If I could only eat 5 foods for the rest of my life, shrimp would be one of them. I love shrimp, like that first crush that never goes away kinda love (if you know, you know). This Shrimp Nachos recipe is a fun and delicious twist to traditional nachos.
Do you make nachos at home or are nachos something you save for when you are out to eat?
I especially enjoy making nachos during the warm weather months as a lighter meal or appetizer. It's something we enjoy evenings out back with a fire and ice cold beer and cocktails.
Table of Contents
Have you ever topped nachos with shrimp?
When it comes to making nachos, what I love about it is you really don't need a recipe, you just add on as much or as little of the foods you enjoy. It's easy to make nachos at home and this simple Shrimp Nachos recipe hits all the notes we enjoy in an app or light meal.
I like topping my nachos with Mexican table cream (as pictured above) or sour cream.
I teamed up with Gorton's Seafood to bring you this fun recipe! Why go out when you can make restaurant & bar food at home easily?? I also use Gorton's s to make Crispy Fish Tacos. You need to check those out its an easy shortcut.
If you are ready to switch up your nachos and make Shrimp or Seafood Nachos, simply decide what you want on them.
You can also make grilled shrimp to top your nachos with, here is my favorite Grilled Shrimp Recipe or try my Grilled Chili Lime Shrimp which would work well with these nacho's. Or just grill shrimp with some Mexican seasoning or blackening seasoning, it all works.
Ingredients
- I add jalapenos, pico de gallo, some quick homemade guacamole, scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, Monterrey jack cheese, crumbled queso fresco.
- I add a drizzle of Mexican table cream (lighter than sour cream). I keep this light. Not a lot of cheese, no sour cream. Just fresh and bright. We enjoyed the heck out of these! No chip was left behind and for sure no shrimp was!!
How Do You Make Shrimp Nachos?
- Making shrimp nachos is easy. Swap your traditional chicken or beef for shrimp and dress the nachos accordingly. This turns out lighter and brighter than traditional nachos. Perfect for warm-weather outdoor dining! Assemble nachos and the fixings you enjoy and scatter shrimp overtop.
- Melt the cheese onto the chips via the oven (you can also use a pourable cheese) and then quickly dress them with things like cilantro, additional cheese, beans, tomatoes, avocados or guacamole. I add the shrimp at the end and serve. Yum! You need to have your shrimp already cooked before adding them to the nachos.
Homemade Nachos Variations
- You can take these nachos anywhere you want them to go. Use Gorton's for a quick, no mess addition of flavored shrimp or make garlic shrimp or even blackened shrimp to use.
- Swap out guacamole for seasoned avocado chunks.
- Add sour cream and/or hot sauce.
- Make this super cheesy or add just a bit of cheese.
- Add corn, beans...whatever you wish to make it your own! You really can't go wrong when making nachos!
- Make these Shrimp Nachos simple or loaded. Pile on the cheese and allow it to melt onto the chips in the oven or or use a pourable cheese that you heat on the stove.
- Add black beans, refried beans, sliced jalapenos, cilantro, etc.
- Swap the table cream for sour cream etc!
- Sprinkle a little chili powder or cayenne pepper onto your chips to kick them up a notch. There are no rules with nachos.
Enjoy!! XO - Colleen
Mexican-American recipes you may enjoy
Colleen Kennedy is the author of 3 cookbooks and has appeared on QVC and other shows inspiring home cooks of all levels. She has a popular TikTok channel @ColleensCooking with hundreds of short recipe videos. Colleen lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and kids, she started the food blog, Soufflé Bombay in 2009. Read more about her here.
Originally published April, 2018. Updated July, 2024.
Nutritional information is calculated using a WordPress plug-in. Actual will vary by ingredients used at home.
Shrimp Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp
- Tortilla chips
- Cheese Shredded Mexican blend, Shred your own pepper jack or Monterrey Jack cheese or use a cheese sauce
- Sliced jalapenos
- Slices scallions
- Chopped tomatoes or pico de gallo
- Guacamole homemade or store-bought
- Queso Fresco crumbled
- Mexican table cream yum!
- Snipped fresh parsley or cilantro
Instructions
- Cook shrimp according to package directions.
- While shrimp is baking in its packet. If making fresh guacamole, do so now (avocado, lime juice, salt, garlic, diced avocado, red pepper) or cut up your avocado to add to the nachos.as is (yum).
- On a baking sheet or in a cast iron pan or oven-safe pan, add tortilla chips, scatter cheese, jalapenos, and scallions (you can do layers. (If adding any type of bean do so now).
- Set aside.
- Once shrimp is done, drain the juice (you can save it for tossing with pasta the next day).
- Scatter shrimp over the nachos and bake at 350 just until cheese melts.
