This 15 Minute Easy Shrimp Tacos Recipe with Slaw makes a weeknight meal a breeze! Spicy juicy shrimp topped with creamy cilantro lime slaw and wrapped in warm corn tortilla, these shrimp tacos have the best taste and texture.
Love shrimp and tacos? Try our bang bang shrimp tacos, shrimp ceviche recipe or shrimp tostadas. So easy and good!
Table of Contents
- Why You Will Love This Shrimp Taco Recipe
- Ingredients You Will Need
- How to Make Shrimp Tacos
- Make Shrimp Taco Seasoning and Sauce
- Saute Shrimp and Make Cabbage Slaw
- Assemble Easy Shrimp Tacos with Slaw
- Tips for Best Results
- What to Serve with Shrimp Tacos?
- How to Store and Reheat
- FAQs
- More Shrimp Recipes to Try
- More Tacos Recipes to Try
- 15 Minute Easy Shrimp Tacos Recipe Recipe
Oh my goodness, these easy shrimp tacos came out fantastic! Spicy shrimp, creamy slaw, yummy shrimp taco sauce wrapped in warm fresh corn tortilla. Then a squeeze of fresh lime juice and you are in Mexico.
I promise you my fish tacos recipe and grilled fish tacos are just as good!
And the best part is this shrimp taco recipe took 15 minutes to prepare and healthy dinner is served. We even use store-bought coleslaw. You can also easily host with these tacos.
Why You Will Love This Shrimp Taco Recipe
- Easy: This shrimp taco recipe is ready in 15 minutes from start to finish.
- Healthy: Shrimp is low calorie and full of nutrients and then combined with coleslaw cabbage that is high in Vitamin C and K .
- Enjoy year round: Grill in the summer, pan fry in cooler months.
- Customizable: As with any tacos, sky is the limit when serving shrimp tacos.
Ingredients You Will Need
Let’s start with simple and best shrimp tacos ingredients you always buy:
- Raw shrimp: Fresh or frozen. I use 31-40 count per pound shrimp. You can use smaller or larger shrimp if you wish, you will have to adjust the cook time. P.S. I forgot to remove the tails.
- Tortillas: We prefer small corn tortillas around 6 inches in diameter. You can use flour tortillas as well.
- Store bought coleslaw mix: Saves a lot of time.
- Plain yogurt: Use regular yogurt or Greek yogurt with bit if extra water. I do not recommend to use 0% yogurt because slaw will lack flavor. We already reduced a lot of fat by cutting back amount of mayo.
- Mayo: A little bit of mayo makes taco sauce “legit”.
- Seasonings: Taco seasoning, garlic powder, lime and cilantro. That’s it!
How to Make Shrimp Tacos
Make Shrimp Taco Seasoning and Sauce
Make shrimp taco seasoning: We combine enough taco seasoning with garlic powder to season raw shrimp for 5 minutes while you are making the sauce and pre-heating the skillet. You want shrimp to be a little spicy so assembled tacos do not taste bland.
And no salt is added because shrimp contains a lot of sodium. And so does taco seasoning although I buy low sodium taco seasoning or make my homemade taco seasoning.
Make shrimp taco sauce: Most shrimp taco recipes are heavy on mayo. I used yogurt and some mayo because these tacos wouldn’t be real shrimp tacos without creamy mayo slaw. It is a version of my healthy coleslaw recipe.
Combine yogurt and mayo with lime juice, more taco seasoning and a pinch of cayenne. And it will be the most simple and tasty shrimp taco sauce ever. We will use it for the slaw and to drizzle on tacos. Set aside.
Recipe Tip
Adding a touch of mayo with yogurt reduces fat and calories but still gives these shrimp tacos with slaw a more authentic taste.
Saute Shrimp and Make Cabbage Slaw
Cook shrimp for 4 minutes in a hot ceramic non-stick skillet. Shrimp cooks fast and it’s ready when no longer gray and starts to turn pink. For more browned look, flip once and press on shrimp with spatula.
