Amazing Spicy Shrimp Tacos are made with spicy tender shrimp, most delicious cilantro lime sauce, sweet and tangy slaw with all the taco fix-ins. So GOOD!
SPICY SHRIMP TACOS
The perfect way to celebrate Taco Tuesday or any other day in our house, is with a loaded spicy goodness with an amazing slaw and finished off with best sauce that is lip smacking good!!! Try this easy air fryer shrimp tacos recipe or buffalo shrimp tacos.
Other favorites include Spicy Chicken Tacos or Chicken Mince Tacos. These taste amazing and are definitely better than anything you’d get in a restaurant. It’s a crowd-pleasing meal that’s quick, easy, and packed with flavor!
What makes this one of the BEST ? Balance of flavors and textures! There is spicy, tangy, sweet, crunchy, creamy ----> makes for one tasty bite.
Shrimp recipes are one of my go-to when I'm looking a quick weeknight dinner idea like this air fryer shrimp. It is always stocked in the freezer, thaws quick and cooks in minutes.
Looking for more ideas? Check out Garlic Chili Lime Shrimp, Firecracker Shrimp Recipe or Prawn Makhani. Honestly, this prawn is good enough to stand on its own — the seasoning mix is so delicious, easy to make with just a few ingredients.
WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE?
- Quick and Easy - It cooks in a matter of minutes, making it ideal for fast weeknight dinners.
- Make ahead - The filling, slaw and sauce can be made ahead a stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
- Packed with flavor - These are nothing short of flavor. You family will enjoy this dish that is spicy, zesty, tangy, creamy, crunchy with a hint of sweetness.
- Flexible toppings - Feel free to use your favorite Mexican toppings.
How to thaw frozen shrimp?
Place them in a large bowl and fill the bowl with cold or room temperature water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes or until thawed (the time will depend on the quantity used) and then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
How to cook shrimp?
Raw prawn is greyish in color and it turns pale pink when cooked. It can be pan fried, baked, grilled, pressure cooked, air fried, deep fried or stir fried. It cooks in just 2 to 3 minutes per side and curls up into a "C" when cooked. Remove immediately, since overcooking seafood will make it rubbery.
Shrimp size
We're using "31/40" count or "medium" size that makes a pound. The seafood industry defines the size by how many it takes to make a pound. It's the perfect bite size that comfortably fills into the tortillas.
Feel free to use any size that you have on hand. If using large size, then we like to chop them coarsely after it's cooked, which makes it easier to eat.
A few tips for cooking perfect shrimp:
Raw prawn has greyish colored flesh. The protein turns to an opaque whitish pink color and curls up unto a loose "C" shape when cooked.
Avoid overcooking - They cook very quickly, around 2 minutes per side. So, make sure that you remove them before they curl up into a tight "C".
Seasoning
Our seasoning is so, so simple. Although we love to use our favorite homemade taco seasoning for several Mexican dishes, this recipe uses very few spices like ground cumin, chili powder, cayenne and fresh garlic, which is readily stocked in most pantries.
The Best Tortillas to Use
Yellow or white corn tortillas are an authentic choice and works amazing with the roasted corn flavor that compliments the spicy filling. Flour tortillas will work if that's what you have on hand.
HOW TO WARM TORTILLAS
Warming them will help to fold and hold ingredients without breaking. It will also make them more flavorful and the overall dish tastier. Here are ways to warm:
- Char over open flame - Place the tortilla on a gas flame on the stovetop over medium flame, for 10 to 15 seconds, until few black spots appear, flip and roast on the other side.
- Dry skillet - Cook in a hot, dry cast iron/stainless steel skillet on both sides.
- Microwave - Wrap stack of 5-6 tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 15 seconds.
What Goes in Shrimp Tacos?
This easy recipe is simple to make and totally versatile. Add your favorite toppings to personalize however you'd like. Here’s what I like to use:
- Spicy Shrimp - A quick, well seasoned, skillet cooked filling.
- Slaw - Crisp, crunchy, tangy, sweet slaw made with shredded cabbage, carrot, red onion, cilantro and jalapeños.
- Cilantro lime sauce - A multi purpose sauce that we like to use on everything possible. Creamy, spicy and tangy Mexican cilantro sauce made easily in the food processor. Not only is it easy to make, but you can also prep this ahead of time (up to a day in advance).
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PRO TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Let prawn marinade at least for 15 minutes ( or up to 2 hours in the fridge).
- Don't overcook. Cook just until prawn is curled into a C.
- Toss slaw with sauce just before serving. If left longer, slaw tends to loose its crunchiness.
- Use only corn tortillas and not flour tortillas.
