Blackened Shrimp Nachos Recipe (2024)

5 from 45 votes

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I do love football season and all the delicious home-gating dishes I create. This season I decided to up my game with a Restaurant-Style Blackened Shrimp Nachos.

And since my wife’s not a big fan of tortilla chips I also made a Blackened Shrimp Salad with a side a chips, hoping I could tempt her to try them.

Blackened Shrimp Nachos Recipe (1)

As a chef, I’ve always loved shrimp and loved working with shrimp in my dishes. I almost feel like Bubba from Forrest Gump when I start talking about all the different ways I can serve shrimp.

And blackening my favorite gulf shrimp adds another level of deliciousness to those sweet treats from the gulf.

Blackened Shrimp Nachos Recipe (2)

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Blackened Shimp Nachos. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place which translates into Everything in its Place.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Blackened Shrimp Nachos Recipe (3)

In my quest to use better ingredients, I opted for Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips. Feel free to use the chips of your choice.

Table of Contents:

Do I have to use peppers in my nachos?

No, you don’t. These are your nachos and you can make them how you want them.

I’m not as big a fan of heat, so plain jalapenos don’t always thrill me. But pickled jalapenos can be a nice addition.

What else can I add to my Blackened Shrimp Nachos?

One of my friends likes to add a cheese sauce to the nachos, making them even more ooey, gooey and delicious.

If you really want to up your game add some crumbled cooked chorizo sausage before you melt the cheese. Giving us a surf and turf version of my nachos.

And if you a fan of sour cream, don’t hold back. It’s all good!

Blackened Shrimp Nachos Recipe (4)

My Blackened Shrimp Nachos came out of the oven looking OMG delicious and it was all I could do to restrain myself long enough to take the pictures.

Do I have to make the shrimp blackened?

No, you don’t. You can saute them in whatever seasoning you like. Perhaps a little old bay, or cook them in a light garlic aioli.

How do I make Blackened Seasonings?

It’s easy to make you own cajun seasoning for blackening meats and seafood. These simple eight spices are what I use to make my cajun seasoning blend.

  • SweetHungarian paprika
  • Table salt
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Dried oregano
  • Dried thyme
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Black pepper

When you want to change up the flavors try using Smoked Paprika instead of regular paprika. Cumin also makes a nice addition to the flavor.

For more heat increase the chili powder to perk up the dish.

If you like a little sweetness add a teaspoon of brown sugar to the mix.

There are lots of different flavor combinations you can come up with using the spices you have on hand.

Can I use the blackened seasoning with other seafood?

Yes, you can. It would be good on just about any type of fish, scallops or even lobster. You can even use the seasoning with chicken or tofu.

Blackened Shrimp Nachos Recipe (5)

Another way to enjoy this deliciousness is in a Blackened Shrimp Taco Salad. You’re using the same basic ingredients, just not melting the cheese.

My wife wanted a saladinstead of the nachos. I did sneak some chips on her plate, but they were still there when she was done eating.

It’s easy to customize the salad with the ingredients you enjoy. It would also make a nice DIY salad bar for game day.

Blackened Shrimp Nachos Recipe (6)

And if you’re just looking for a lighter snack, make up a batch of guacamole and salsa fresca, and enjoy your chips in style!

More Recipes You’ll Love!

  • Ultimate Nachos
  • Loaded Tater Tots {Tatchos}
  • Grilled Chicken Fajitas Bar
  • Grilled Planked Salmon Dip Recipe

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Blackened Shrimp Nachos Recipe (11)

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5 from 45 votes

Blackened Shrimp Nachos

When you’re looking for a delicious change of pace treat yourself and try my Blackened Shrimp Nachos or my Blackened Shrimp Taco Salad for dinner.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 4

Calories: 913kcal

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

Blackened Seasoning

  • 11/2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Blackened Shrimp Nachos

  • ½ lb shrimp peeled and deveined with the tails removed
  • 3-4 mini sweet peppers
  • 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning (see recipe above)
  • 1 cup cheddar or Monterrey Jack shredded
  • 1 jalapeño pepper thinly sliced (or you can substitute jarred jalapenos if you can’t find fresh ones)
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 cups Mission Organics® Tortilla Chips (about half a bag)

Salsa Fresca

  • 1 medium tomato diced
  • ¼ cup red onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon cilantro finely minced
  • juice from one lime (more or less to your tastes)
  • sea salt to taste

Guacamole

  • 2 Hass Avocado ripe
  • ¼ cup tomato diced
  • 1 teaspoon cilantro finely chopped
  • juice from one lime (more or less to your tastes)
  • jalapeno or hot sauce optional

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 while you gather your ingredients

  • Season shrimp with blackening spices using as much or as little as you prefer.

