Shrimp Fajitas With Peppers and Zucchini

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated November 14, 2022

  • Rikki Snyder for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
5(727)
Comments
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Shrimp fajitas are quickly thrown together. The shrimp are tossed in a mix of lime juice and zest, adobo sauce from a can of chipotles, olive oil, cumin and garlic, and don’t need to be marinated for longer than 30 minutes. I use just enough adobo sauce in the marinade to obtain its spicy and slightly sweet essence without overpowering the shrimp.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • Zest of 1 lime (2 teaspoons)

  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice

  • Salt and pepper

  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotles in adobo

  • ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 ½ pounds medium or large shrimp, shelled and deveined

  • 1 large red or yellow onion, halved and sliced

  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced ¼-inch thick

  • 1 jalapeño or 2 serrano chiles, minced

  • 1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (from 1 large ear of corn)

  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro

  • 1 romaine heart, sliced crosswise

  • 4 large flour or 8 corn tortillas

  • Quick green salsa, for serving (see recipe) 

  • Queso fresco, for sprinkling

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

36 grams carbs; 274 milligrams cholesterol; 521 calories; 18 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 27 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 1208 milligrams sodium; 41 grams protein; 9 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small bowl, combine lime zest and juice, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, the adobo sauce, ¼ cup olive oil and half the garlic. Reserve 2 tablespoons marinade.

  2. Step 2

    Season shrimp with salt and pepper and place in a resealable bag. Pour in marinade and seal bag. Move shrimp around to coat well, place bag in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Flip bag over periodically to redistribute marinade.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot, add onions and cook, stirring often, until they soften and begin to color, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and chile and cook, stirring often, until peppers begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Stir in zucchini and corn, and turn heat to medium. Add remaining garlic, cumin and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini is tender and peppers are nicely seared, softened and beginning to caramelize, 5 to 8 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Pour in reserved 2 tablespoons marinade and scrape bottom of pan with wooden spoon to deglaze. Stir in half the cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat but keep warm.

  6. Step 6

    Wrap tortillas in foil and warm in the oven, or wrap in a towel and warm in a steamer or in the microwave.

  7. Step 7

    Transfer shrimp, with marinade, to a bowl. Remove shrimp from marinade and blot briefly on paper towels. Reserve marinade.

  8. Step 8

    Arrange lettuce on a platter. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron, or a wok. Add shrimp and let sear; when they begin to turn pink, after about 1 minute, add drained marinade. Cook, stirring, until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer shrimp from pan to platter. Turn up heat, reduce liquid in pan by half, and pour over shrimp.

  9. Step 9

    Arrange vegetables on platter with shrimp, or serve separately. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and serve, with warm tortillas, salsa and crumbled queso fresco.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
727 user ratings
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Comments

Diane Vennema

This was amazingly good. The only changes I made were to char the corn on the grill, let it cool, then cut the kernels off and add at the end; to cut up an avocado and sprinkle it with lime and put it on the table to add to the fajita mix; and to skip the romaine. The combination of flavors was exceptional--lots of sweetness from the shrimp, onions, peppers, and corn, acid from the lime and the salsa verde, and a smooth richness from the avocado. The marinade was perfect. Really good recipe.

Gustavo

This was my first time cooking, first time using a recipe step by step.. i was very impress i could do this ! It was delicious

MaryMcC

Five stars,for the vegetables, three for the shrimp marinade - it was tasty but overwhelmed the shrimp. Will modify next time.

Kevmo

This is very good I liked the hit of lime and may add more next time and maybe some chipotle pepper.

Candy

Delicious - and fairly healthy if you skimp on the oil with non-stick pans, the smoky flavor with a bit of heat was perfect. I just toasted the cumin seeds in the pan and left them whole with the veggie fry. Had no Queso Fresco but Feta worked just fine.

JudyM

I’m confused because it says to “look at recipe” for the quick green salsa. I see nothing in the recipe that refers to a green salsa?

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