- Remove from oven, add queso blanco, guacamole or avocado, pico or tomatoes and whatever else you would like to add.
- Drizzle with Mexican table cream (if you choose), scatter parsley or cilantro and enjoy straight away!
Michele Brosius says
Oh my gosh! This recipe looks delicious and not to complicated. My favorite kind of cooking!
Tess Schmigiel says
These look delicious!! I can't wait to try! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Tess
Deanna Segrave-Daly says
I am with you - shrimp would definitely be in my top 5 fave foods. And these nachos are da bomb!!!
Tim says
The breaded fillets and the fish sticks are what we buy primarily, with the fillets being used to make fish sandwiches.
Colleen says
Fish sandwiches sound good! I enjoy making fish tacos with the beer battered fillets So easy!
Min K says
My fave Gorton's product are the breaded fish patties.
Natalie says
I love nachos and shrimp so I will have to try this recipe! My favorite Gorton's product is their Beer Battered fish fillets.
Denise Higgins says
Love the Beer Batter Fish filets
Colleen says
They are my daughter's fav!
Christina Almond says
Shrimp Nachos sound wonderful! This would be a real hit at my house!
Colleen says
They are a nice switch from the traditional, a lighter too!
Kayte CookWatts says
The only fish sticks we buy are Gortons! We love fish tacos here too, but your nachos look next level delish.
Colleen says
They are good! Thanks Kayte!!
Elena says
My favorite product is grilled salmon
Ali says
Love Gordon's popcorn shrimp and butterfly shrimp. Any seafood is great anytime!
Tina W says
The recipe looks great, and easy to customize for our picky eaters.
Chrissy says
My favorite product is their popcorn shrimp! Though my daughter loves any of their fish sticks though she calls them "chicken nugget french fries". Whatever works to get her to eat them!
Laurajj says
Oh this recipe sounds so good. Shrimp is one of my favorite foods, I have never seen it with nachos! I have to give this a try!
Kristen says
The recipe looks delicious. I love shrimp, but I've never had them on nachos....will need to try this!
Cheryl B says
We love Gortons battered sticks.
heather says
I love the Gorton's fish stick the best.
Tammy Catterton says
I love the beer battered Fish fillets just had them last week here yummy
Sarah Mayer says
We are all about the fish tacos!
Lauren says
This recipe looks delicious!
Rust says
My favorite is the fish sticks, we've enjoyed them for years.
Mary Jo Reynolds says
What is Mexican Table Cream? Can I make my own? Definitely want to try this....
Colleen says
It's like thinner sour cream. I buy mine at Walmart in the dairy section. They have a great selection of Mexican cheeses, etc. I also use it when making my Mexican Street Corn Dish...so good! Here is a link so you can see it - https://grocery.walmart.com/ip/Cacique-Crema-Mexicana-15-Oz/10451930?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=2096&adid=22222222420331748883&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=305074695115&wl4=pla-546274454336&wl5=9007202&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=120643079&wl11=local&wl12=10451930&wl13=2096&veh=sem_nb&gclid=CMLquMC81-ICFYGfswod_zQJnQ&gclsrc=aw.ds
Colleen says
Not sure why I JUST saw this comment (sorry!) it's similar to sour cream, just thinner. Walmart always carries it in their dairy section along with a nice selection of Mexican cheeses. I LOVE it when I make Mexican Street Corn Salad/Casserole
. Here is a link to the brand I buy - https://www.caciqueinc.com/products/crema-mexicana/
Tammie Pinelo says
I know this was posted a while ago, but I noticed that you said at the top of the recipe serves 2, but in the nutritional information on the bottom it says serves 6, which is correct?
Colleen says
If you were serving this as an appetizer, it would serve 6. IF enjoying as a full meal then I would say 2/ It's really up to you how many chips you use etc. You can make it large or small.
Paddy Miller says
Did anyone rating this recipe actually MAKE it? The comments appear to be a a popularity contest on what Gorton seafood product the readers like best. Who cares? Make the recipe and then rate it!
Supriya Kutty says
My kids really love nachos but I have never ever tried shrimp nachos this is something new and very interesting but after coming across this post of yours I tried making it in the same way you have given in the recipe and it really turned out to be so delicious that I would want to try it everyday thank you so much for the recipe.
Colleen says
Fantastic!!
Chris David says
I just made this for a group of 9 so I doubled the recipe and wow it was delicious! I’ve never received so many compliments.
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Colleen says
That makes me so happy Chris!!
Beck & Bulow says
Actually I will use the gremolata on other dishes too from now on. And last – I used mashed potatoes (as I did not have polenta) it worked perfect. Thank you for the great recipe. Visit us: https://www.beckandbulow.com