Shrimp Enchiladas with Salsa Verde
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on Jun 16, 2020, Updated Mar 05, 2025
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If you’re looking for a flavorful, fuss-free meal, these Shrimp Enchiladas with Salsa Verde are a must-try. Juicy shrimp are sautéed with onions, bell peppers, and garlic, then tucked into lightly fried corn tortillas with melty queso Oaxaca. Smothered in a vibrant homemade salsa verde and baked until golden and bubbly, this dish is the perfect balance of zesty, cheesy, and comforting.
Best of all, shrimp cooks in under five minutes, making these enchiladas a quick and satisfying option for any night of the week.
Lately, shrimp has been my go-to protein—it’s easy to keep in the freezer for last-minute meals and cooks up in no time. Whether folded into shrimp tacos, tossed in pasta to make Chipotle Shrimp Penne, or wrapped up in enchiladas like these, it’s always a winner!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Great for Family Dinners: Baked to golden, bubbly perfection, these enchiladas are a crowd-pleaser that everyone will love!
Quick & Easy: Shrimp cooks in just a few minutes, making these enchiladas faster to prepare than traditional meat-filled ones.
Fresh & Flavorful: The homemade salsa verde adds a bright, citrusy contrast to the creamy, cheesy enchiladas.
Perfect for Meal Prep: Make the salsa and cook the shrimp ahead of time for an even faster meal.
Versatile: Swap shrimp for chicken, mushrooms, or even black beans for a different take on this recipe.
What are Shrimp Enchiladas with Salsa Verde?
Shrimp Enchiladas with Salsa Verde are a classic Mexican-inspired dish featuring tender shrimp tucked inside warm corn tortillas, topped with a bright and tangy green sauce. The salsa verde—made from fresh tomatillos, jalapeños, and cilantro—brings a bold, zesty flavor that pairs beautifully with the richness of the shrimp and melted cheese.
Unlike traditional red sauce enchiladas, these are lighter, tangier, and packed with fresh flavors. Whether served as a weeknight dinner or for a special gathering, these enchiladas offer a delicious balance of spice, acidity, and creamy cheese.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Shrimp Filling for Shrimp Enchiladas
- Butter: I used butter with canola oil which adds richness and flavor when sautéing the vegetables and shrimp.
- Onion: Provides a savory base for the filling; white, yellow, or red onions work well.
- Bell Pepper: Adds a subtle sweetness and color; use any color you prefer.
- Garlic: Enhances the flavor with a bold, aromatic taste.
- Shrimp: Peeled, deveined, and chopped for easy filling; can substitute with chicken or mushrooms for a different protein.
Salsa Verde for Enchiladas
- Tomatillos: The base of the sauce, giving it a tart and slightly citrusy flavor.
- Garlic: Adds depth to the salsa.
- Serrano & Jalapeño Peppers: Bring heat and spice; adjust quantities to your heat preference.
- Onion: Balances out the acidity of the tomatillos.
- Cilantro: Fresh and fragrant, it enhances the bright flavor of the salsa.
Enchilada Ingredients
- Salsa Verde: A tangy, slightly spicy green sauce made from tomatillos, peppers, and herbs; store-bought works as a shortcut.
- Canola Oil: Used for lightly frying tortillas to make them pliable; vegetable or avocado oil can be used instead.
- Corn Tortillas: Traditional choice for enchiladas; flour tortillas can be used but will have a different texture.
- Cheese: Muenster or queso Oaxaca provide a melty, mild flavor; Monterey Jack or mozzarella are good substitutes.
How to Make Shrimp Enchiladas with Green Sauce
Step 1: Make the Salsa Verde. These enchiladas are made with salsa verde. You can use your favorite store-bought salsa or make it from scratch.
Step 2: Cooking the Shrimp Mixture. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat butter in a heavy medium sauté pan over high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook until opaque and cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Step 3: Preheat the Oven. Set the oven to 375°F.
Step 4: Warm the Salsa Verde. In a medium saucepan, heat the salsa verde over medium heat until warm. Spread 1 cup of warm salsa verde in an ungreased 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
Step 5: Fry the Tortillas. In a separate medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, pour enough vegetable oil to come 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Fry tortillas just until softened and drain on paper towels.
