These easy shrimp tacos are a quick recipe for a weeknight dinner or party. They taste amazing drizzled with a creamy cilantro sauce!
What’s better than shrimp tacos? Her carefree vibe makes every dinner party more festive, even if it’s just an old Tuesday. Pair these tacos with fries, salsa, and a classic margarita and we can’t think of anything better. (Except please, add a bean dip, too. Please and thank you!) What we love about this easy shrimp taco recipe is that it’s a quick family dinner recipe as well as a weeknight meal And entertaining: makes it a double whammy.
Want to fire up the grill instead? Go for the grilled shrimp tacos.
Why are these the best easy shrimp tacos?
There are a hundred ways to make a shrimp taco recipe. For this one, Alex and I wanted to create the fastest one Away from 0 to shrimp tacos. So it turned out to be a triple threat: quick and easy to make, delicious and healthy!
The shrimp are juicy and flavorful seasoned with Old Bay and cumin, the cabbage is crisp and flavorful. The creamy cilantro sauce brings it all together: It’s almost like cilantro ranch dressing, and you might want to dip in it. Honestly, I might want to change my answer to the “What’s the last meal you want to eat” question for this recipe. And it all comes together in one easy weeknight dinner.
Tips for Preparing Shrimp Tacos!
Here are some pointers to making this shrimp taco recipe:
- Fry the shrimp on the stovetop with minced garlic and some spices. Searing the shrimp is super quick: it only takes 2-4 minutes to cook! This method of cooking shrimp is customizable and even works outside of tacos. Although the flavors are Mexican, they can be served with rice or couscous, or on top of a salad.
- Taco sauce only takes 5 minutes and won’t even break a mixer! Many shrimp taco recipes call for a sauce with many ingredients or a sauce that will clutter up your kitchen. This one is quick and easy!
- “Coleslaw” is made with a shortcut. To make this recipe quicker, we’ve left out the traditional coleslaw, which can require a lot of chopping and turning. Instead, thinly slice the cabbage and red onion and simply sprinkle with a lime wedge when serving. It’s a shortcut we keep using in tacos!
How to Charl Tortillas
Another taco tip for these easy shrimp tacos! Charring your tortillas will warm them up and give them a delicious charred flavor. You can do this if you have a gas stove. (If you don’t have a gas stove, here are a few other ways to reheat your tortillas.) Here’s what to do:
- Place a tortilla on the racks over a gas burner over medium-high heat.
- Fry a few seconds on each side, turning with tongs, until edges are lightly charred and tortilla is warmed through.
How to buy sustainable shrimp
Finally, a quick note on buying sustainable shrimp. Alex and I try to buy sustainable seafood whenever possible. While researching how to buy sustainable seafood, Alex and I learned look for wild fish if possible. If you live in the United States, look for the united states taken if you can 90% of the seafood we eat in the United States is imported. Imported seafood is at risk of being overfished, caught under unfair labor conditions, or farmed in environmentally harmful ways.
It is also important how your fish is caught. Seek hook and line as an example of a type of durable gear. Bottom trawling is considered to be the most destructive and least sustainable method.
And there you have it: how to make shrimp tacos!
This recipe was a big hit at our house (especially with our 2 year old!). Dress it up with frozen margaritas, jalapeno margaritas, or skinny margaritas and it’s just gorgeous. Better yet, try Micheladas. Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Want a meal plan?
This recipe is included in our Pescetarian Meal Plan! Check out 1 month’s recipes including download a meal planning spreadsheet.
This Shrimp Taco Recipe is…
Gluten-free, dairy-free and pescetarian.
The description
These easy shrimp tacos are a quick recipe for a weeknight dinner or party. They taste amazing drizzled with a creamy cilantro sauce!
- 1 Creamy Shrimp Taco Sauce recipe
- 2 cups thinly sliced kale
- 1/4 small red onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 Pound sized shrimp, thawed and deveined (peeled or unpeeled)
- 1 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning (store bought or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 Limes, cut into wedges, divided
- 8th Tortillas
- cilantro, for garnish
- Prepare the creamy shrimp taco sauce.
- Finely chop the kale. Thinly slice the red onion and place in a bowl of cold water (this will take away some of the strong onion flavor); drain before serving.
- Chop the garlic. Dry the shrimp. In a medium bowl, toss shrimp with Old Bay Seasoning, cumin, salt and garlic.
- In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp, 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until opaque and cooked through, flipping with tongs. Drizzle with the juice of two lime wedges.
- Char the tortillas, if desired, by placing them over an open gas flame over medium-high heat for a few seconds on each side, turning with tongs until lightly charred and warmed through. (See Reheating Tortillas.)
- To serve, place cabbage and red onion in a tortilla and top with shrimp. Squeeze with the juice of 2 lime wedges, then drizzle with taco sauce. Serve immediately.
- Category: main course
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: Mexican
Keywords: Shrimp Tacos, easy shrimp tacos recipe, how to make shrimp tacos
Looking for healthier seafood recipes?
Aside from these shrimp tacos, here are some other shrimp recipes, seafood recipes, and fish recipes:
Last updated: December 2019
