If you love bold flavors and quick dinners, these Blackened Shrimp Fajitas are about to become a favorite. Juicy shrimp are coated in smoky, spiced seasoning and they sizzle up in just minutes. Toss in tender onions and colorful bell peppers, and you’ve got a dinner that’s as vibrant as it is delicious. Wrapped in warm gluten-free tortillas with your favorite toppings, every bite is packed with flavor, crunch, and just the right kick of heat.
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❤️ Why We Love These Fajitas
I enjoy cooking a variety of different cuisines to add some spice and flair to my meals. It may take a little bit to get the hang of gluten-free cooking when you initially start, but the more you try, the easier it gets. Shrimp is a pretty forgiving seafood to make, and I will walk you through every step in making it.
I have lots of easy gluten-free dinner recipes on the blog for cooking inspiration! If you love spice, check out my hatch chile recipes…I even have a video to teach you how to fire-roast hatch chiles! If you love quick meals, these Honey Garlic Shrimp are also fast to make.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Shrimp – Use large to extra large size shrimp. If you have frozen shrimp, let the shrimp thaw in the refrigerator. You can place the sealed shrimp package in a bowl of warm water and let it sit to speed up the thawing.
- Corn Tortillas – These gluten free fajitas can be made with corn tortillas or gluten free tortillas.
- Seasonings – Paprika, ancho chile powder, mustard powder, cayenne powder, cumin, black pepper, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt. Always check the label to be sure your seasonings are gluten-free.
- Oil – I used avocado oil, but other light oils work.
- Onions – Use yellow onions for mellow flavors.
- Bell Peppers – Use any color bell peppers, each adds its own flavor.
- Avocado – Adds a creamy flavor to every bite!
Serve these shrimp fajitas on my Homemade Gluten-Free Corn Tortillas. A word of caution on store-bought corn tortillas. It is important to read the ingredients. Some brands add wheat flour, so be sure to check and confirm that your corn tortillas are gluten-free.
Tips For Success:
- This recipe makes spicy gluten-free shrimp fajitas. If you want it to be less spicy, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper.
- The shrimp will cook quickly, so prepare the salsa, warm the tortillas, and organize the rest of our toppings before cooking the shrimp.
- This tortilla warmer is one of my favorite things because it keeps the tortillas warm throughout the meal.
A Note From My Kitchen
When I first started making blackened shrimp, I used to worry about overcooking the shrimp. Shrimp cooks fast, so once it turns pink and curls slightly, it’s ready. I tested this recipe with both medium and large shrimp to get the seasoning just right right for you. You can use this spice mix on fish, chicken, or even tofu!! It’s one of my go-to seasoning blends.
How To Make Blackened Shrimp Fajitas (Step by Step)
Once you learn how to blacken shrimp, you will want to blacken all sorts of meats and seafood! Get a head start by slicing your onions and bell peppers thinly.
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Step 1: Mix the shrimp fajita seasoning, including paprika, ancho chile powder, mustard powder, cayenne powder, cumin, black pepper, oregano, onion powder, salt, and garlic powder. Whisk them to blend them thoroughly.
In a separate pan, cook the onions and peppers. (You can also serve them raw as shown in the finished photos.)
Step 2: Place the raw shrimp into a bowl with the seasoning mix and toss to coat the shrimp. Let the shrimp sit with the seasoning mix for 5-10 minutes so the flavor seeps into the shrimp.
👀 Sandi Says: If you need to devein your shrimp, check out this deveining shrimp tutorial.
Step 3: Add avocado oil (or another high-heat oil) to a pan and heat it on medium heat. Add the raw shrimp and cook for 5-7 minutes until the shrimp are all cooked. The time may vary slightly depending on the size of the shrimp.
Step 4: Serve hot with sour cream and salsa.
Fajita Toppings:
1. Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt – This can help lessen the spice, too.
2. Fresh tomatoes
3. Cilantro – Fresh cilantro is great on these tacos.
4. Shredded Cheese – Use sharp or mild cheddar.
How to store leftover skillet shrimp fajitas:
Store the shrimp separately from the tortillas in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep fresh for up to 2 days. You can freeze the shrimp in a zipper-style freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions:
If you open your shrimp and notice a strong smell of fish, ammonia, bleach, or anything else, then is probably bad, and you should discard it. When bacteria begin to grow, they cause them to smell bad. You should never eat shrimp if it has any kind of unusual odor.
More Gluten-Free Seafood Recipes:
Looking for more simple and flavorful seafood recipes? Try one of these favorites next:
- Air Fryer Cod
- Crawfish and Corn Soup
- Easy Gluten Free Paella
- Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Tilapia
- Shrimp Fra Diavolo
- Easy Fajitas
Love This Recipe?
💬 Did you make this blackened shrimp fajita recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out—and which pan or flour blend you used! Your feedback helps others (and helps me keep improving these recipes for you). ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Easy Blackened Shrimp Fajitas
Ingredients
Method
- In a bowl, add 2 tablespoons ground paprika, 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder, 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne powder, 4 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Use a wire whisk to blend.
- In a bowl, toss 2 pounds raw shrimp with the spices. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
- You can either cook the peppers and onions or serve them raw in thin slices. If you decide to cook them, do it while the shrimp is marinating. Cook the onions and peppers in a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat until the onions become translucent and slightly golden.
- In a pan, add 2 tablespoons avocado oil and heat for one minute. Add the shrimp.
- Cook for 5-8 minutes until the shrimp is done.
- Serve with corn tortillas, salsa, and sliced 2 cups sliced peppers, 1 cup sliced onions, and 2 avocados.
Nutrition
Notes
- If your shrimp are not shelled and deveined, you will need to peel off the shell and use a sharp knife to slice along the back of the shrimp along the dark stripe. Remove the vein (dark stripe) and then rinse the shrimp.
- If you don’t want the shrimp to be too spicy, you can omit or reduce the amount of ancho chile powder and cayenne pepper.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep fresh for up to 3 days.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
This post was updated from an older January 2019 post with more information.
I made these and they were great. The only thing I changed was I used Gluten free Spinach tortillas. Next time I will add some sour cream. Easy, quick and healthy meal.
I am so glad you loved them, Wanda! I love those spinach tortillas you are using.