This shrimp enchilada recipe is one of our reader’s favorites- just read all the happy reviews! Filled with tender shrimp, sweet corn, melty cheese and lime zest, lathered in a flavorful yellow mole sauce. Vegetarian-adaptable. Video.

Only love can be divided endlessly and still not diminish.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh
This recipe for Shrimp Enchiladas is a delightful mix of texure and flavors. Shrimp are sauteed with butter, garlic, corn, cilantro, and lime zest, becoming the delicious filling for these tasty enchiladas.
The yellow mole sauce is simple but flavorful. It is made with yellow bell peppers, jalapeno, pumpkin seeds, and spices and blended into a silky smooth, vibrant sauce. Together, the zesty corn and shrimp filling with the luscious sauce is a feast for the senses! Love Mexican Cuisine? Visit 45 Fresh & Tasty Mexican Recipes!

What is Yellow Mole Sauce?
This yellow mole sauce is my take on Mole Amarillo. Mole Amarillo is a golden-colored mole sauce originating from Oaxaca, traditionally made with aji amarillo chiles (which are hard to find here). Mole Amarillo is typically paired with lighter proteins- chicken, fish, or seafood. We’ve simplified it a bit here.
Shrimp Enchilada Recipe Ingredients

Ingredient Notes
- Shrimp– I always look for wild, raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp to save time. Trader Joe’s has some in their freezer section. If making these vegetarian, you could sub roasted cauliflower or black beans.
- Peppers & Chilies – To get the mole sauce a vibrant yellow- use yellow or orange bell peppers for color! Jalapeno adds the perfect heat- or sub-canned green chiles.
- Pumpkin Seeds– give the mole creaminess, but you could easily sub cashews or a little tahini paste.
- Spices – cumin, coriander, saffron (or annatto) and cayenne to taste.
- Fresh Lime– Fresh lime zest and juice adds a lovely acidity.
- Tortillas– Corn or flour tortillas work here- not too thick.
- Cheese– use a mild melty cheese like queso fresco, Monterey jack cheese, pepper jack cheese or shredded mozzarella
How to make Shrimp Enchiladas
Step one: Make the Yellow Mole Sauce. (You could do this ahead).


Saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic until fragrant. Add spices, saffron water, salt, broth and pumpkin seeds and simmer until seeds soften. Blend until smooth.


Step two: Make the Shrimp Enchilada filling.


Chop up the shrimp and saute in butter and garlic over medium high heat. Add corn, lime zest, oregano, and cilantro. Season. Mix in cheese and a little of the yellow mole sauce. Taste and adjust salt, heat and lime. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, for added heat, or a squeeze of lime juice for more acid.


Step three: Assemble. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Warm the corn tortillas to make them pliable. Fill each tortilla with 1/2 cup of the shrimp mixture, roll the tortilla, then place the seam-side down in the baking dish. Lather with enchilada sauce. You won’t need all the sauce- save the rest for plating. Sprinkle with cheese. (You could do this all ahead and refrigerate for 24 hours before baking.)


Step four: Bake. Bake uncovered at 375F until golden and melty, about 20 minutes.
To plate the enchiladas, warm the remaining yellow mole sauce in a saucepan, spoon a little on each plate, and top with an enchilada. Add sliced radishes and chopped cilantro. Microgreens would be pretty here too.

Serving suggestions
These are on the slightly richer side- so I like to opt for something light like our Mexican Slaw or this Cucumber Salad. My husband always loves rice; this Mexican Cilantro Lime Rice pairs well.

FAQS
Yes! The sauce and filling can both be made ahead, and the enchiladas can be assembled one day ahead before baking.
Yes, substitute the shrimp with roasted cauliflower- chop it up small! You could also add beans. To make this vegan, use melty vegan cheese.
Corn tortillas are more traditional and authentic, but both can be used. If using corn tortillas, warm them so they are pliable to prevent cracking when rolling. They can be lightly toasted in the oven, grill, or pan-seared. Dipping the warm tortillas in enchilada sauce before rolling is also traditional but does require an extra step.
Storage
Leftover shrimp enchiladas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen. Be sure to thaw before reheating. Reheat in a 350 F oven.

More favorite shrimp recipes
Enjoy these and let us know what you think in the comments below. -xo
Shrimp Enchiladas Video

Shrimp Enchilada Recipe
- Prep Time: 40
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8
- Category: dinner idea, shrimp, seafood
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: mexican
Description
A delicious recipe for Shrimp Enchiladas, filled with tender garlic shrimp, sweet corn, and lime zest, lathered in a flavorful Yellow Mole Sauce. Vegetarian-adaptable, with a video!
Ingredients
Yellow Mole Sauce:
- pinch saffron with hot water (see notes)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, white or yellow, rough chopped
- 4 garlic, rough chopped
- 2 yellow bell peppers (or one orange and one yellow for BEST color)
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (or raw cashews)
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground annatto (optional, sometimes hard to find, feel free to leave it out)
- 1/8–1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 3/4 teaspoons salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, optional, for color.
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice (zest it, save for filling)
Shrimp Enchilada Filling:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1 –2 tablespoons jalapeno, finely chopped
- 1 lb shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups corn, fresh is nice, frozen is fine
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 –2 cups shredded mozzarella or queso fresco, divided (6 ounces)
- 1/4 cup cilantro
8 x 6-inch corn tortillas
Garnish: cilantro, radish, microgreens
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F
- Make the yellow mole sauce: Pour 2 tablespoons boiling water over the saffron, and let sit. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic, and cover to let this steam and soften for about 5 minutes. Add coriander, cumin, cayenne (go light, add more to taste later) salt, pepper and saffron water. Stir one minute. Add the stock and pumpkin seeds. Bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until pumpkin seeds have softened. Let this cool. Add the lime juice. Blend until creamy, and silky smooth. You could do this ahead. Taste and adjust the cayenne to your liking. If you want to bump up the yellow color, add 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric.
- Make the enchilada filling. Chop the shrimp into small pieces. Heat the butter and garlic over medium-low heat. Add the shrimp and jalapeno and saute 2-3 minutes. Add the corn, oregano, lime zest, and salt. Once the shrimp is cooked, turn off the heat. If it is liquidy, drain. Stir in the cilantro, and add 1/2 cup of the mole sauce and half of the cheese. Taste and adjust salt, heat (add cayenne if you want) and acid (add a little lime juice if you want).
- Assemble. Warm the tortillas (so they are pliable and don’t crack when rolled) either in the oven, microwave, pan-sear or heat over a gas flame-then wrap up in a towel. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place roughly 1/2 cup of the filling in each tortilla, rolling one at a time, placing seam side down in the baking dish. Lather with the sauce- you won’t need all -save the extras for plating. Sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake uncovered until golden and melty, 20-25 minutes.
- If serving like the photo above, heat the remaining mole sauce in a small saucepan. Spoon a little mole sauce on a plate, place the enchilada over the top. Top with thinly sliced radishes and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro. Microgreens are nice here too.
Notes
These can be made a day ahead and refrigerated- be sure to bring to room temp before baking.
For a different sauce option, this Creamy Poblano Sauce would taste good too!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 enchilada
- Calories: 326
- Sugar: 3.8 g
- Sodium: 968.7 mg
- Fat: 17.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 3.6 g
- Protein: 21.6 g
- Cholesterol: 111.9 mg
This is such a great recipe! Huge hit at our house.
Great to hear Ashley!