Make slaw by literally just dumping a 14 oz bag of store-bought cabbage slaw, cilantro, salt and almost all of the taco sauce.
Recipe Tip
I like to reserve some of the shrimp taco sauce for drizzling on shrimp tacos but you don’t have to. This adds extra creaminess and gives it a restaurant presentation quality.
Assemble Easy Shrimp Tacos with Slaw
Time to assemble the tacos: I like to warm tortillas in a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. Just 10 seconds per side because otherwise tortilla will dry out and break as you fold it.
Press with a spatula for extra char. If you have a gas stove, do it directly on the burner using tongs.
What goes in shrimp tacos? Fill each tortilla with 3-4 sauteed shrimps (depending on the size), some slaw and drizzle with the sauce.
Recipe Tip
Crisping your corn tortillas quickly in the skillet or on the grill helps prevent them from breaking when filling and eating.
Tips for Best Results
- If your shrimp is not cleaned: Here is a quick tutorial how to peel and devein shrimp.
- Serve tacos in 2 tortillas (double layer): Because corn tortillas are delicate and tend to fall apart if fresh. That’s what they do in Mexico.
- For non-creamy slaw: Make this vinegar coleslaw recipe instead. It will go very well in this shrimp taco recipe. And make heck of a super healthy shrimp tacos!
- To make grilled shrimp tacos: You can grill shrimp on a silicone grill mat on medium-high heat. Keep in mind it slows down cooking as food is not hit directly by flames. Cover the grill and give shrimp a few minutes. Then open and when you see pink on the bottom, flip carefully, cover and cook until no longer gray.
What to Serve with Shrimp Tacos?
This shrimp taco recipe is highly versatile! I usually use what I have on hand. Here are a few other ideas:
- Other toppings: Add diced jalapenos or drizzle with hot sauce for heat lovers, diced avocado or pico de gallo on the side, crumbled cotija cheese on top and sour cream on a side.
- Add fruit salsas: Replace coleslaw entirely with any of these salsa recipes: pineapple jalapeno salsa, mango salsa or peach salsa.
- Make low carb: Make healthy lettuce wraps and serve in double layers of Boston lettuce or Romaine lettuce leaves. Or serve them a taco bowl style.
- Make a taco bar: Set out brown rice or quinoa, Mexican street corn salad, guacamole, Instant Pot refried beans, Instant Pot corn on the cob for a whole spread where everyone can make a taco, a bowl or whatever combination they like!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers: Refrigerate leftover cooked shrimp and slaw in separate airtight containers for up to 24 hours. Cabbage slaw will leak a bit, so be sure to drain and stir before serving shrimp tacos.
To reheat: Place previously cooked shrimp on well preheated ceramic non-stick skillet with a bit of cooking spray or oil. You want skillet to be hot.
Cook shrimp for maximum 1 minute per each side, just to heat through and not overcook. It doesn’t need much more than that.
Enjoy this 15 minute easy shrimp taco recipe! I swear, it’s the easiest dinner I ever made.
FAQs
How do you season shrimp for tacos?
We love to use low sodium taco seasoning with garlic powder, it gives just enough spice to make the shrimp shine in the tacos! Combined with the cilantro lime coleslaw and creamy taco sauce, you will have very flavorful shrimp tacos.
What can I substitute cilantro with?
Substitute cilantro with fresh parsley if you do not love cilantro. The taste definitely will be different though.
Can you use 0% fat yogurt for shrimp taco sauce?
Readers have used 0% fat yogurt with great results, I like to use 2% yogurt as it gives it more flavor.
Is it better to use fresh shrimp or frozen shrimp for shrimp tacos?
You can use either for this easy shrimp taco recipe! Since you are seasoning the shrimp, it is fine to use frozen shrimp. Thaw raw shrimp overnight or place in colander in a bowl with cold water, thaws in 15-20 minutes.