Step 6: Assemble the Enchiladas. Fill each tortilla with the shrimp mixture and about 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese. Roll tortillas and place them seam-side down in the baking dish, side by side.
Step 7: Bake the Enchiladas. Pour some salsa verde over the enchiladas. Top with the remaining shredded cheese. Lightly cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Step 8: Garnish & Serve. Garnish with crema Mexicana and chopped cilantro. Serve with your favorite Mexican side dish.
Watch this video to see how simple they are to make.
Shrimp Enchiladas Expert Tips & Tricks
Defrost shrimp overnight. Place shrimp in the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight.
Defrost shrimp quickly. Remove shrimp from the package, place in a strainer, and rinse under cold water. The shrimp should be ready to cook in about 15 minutes.
Do not overcook shrimp. Shrimp cooks much faster than meat and poultry. Chopped shrimp cooks even faster. The shrimp will cook in about 3 minutes.
Shortcuts to this recipe. To make this dish even easier, use leftover camarones al mojo de ajo or purchase frozen, peeled, and deveined shrimp to eliminate some of the messy work and chop them before cooked.
Make salsa verde 1 to 3 days before making enchiladas. Or purchase your favorite store-bought salsa verde.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate enchiladas for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this dish. Reheat leftovers in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, or for faster thawing, take the shrimp out of its package, put it in a strainer, and rinse in cold water. The shrimp should be ready to cook in about 15 minutes.
Yes, you can use cooked shrimp but only cook for 1 minute until warm.
Yes, absolutely! I highly recommend you make this red enchilada sauce, or use your favorite store-bought red sauce.
More Popular Enchilada Recipes
If you tried this Shrimp Enchiladas or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Shrimp Enchiladas with Salsa Verde
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails off and chopped to 1/2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 2 cups Salsa Verde, recipe below
- Canola oil, for frying
- 12 corn tortillas
- 10 ounces muenster or queso Oaxaca, shredded
- cilantro
Salsa Verde
- 8 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 serrano peppers, stemmed and roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed and roughly chopped
- 1/4 onion, chopped
- 1 handful cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Salsa Verde
- Boil tomatillos in 3 cups water for about 15 minutes. Remove tomatillos from the water and allow them to cool before blending.
- Roast the garlic cloves in their skins in a dry pan until skin is charred, about 10 minutes. Cool and remove skins.
- In a blender place the cooled tomatillos, chopped peppers, garlic, onion, cilantro, and salt and blend for about 1 minute.
- Salsa should be chunky. Add more salt if needed.
Enchiladas
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Heat the butter in a heavy medium sauté pan over high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté for 3 minutes, add the garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add the shrimp and sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and let cool slightly.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the Salsa Verde over medium heat until warm.
- Spread 1 cup of the warm salsa verde in an ungreased 9” x 13” baking dish.
- In a separate medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, pour enough canola oil to come 1 inch up the sides of the pan.
- Fry tortillas in hot oil just until softened. Drain on paper towels.
- Fill tortillas with shrimp mixture and about a tablespoon of the shredded cheese.
- Roll tortillas and place seam side down in baking dish side by side.
- Pour remaining salsa verde over enchiladas. Top with the remaining cheese, and lightly cover dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with your favorite side dish.
Video
Notes
- Double salsa verde recipe if you like enchiladas extra saucy.
- Make salsa verde 1 to 3 days before making enchiladas. Or purchase your favorite store-bought salsa verde.
- Refrigerate enchiladas for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this dish. Reheat leftovers in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
I am having a problem getting (store bought) corn tortillas cooked soft for enchiladas. What temp for oil and approx. how long for each side? I haven’t got brave yet to make .
Love your recipes.
Thanks Carla
Hi Carla, I find that white corn tortillas work best and tortillas that haven’t yet been refrigerated. You want oil hot about 350 degrees, but only soften tortillas – no need to flip. Don’t leave them too long in oil to fry/harden. I hope you give them a try.
In general, don’t fry each tortilla but put oil over each one you plan to use and rotate it and then do this to how many you plan to use and then microwave. I’ve changed to this and it quickens the cooking process and literally can’t tell the difference using this method.
Can you make this a day ahead of time?