Buffalo Shrimp Tacos

These Buffalo Shrimp Tacos loaded with plump crispy buffalo shrimp, lettuce, avocado, red onion, drizzled with ranch dressing and more buffalo sauce are an absolute flavor explosion. An easy weeknight dinner ready in about 30 minutes

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword buffalo shrimp tacos

Prep Time 12

Cook Time 12

Total Time 24

Servings tacos

Calories 354kcal

Author Maria Doss

Ingredients

For the Buffalo shrimp

1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and patted dry
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
½ cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the sauce

½ cup Frank's Redhot sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 to 3 teaspoons white sugar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise

For the rest

8 corn tortillas, warmed (small 4 inch tortillas)
1 large avocado, sliced or chopped
shredded lettuce, as needed
thinly sliced red onions, as needed
Ranch dressing, as needed
Frank's RedHot sauce, more for drizzling
chopped cilantro, as needed

Instructions

Season shrimp. Season one pound of shrimp with ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper, and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle ½ cup cornstarch over the shrimp and toss again until every piece is well coated.
Cook shrimp. Heat 1–2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add half the shrimp (trying to dust off the excess cornstarch) in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the bottom is lightly golden and the shrimp start to curl.
Flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining shrimp, adding a little more oil if needed.
Mix sauce. Whisk ½ cup Frank’s RedHot sauce, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 2 to 3 tsps sugar in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add 2 tablespoon mayonnaise and whisk until smooth and creamy.
👉 You can skip the mayo if you prefer, but I highly recommend it—it mellows the heat and gives the buffalo sauce a delicious creamy texture.
Assemble tacos. Just before serving, toss the cooked shrimp with the prepared sauce to keep them as crispy as possible.
Fill each warm tortilla with lettuce, buffalo shrimp, avocado, red onion, and cilantro. Drizzle with ranch and add an extra splash of Frank’s RedHot if you like more heat.

Video

Notes

Don’t overcook shrimp: We are looking for tender, plump and juicy shrimp and not chewy guys. So make sure to cook them just until they turn pink and have curled up into a C shape.

Toss is sauce just before serving: It is best to toss into the sauce just before loading up the tortillas to make sure that they stay crisp and fresh.

Pat dry: Use paper towels to pat dry the shrimp thoroughly so they can crisp up well when seared.

Don't overcrowd: Sear them in a single layer without piling on top of each other. This will ensure that they cook crispy without steaming.

Nutrition