Margarita Shrimp Tostadas

These Shrimp Tostadas are made with crunchy tostada shells, refried beans, plump and juicy shrimp, and lots of fresh toppings. Fun to say, easy to make, and absolutely delicious to eat, you’ll want to add this shrimp tostada recipe to your summer lineup.

What are tostadas?

Colorful, fresh, and ready to PARTY, I think of these shrimp tostadas as the fun, bougie aunt of shrimp tacos.

These shrimp tostadas are coming to the party with a little flair and some disposable income, you know what I mean? Shrimp just classes up the joint pretty much everywhere it goes (*just ask our Seafood Mac and Cheese).

Think of tostadas as the open face sandwich of Mexican food, featuring a fried, extra crunchy flat corn tortilla for the base. They can be eaten with a fork or with your hands (my preferred method).

Tostadas often, but not always, include refried beans or guacamole, as well as various meats, cheeses, sauces, and/or toppings. Just like tacos, the possibilities for tostadas are endless.

Shrimp Tostadas

Our tostada recipe stars refried beans, boozy shrimp marinated in a pool of tequila lime juice, and plenty of zesty, colorful toppings that layer flavor and heat.

These Shrimp Tostadas will deliver the fiesta right to your taste buds. They’re a fantastic summer dinner–light, refreshing, and satisfying.

Plus, it’s just so darn fun to say. Who doesn’t want to scream tos-TA-DAAAAAHS as they toast to summer with margaritas raised high?

I’m walking you through all the steps to make these tostadas at home, plus shortcut options if you want all the fun with half the work.

Key Ingredients

• Shrimp– You can use raw or cooked shrimp for this recipe. I prefer to get raw shrimp because it’s easier to tell when it’s cooked and it’s less likely to get overcooked and rubbery. Whether you buy raw or cooked shrimp, look for shrimp that is peeled and deveined to save yourself some time. And go ahead and buy the BIG bag of frozen shrimp! It’s usually a better bargain, and you’ll have extra to make more of our delicious Shrimp Recipes later (like this Creamy Shrimp Pappardelle or our Steak and Shrimp Scampi).
• Tequila– The tequila brings a margarita flavor to the shrimp, but if you prefer, you can omit it.
• Lime juice– This recipe uses fresh lime juice for both the shrimp and the toppings. Unfortunately bottled lime juice won’t deliver the same bright flavor as fresh.
• Cilantro– Sorry to all of you born with “cilantro tastes like soap” taste buds, because this recipe uses quite a lot of it.
• Corn tortilla shells- These form the base of the tostada. Look for tortillas that are around 6 inches in diameter.
• Oil– Use a neutral oil for frying the tortillas, like vegetable or avocado oil.
• Refried beans– I buy canned refried beans for this recipe, but feel free to make homemade refried beans.
• Seasonings– A blend of cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne bring the tostadas to life.
• Toppings– The tostada toppings are up to you, but we love this blend of super crunchy iceberg lettuce, avocado, fresh cherry tomatoes, jalapeno, and red onion. Feel free to add some queso fresco or Mexican crema to the mix as well.

How to Make Shrimp Tostadas

Step 1: Marinate the shrimp. Toss together the shrimp and all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Step 2: Fry the tortillas. Place a 1/4 inch of oil in a cast iron skillet and heat over medium high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Drop the tortillas in the hot oil and fry until golden and crisp on both sides, about 30 seconds-1 minute on each side. Place them on a paper towel lined plate to drain, then keep warm in a 200 degree oven.

Tip: Prefer not to fry? Brush tortillas with oil on both side, then bake at 400 degrees until crispy. Heck, we’ve even made our own Air Fryer Tortilla Chips, so there’s more than one way to crisp a tortilla.

Step 3: Make the refried beans. Combine the can of refried beans, cumin, chili powder, and paprika in a small saucepan and heat until warmed through.

Step 4: Cook the shrimp. Saute the shrimp in two batches for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until no longer pink.

Step 5: Assemble and eat. Arrange the tostada shells on a plate. Spread some refried beans over the bottom of each one. Top with lettuce, avocado, tomato, onion, and jalapeno. Sprinkle with salt. Finish with the shrimp, a squeeze of lime juice, and more cilantro, if desired.

Storage and Make Ahead Instructions

Storing leftovers:

• Leftover shrimp and refried beans can be stored in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
• Leftover tostada shells can be stored in a bag or sealed container at room temperature for up to 48 hours. The leftover shells are VERY delicate, so I recommend stacking them gently and not just throwing them in the pantry like I did.
• Leftover shrimp is FANTASTIC on a Shrimp Taco Salad or in a Shrimp + Fettuccine pasta, omelets, or tacos.

Make ahead:

• The refried beans can be mixed together and stored in the fridge in a covered container for up to 2 days.
• The marinade can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated, however the shrimp itself shouldn’t be marinated for longer than 1 hour.
• The tostadas shouldn’t be assembled until right before serving, to keep the shells nice and crispy!

Time Saving Shortcuts

Want to save time and/or dishes? Try this:

• Buy pre-made tostada shells. You can skip the whole frying part and buy tostada shells at the grocery store and just heat them in the oven.
• Skip the marinade. I can’t believe I’m saying this, because I REALLY like this marinade, but you can definitely skip it, and just season the shrimp with salt, pepper, garlic powder and some cayenne, if you like some heat. Saute in olive oil and finish with a squeeze of lime.
• Heat the refried beans in the microwave. Skip the sauce pan and plop the beans into  a microwave safe container. Sprinkle with seasonings then heat for 2-3 minutes, until warmed through.

More Mexican Favorites to Feast On

If you loved this recipe, give these other favorites a try:

• Black Bean and Corn Salsa
• Mexican Marinated Chicken
• Slow Cooker Chicken Chilaquiles
• Mexican Beef Stew
• Spicy Chipotle Chicken Marinade