- Charred tortillas adds a touch of additional flavor when compared to straight from a package.
TOPPINGS
After years of taste testing (both in restaurants and homemade), I found that Cabbage (red or green), carrot, cilantro, jalapeños and chopped tomato make delicious topping. Other ideas include:
- Pico De Gallo: With the fresh homemade cabbage slaw we used here, we didn’t use Pico De Gallo this time. However, if you want to skip the slaw and add some fresh pico, it will be just as delicious.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro always pairs great with seafood.
- Jalapeños: Fresh or pickled jalapeños can add a good bit of spice.
- Avocado or Guacamole: Either one is always great or used this Avocado Crema.
- Cheese: Salty Mexican cheese like Cojita or Queso Fresco will be tasty.
- Sriracha - Add more heat with this favorite condiment.
- Lime Wedges: A little extra lime juice is the perfect finish.
Our Go-To Sauce:
Tacos are only as good as the sauce that smothers them and we think that this is the best. The soothing creaminess from mayonnaise and sour cream paired with coarsely ground cilantro and spicy jalapeños with tangy lime makes the flavor shine. It also makes a tasty dip with fresh veggies or dressing for salads.
Are They Better With Slaw?
Sure is! Cabbage slaw adds freshness, texture, taste and deliciousness. So easy and YUM!
Variations:
- Gluten-fee - Use gluten-free corn tortillas and please make sure that all other ingredients used are gluten free as well.
- More Heat - You can turn up the heat by making following adjustments : Increase cayenne in the spicy shrimp / Add more jalapeños in the sauce recipe / Add more chopped jalapeños in the slaw / Top with as much sliced jalapeños as desired.
- Less Spicy- You can reduce the heat by making following adjustments : Decrease or skip cayenne in the spicy shrimp / Use less jalapeños in the sauce recipe / Skip jalapeños in the slaw
HOW TO MAKE?
Here’s a quick overview of how to make these! Full instructions included in the recipe below…
- Cook - Season the prawns with seasoning, salt and chopped garlic. Then sauté in oil in a non-stick pan until they are cooked through.
- Prep the slaw and crema: Prep the cabbage slaw and the creamy cilantro sauce.
- Assemble: Load those warmed tortillas up with a generous serving of the slaw, a few shrimp, a drizzle of cilantro jalapeno crema and sprinkle of your favorite toppings.
- Enjoy. Serve while they’re nice and warm and ENJOY!
HOW TO STORE?
- Cooked prawns can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Cilantro lime sauce can be refrigerated separately for up to two days.
- Slaw (without honey and sauce), can be refrigerated for up to two days. stir honey and sauce just before serving.
CAN I REHEAT?
This dish reheats beautifully. You can reheat the prawns in the microwave for approximately until warmed through or in a skillet.
What goes well with this?
Make it a feast! Here are some of our favorite recipes to make alongside this delicious goodness.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Each Shrimp taco is approximately 285 calories.
Main ingredients are shrimp, spices, garlic, corn tortilla, slaw, sauce, avocado and cilantro.
The most commonly used spices are chili, chipotle, cumin, garlic and cayenne.
Spicy Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
Spicy Shrimp
- 1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined, tails removed and patted dry
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder more if desired
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Slaw for Shrimp tacos
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1 medium carrot julienned
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- few sliced jalapeños optional
- 2 teaspoons honey
Additional ingredients
- Cilantro lime sauce
- 8 corn tortillas
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- chopped cilantro
- sliced jalapeno
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Make Spicy Shrimp
1. In a medium bowl, toss shrimp along with all spices (except vegetable oil), until well coated. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours. (If pressed for time, then go ahead with cooking shrimp right away). - 2. Heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet, until moderately hot. Add half the shrimp in a single layer, cook for about 2-3 minute, turn over and cook for another minute or two or until cooked through. Remove onto a plate and repeat process with remaining shrimp.
- Make Slaw for Shrimp Tacos
In a large bowl, toss all slaw ingredients along with ¼ cup cilantro lime sauce. - Warm tortillas
Turn your gas burner to medium-low and using tongs, place tortilla, one at a time, directly over the flame. As soon as it starts to brown, give a quick flip to color the other side and then take off heat. Alternatively, you can cook tortillas in a cast iron skillet - Place tortilla in a hot cast iron skillet, for about 15 to 30 seconds on each side. You want to look few browned or darkened spots on both sides. Keep them warm wrapped in a clean kitchen towel. - Assemble Spicy Shrimp TacosTop a tortilla with slaw, spicy shrimp, a generous drizzle of cilantro lime sauce, chopped tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeños slices.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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