Cheese: If Monterey Jack isn’t your fave, or you just like to experiment, try cheddar for a sharper flavor or mix the two for fun.
- Add Black Beans: If you want some extra protein, black beans are your friend. Just make sure to rinse and drain them well before sprinkling over the top.
- Experiment with Spices: Cayenne pepper not your thing? You might enjoy smoked paprika or chili powder for a different take on heat.
- Switch Up Your Jalapeño: Pickled jalapeños offer a milder, tangy flavor. If you love more heat, you can go for fresh and even add the seeds for a real kick.
- Mix in Corn: Corn adds a sweet, crunchy texture and is delicious either cooked or cut straight off the cob raw.
- Top with a Fruity Salsa: Pineapple Salsa or Pineapple Mango Salsa would be excellent, for instance.
- Swap the Shrimp: You can add another layer of flavor by using either Cilantro Lime Shrimp or Blackened Shrimp.
More Great Recipes for Nachos
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 8 ounces tortilla chips ideally thick and sturdy
- 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese or a mix of Jack and cheddar
- thinly sliced jalapeño fresh or pickled, to taste
- chopped fresh cilantro to taste
- Pico de Gallo to taste
- guacamole or avocado slices to taste
- lime wedges optional
- sour cream to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cilantro, salt, pepper, cayenne and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cut peeled and deveined shrimp into bite-size chunks (~3/4-inch) and add to bowl; toss well to coat.
- Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add shrimp; cook and stir until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer shrimp to clean plate and set aside.
- Arrange tortilla chips on a quarter-sized baking sheet in a single, slightly overlapping layer. Bake for until crisped and aromatic, about 3 minutes.
- Top hot chips in even layers in this sequence: half of the cheese, followed by the shrimp, and then with remaining cheese. Return to oven for an another 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Enjoy while hot, garnished with jalapeño slices, lime wedges and more cilantro if desired. Serve pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream on the side.
Notes
- Keep in mind that the time needed for prep doesn’t account for making Pico de Gallo, Fire Roasted Salsa or guacamole from scratch, but it’s worth the effort if you have time!
- It’s also worth it to grate your own cheese. Avoid pre-shredded options that have potato starch or cellulose, as these won’t melt as nicely.
- The quantity of shredded cheese is entirely up to your preference. I’ve seen recipes that call for much less cheese than what I recommend, as well as some that require double. Don’t hesitate to adjust the amount to your taste!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Another great version of Nachos! I don’t think I’ve ever had them with shrimp, but I do love this idea.
We love nachos around here, and the seasoned shrimp idea is a fun way to mix things up! We also do the Monterey Jack + cheddar combo. This recipe is further proof that cheese makes everything better!!
What fun! And, I love cheese with shrimp. Such a good combination.
Thank you, Mimi! It’s a surprisingly good combo for sure.
I don’t know any one that doesn’t like shrimp or tortilla chips so your nachos would really be a hit at a party.