  • Heat up a cooking pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and quickly sear them on both sides until just done. Take shrimp out of the pan and set aside. *You can also bake the shrimp in the oven or grill them.

  • Place the tortilla chips onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. The paper will help you transfer the completed nachos to a serving dish.

  • Place the shrimp onto the chips, then add the sweet peppers.

  • Add the shredded cheddar to the nachos, evenly distributing the cheese. *use more cheese than you think you need. As it melts it won’t look to be as much as you imagined.

  • Sprinkle cilantro over the cheese, then add sliced jalapenos if you want a little extra heat.

  • place sheet into preheated oven and bake for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted.

Salsa

  • In a mixing bowl add diced tomatoes, onion, cilantro and lime juice. Season with sea salt to taste. * If you like heat feel free to add some diced jalapeno or hot sauce.

Guacamole

  • Mash avocado with a potato masher or fork until you have the desired texture.

  • Add the diced tomato, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with sea salt to taste. *If you like heat feel free to add some diced jalapeno

Nutrition

Calories: 913kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 2548mg | Potassium: 979mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1730IU | Vitamin C: 41.9mg | Calcium: 502mg | Iron: 5mg

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

Blackened Shrimp Nachos Recipe (12)
Blackened Shrimp Nachos Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to layer a plate of nachos? ›

Arrange half of tortilla chips onto prepared baking sheet in single layer, overlapping chips slightly. Top with half each of meat mixture, corn and black beans. Top with 2 cups cheese. Repeat Step 3 to create second layer with remaining beef, corn, beans and cheese.

How do you make cooked shrimp taste better? ›

Simple garlic and butter can add a mild but tasty flavor to shrimp. Add about a spoonful or so of butter and a couple of cloves of minced garlic to your shrimp. Mix the shrimp together until they're coated in the garlic and butter and then enjoy.

What not to do when cooking shrimp? ›

  1. Mistake #1: Buying Shrimp With the Heads Still On.
  2. Mistake #2: Not Deveining Your Shrimp.
  3. Mistake #3: Thawing Improperly.
  4. Mistake #4: Overcooking.
  5. Mistake #5: Throwing Away the Shells.

How do you layer nachos so they don't get soggy? ›

* Bring refrigerated toppings to room temperature before piling them onto the warm chips. * To prevent the chips from getting soggy, sprinkle grated or crumbled cheese on top and bake them in the oven for a few minutes. When melted, the cheese will act as a buffer between the chips and toppings.

Do you put cheese on nachos first or last? ›

To make sure every chip is covered in cheese, lay down the cheese on the chips first. The cheese will serve as a blanket, protecting the chips from liquidy, sog-inducing toppings.

What is the secret to crispy nachos? ›

Limiting the number of ingredients baked with the chips is the key to crispiness. Top chips with no more than two or three toppings. Choose from items such as black beans, refried beans, chopped grilled chicken, seasoned ground beef (browned and drained), or chopped jalapenos.

Is it better to boil or steam shrimp? ›

Steaming is much gentler on seafood and helps lock in the shrimp's flavor. Additionally, steaming is more convenient than boiling because you need less water, which means you don't have to wait as long for it to come to a boil. The sooner your water comes to a boil, the sooner you can eat!

Why do you soak shrimp before cooking? ›

Soak shrimp in brine

Soak quickly in brine to keep lean seafood moist as it cooks and season it throughout. A solution of 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 quart water works to season 1 pound of seafood. Dissolve the salt in the water, and then submerge the shrimp and chill for 30 minutes.

Is it better to cook with fresh or frozen shrimp? ›

In fact, cooking shrimp from frozen actually helps prevent overcooking, leading to juicer, more tender shrimp.

What brings out the flavor of shrimp? ›

These savory little crustaceans taste best with seasoning that complements their unique umami flavor. The top three spice blends for shrimp are garlic butter, Old Bay Seasoning, and blackened seasoning, and they are easy to make at home!

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