Readers have had good luck with precooked shrimp as well. After thawing let sit it with seasoning for 20-30 minutes then warm it up in a skillet.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Refrigerate seasoned shrimp and shrimp taco sauce separately for up to 2 days. Cook tacos and assemble slaw right before serving.
How to thaw frozen shrimp?
To thaw shrimp, place in lukewarm water for an hour or so or in the fridge overnight. After make sure shrimp is very well drained and dry. This will ensure it gets a char on instead of releasing a lot of water.
Is shrimp healthy?
Shrimp is a low calorie source of protein. In addition, shrimp contains antioxidants, over 20 different vitamins and minerals and high amount of iodine that is not available in other foods.
On another hand, shrimp is high in cholesterol. 3 oz serving contains 166 mg of cholesterol, which is 85% more cholesterol than other seafood.
However, research shows that only 25% of population are sensitive to dietary cholesterol which is found in shrimp. This is because most cholesterol in our blood is produced by liver. And when we eat foods high in cholesterol, our liver produces less of it.
Having said the above, it doesn’t mean we can just go and eat shrimp recipes every day.
More Shrimp Recipes to Try
- Shrimp salad
- Shrimp stir fry
- Grilled shrimp skewers
- Instant Pot shrimp boil
- Shrimp and spaghetti
- Air fryer shrimp
- Bang bang shrimp
More Tacos Recipes to Try
- Grilled chicken tacos
- Ground chicken tacos
- Buffalo chicken tacos
- Ground turkey tacos
- Carne asada tacos
- Instant Pot shredded chicken tacos
Also browse through all my favorite healthy taco recipes!
15 Minute Easy Shrimp Tacos Recipe
This 15 Minute Shrimp Tacos Recipe with slaw and spicy juicy shrimp, wrapped in warm corn tortilla has the best taste and texture.
4.98 from 156 votes
Servings 9 tacos
Calories 171
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes minutes
Total Time 15 minutes minutes
Print RecipeSave RecipeRate Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Shrimp Tacos:
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled & deveined (I left tails on)
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 14 oz bag slaw or 3 cups shredded cabbage
- 1/2 small bunch cilantro finely chopped
- Avocado oil for frying
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 9 corn tortillas
- Easy guacamole optional
Shrimp Taco Sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt 2%+ fat
- 1/4 cup mayo I use avocado oil mayo
- 1 lime juice of
- 1/2 tsp taco seasoning
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Pinch of cayenne
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
In a medium bowl, add shrimp, 1 tbsp taco seasoning, garlic powder and pepper. Stir and set aside.
In a small bowl, add yogurt, mayo, lime juice, taco seasoning, cayenne and black pepper. Stir and set aside.
Preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on high heat and add shrimp. Cook until pink on the bottom, flip and cook until no longer gray. For more char, flip once and press on shrimp with spatula. Or you can grill shrimp on a silicone grill mat on high heat.
In a large bowl, add slaw, cilantro, salt and almost all of the sauce, reserving some for drizzling on tacos. Stir gently.
To assemble tacos, warm tortillas in a cast iron skillet on high heat for 10 seconds per side and pressing on with spatula.
Fill each tortilla with 3-4 shrimps, some slaw and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate leftover cooked shrimp and slaw covered for up to 24 hours.
- Shrimp: Make sure shrimp is very well drained and dry. This will ensure it gets a char on instead of releasing a lot of water.
- Yogurt: I do not recommend to use 0% yogurt because slaw will lack flavor. We already reduced a lot of fat by cutting back amount of mayo.
- Serve in 2 tortillas (double layer) if using small corn tortillas. They are delicate and tend to fall apart if fresh.
- To make low carb: Make lettuce wraps and serve in Boston or Romaine lettuce leaves (again double the layers to hold better).
Nutrition
Serving: 1taco | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 546mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Olena Osipov
Did you make this recipe?Mention @ifoodreal or tag #ifoodreal!
Categories:
15 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals, Dinner Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Kid Friendly Recipes, Low Carb, Mexican, Seafood, Shrimp Recipes, Video
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