These Shrimp Tacos are a delicious, easy dinner idea! Soft tortillas are filled with juicy seasoned shrimp, crunchy cabbage and a spicy, creamy sauce.
Shrimp Tacos – Ready in 30 Minutes
As soon as I finished eating these shrimp tacos, I was already thinking about when I could make them again. They are that good! This is one of those meals that is so simple to make but has such a big flavor payoff. There’s succulent shrimp, seasoned to perfection, crunchy cabbage, creamy avocado and salty cotija cheese. A spicy shrimp taco sauce ties everything together!
Many shrimp taco recipes are a bit complicated, requiring you to prep multiple components and use a food processor to make a special sauce. Like my Fish Tacos recipe, I wanted to keep these shrimp tacos super simple to make – quick enough for a weeknight! The sauce can be whisked together in minutes, no food processor required. Thinly sliced cabbage takes the place of a slaw and is just as good when you drizzle on some of the creamy sauce.
These shrimp tacos are one of our favorite shrimp recipes. I hope you’ll love them too!
Ingredients
Here’s a look at what you’ll need for this shrimp tacos recipe. Find the full recipe with measurements below.
- Large Shrimp: I like to buy peeled (or easy peel) and deveined shrimp for convenience. You can remove the tails before or after cooking.
- Seasonings: The shrimp are seasoned with a flavorful blend of spices, including smoked paprika which brings a delicious smoky flavor to the shrimp. You’ll also need garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Olive Oil: For sautéing the shrimp.
- Corn or Flour Tortillas: For serving.
- Cabbage: You can use red or green cabbage. I like to buy a whole cabbage and slice it myself. (Leftover cabbage is a delicious crunchy addition to salads, or use it to make Coleslaw.) You can also use packaged coleslaw mix.
- Avocado: For serving.
- Fresh Cilantro: For serving.
- Cotija Cheese: Feta would make a good substitute.
How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp
If your shrimp are frozen, you’ll need to thaw them before making this this recipe. To thaw shrimp, you have a few options:
- Refrigerator: Place the shrimp in a colander set over a bowl and thaw for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- Extra Fast: To thaw shrimp quickly, place the frozen shrimp in a bowl of cold water for 10-20 minutes, changing the water as needed if it gets too icy cold, until thawed. Pat dry with paper towels.
Shrimp Taco Sauce
The shrimp taco sauce adds a creamy, spicy element to these shrimp tacos. It’s the perfect finishing touch and so easy to make! For the sauce, you’ll need:
- Plain Greek Yogurt: I love using Greek yogurt as a healthier base for creamy sauces like this one. If you prefer, you can use a combination of sour cream and mayo in place of the yogurt. Find the details in the recipe card below.
- Lime Juice: Adds a fresh, tangy element.
- Sriracha Sauce: For spice. Adjust the amount of sriracha to make the sauce more or less spicy.
- Garlic Powder, Smoked Paprika and Salt: For added flavor and seasoning.
- Plus a bit of water, as needed to thin out the sauce for drizzling.
How to Make Shrimp Tacos
Make the sauce. Whisk together the plain Greek yogurt, lime juice, sriracha, garlic powder, smoked paprika and salt. If the sauce is too thick you can thin it with a little water, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
Season the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Drying them well ensures they turn out tender and crisp, not soggy. Mix together the seasonings and sprinkle them over both sides of the shrimp.
Cook the shrimp. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook about 2 minutes per side, or until cooked through. To ensure they turn out juicy and tender, don’t overcook the shrimp.
Or, grill the shrimp! I’ve also made these shrimp tacos using my Grilled Shrimp recipe. It’s a delicious option!
Assemble tacos. Warm the tortillas and fill them with shredded cabbage, avocado slices, cooked shrimp, a drizzle of sauce, chopped cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese. Then enjoy!
Make Ahead Tips
You can prep many components of this recipe ahead of time to make it come together even faster. As is, it’s already a 30 minute meal!
- Make the sauce up to 2 days ahead of time, cover and refrigerate.
- Mix together the shrimp seasonings, cover and store at room temperature.
- Slice the cabbage up to 2 days ahead; refrigerate.
What to Serve with Shrimp Tacos
Here are a few ideas for what to serve with your shrimp tacos:
- Chips and Dip! Try Guacamole, Salsa or Pico de Gallo.
- Corn Salad, Grilled Zucchini, Grilled Corn.
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Black Beans
More Favorite Shrimp Recipes
- Shrimp Stir Fry
- Grilled Shrimp
- Shrimp Marinade
- Air Fryer Shrimp
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles
Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
Shrimp Taco Sauce
- ½ cup plain (2% or full-fat) Greek yogurt, or 5 tablespoons sour cream plus 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ½ teaspoon sriracha sauce, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
- pinch of salt
- water, as needed to thin sauce
Shrimp
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (you can remove the tails before or after cooking)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For Serving
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas
- ½ small red or green cabbage*, shredded
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup crumbled Cotija cheese
Instructions
Make the Taco Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the plain Greek yogurt, lime juice, sriracha, garlic powder, smoked paprika and salt. If the sauce is too thick you can thin it with a little water, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the other taco components.
Prepare the Shrimp
- Lay the shrimp out in a single layer on a cutting board or in a large baking dish. Pat them dry with paper towels. Combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning over both sides of the shrimp and pat gently to help the seasonings stick.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook about 2 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Transfer shrimp to a clean plate and cover to keep warm.
Warm the Tortillas
- (Optional) Warm and slightly crisp the tortillas, one at a time, in a hot skillet on the stove. Alternatively, you can warm the tortillas all at once between paper towels in the microwave.
Assemble Tacos
- To serve, fill each tortilla with shredded cabbage, avocado slices, cooked shrimp, a drizzle of sauce, chopped cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese.
Notes
- To thaw frozen shrimp: Place shrimp in a colander set over a bowl and thaw for 24 hours in the refrigerator, OR to thaw shrimp quickly, place the frozen shrimp in a bowl of cold water for 10-20 minutes, until thawed. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Packaged coleslaw mix may be used in place of the fresh shredded cabbage, if desired.
- Be sure to use gluten-free tortillas if you need the tacos to be gluten-free.
Made these and they were so tasty! I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out great! The only thing I would change next time is the cheese – I discovered that I’m not a big fan of Cotija cheese. I’ll try swapping it out with Monterrey Jack next time.