These Mini Shrimp Tostadas are crispy, bite-sized appetizers topped with seasoned shrimp, creamy avocado, and fresh toppings—perfect for parties or game day. They’re packed with flavor and ready in under 30 minutes!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in motherhood — and honestly, in life — it’s that the most meaningful moments often come in small, unexpected packages. And these Mini Shrimp Tostadas are the perfect example. Small in size, big on flavor, and made to be shared, these bite-sized appetizers are my go-to for easy entertaining or adding a little extra fun to an everyday meal.
This recipe is especially close to my heart because it brings me back to my teenage days working at a cozy little Mexican restaurant called Agave. They made this shrimp and garlic guac that I still dream about — and yes, I absolutely recreated it. (It’s on the blog as my Best Guacamole Recipe, and trust me, it earns the name.)
Whether you’re hosting friends, planning a date-night-in, or just want to make snack time a little more special, this easy appetizer is a delicious way to bring people together — one crunchy, creamy, flavor-packed bite at a time.
INGREDIENTS FOR THESE MINI SHRIMP TOSTADAS
Guacamole: I love making homemade guacamole and definitely recommend it if you have the time. If you don’t, grab your favorite store bought guac for this recipe! To make my guacamole, you’ll need avocados, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime, salt, and pepper. Pro tip: add a dollop of sour cream to keep your guacamole from turning brown!
Shrimp: You’ll only need 5 ingredients to prep the shrimp for this recipe – fresh or frozen shrimp, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
Mini Tostadas: As far as I know, they don’t make mini tostadas at the store. Thankfully, they’re super easy to make at home. All you need are corn tortillas, olive oil, and salt!
For Assembling: To assemble and garnish this appetizer, you’ll need sour cream, lime, and Cotija cheese
HOW TO MAKE MINI SHRIMP TOSTADAS
First up is the guacamole! In a large mixing bowl, scoop out the ripe avocados and mash them with a fork then stir in a dollop (about 1 tablespoon) of sour cream – this will prevent the avocado from going brown!
Next, add in the diced tomatoes, finely chopped red onions, minced jalapeño, minced garlic, and chopped cilantro to the mashed avocados.
You’ll then squeeze the juice of one lime over the mixture and season it with salt and pepper. If you’re unsure how much to add, start with a small amount, taste it, and add more if needed. Remember, you can always add more but you can’t subtract!
Gently fold all the ingredients together until well combined.
If you’re using frozen shrimp, thaw them according to package instructions, then remove the tails and devein them.
In a medium-sized bowl, toss the shrimp with garlic powder, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
Next, heat your olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side or until they turn pink and opaque then remove them from the heat.
To make your mini tostadas, you’ll start by preheating your oven to 425°F.
Next you’ll want to grab a small cup or anything that’s about 4 inches in diameter.
Lay your corn tortillas onto a clean workspace and place the cup on top of the tortilla then use a knife to cut out a small, bite-sized tortilla.
Arrange the bite-sized corn tortilla rounds on a baking sheet. Spray or rub them with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle on some salt.
Bake in them in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until they become crispy and golden brown. If needed, after 10 minutes, flip them over and bake for another 2 minutes.
Once the mini tostadas are ready, let them cool slightly.
In a small bowl, mix the sour cream with lime juice and a pinch of salt.
Spread a spoonful of guacamole onto each mini tostada then top each tostada with one cooked shrimp, a drizzle of the lime-infused sour cream, and a sprinkle of Cotija cheese.
Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.
Arrange the assembled mini tostadas on a serving platter and serve immediately.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I’ve yet to find store-bought tostadas but thankfully they’re super simple to make at home.
Mini Shrimp Tostadas
Ingredients
For the Guacamole
- 1 dollop sour cream
- 3 roma tomatoes diced
- 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
- 1 jalapeno seeds removed and finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Cilantro chopped
- 1 lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Shrimp
- 1 lb fresh or frozen shrimp deveined, tails removed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil for cooking
For the Mini Tostadas
- 20 corn tortillas cut into smaller, bite-sized rounds
- 1 tablespoon Salt
For Assembling
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon lime
- 1/4 cup Cotija cheese grated
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, scoop out the ripe avocados and mash them with a fork then stir in a dollop (about 1 tablespoon) of sour cream – this will prevent the avocado from going brown!
- Add in the diced tomatoes, finely chopped red onions, minced jalapeño, minced garlic, and chopped cilantro to the mashed avocados.
- Squeeze the juice of one lime over the mixture and season it with salt and pepper. If you’re unsure how much to add, start with a small amount, taste it, and add more if needed.
- Gently fold all the ingredients together until well combined.
- If using frozen shrimp, thaw them according to package instructions, then remove the tails and devein them.
- In a medium-sized bowl, toss the shrimp with garlic powder, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Heat your olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side or until they turn pink and opaque then remove them from the heat.
- To make the mini tostadas, preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Next, grab a small cup or anything that’s about 4 inches in diameter.
- Lay the corn tortillas onto a clean workspace and place the cup on top of the tortilla, then use a knife to cut out a small, bite-sized tortilla.
- Arrange the bite-sized corn tortilla rounds on a baking sheet. Spray or rub them with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle on some salt.
- Bake in them in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until they become crispy and golden brown. If needed, after 10 minutes, flip them over and bake for another 2 minutes.
- Once the mini tostadas are ready, let them cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, mix the sour cream with lime juice and a pinch of salt.
- Spread a spoonful of guacamole onto each mini tostada then top each tostada with one cooked shrimp, a drizzle of the lime-infused sour cream, and a sprinkle of Cotija cheese.
- Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.
- Arrange the assembled mini tostadas on a serving platter and serve immediately.
