The best shrimp tacos with a delicious cilantro lime cabbage slaw served on tortillas with a creamy shrimp taco sauce. So good, you’ll want them every week!
Best Shrimp Tacos Recipe
Taco night happens weekly in my house, and these spicy shrimp tacos are always a hit! Juicy, flavor-packed shrimp, crunchy cabbage, and a creamy, zesty cilantro lime slaw come together in just 20 minutes. In my opinion, they’re the best shrimp tacos—and the five-star reviews agree! What really takes them over the top is the cabbage slaw and spicy, creamy sauce that’s so good, you’ll want it on every taco. Not a shrimp fan? Try my easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos.
What Makes These Shrimp Tacos So Good
My daughter Madison loves these tacos and Skinnytaste readers have made these shrimp tacos hundreds of times—just check the comments!
- The shrimp are seasoned simply but boldly—so they cook fast and taste amazing.
- The creamy, spicy sauce has the right amount of heat and tang.
- The cilantro lime cabbage slaw adds crunch and flavor, no boring toppings here.
- It’s a 20-minute recipe that tastes like a restaurant taco night.
Ingredients You’ll Need
I love that with just a few ingredients, you have a restaurant worthy dinner. See recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Shrimp: For convenience buy peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp. You can buy fresh or frozen shrimp.
- Shrimp Taco Seasoning: I minced up some fresh garlic cloves and seasoning salt, like Tajin or Old Bay. You can also make your own taco spices to use here with garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and chili powder.
- Tortillas: I prefer corn tortillas with shrimp tacos, but flour tortillas would also work.
- Slaw: This slaw really makes the tacos, in my opinion! Made with shredded green or red cabbage, fresh jalapeño, red onion, fresh lime juice, salt and cilantro.
- Shrimp Taco Sauce: Mayonnaise, Greek yogurt or sour cream, lime juice, sriracha or Louisiana-style hot pepper sauce. It’s so good!
How to Make Shrimp Tacos
Here’s the step-by-step directions for these easy shrimp tacos. See recipe card below for printable directions.
- Season the Shrimp: Toss the shrimp with olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic and seasoning salt.
- Creamy Shrimp Taco Sauce: Mix the mayo, sour cream, lime juice, and hot sauce in a small bowl. Add a few drops of water if needed to thin it out so it will drizzle.
- Cabbage Slaw: Combine the shredded cabbage, onion, jalapeño, lime juice, and cilantro in a large bowl. Cover it and refrigerate.
- Air Fry the Shrimp: Preheat your air fryer to 360°F and cook the shrimp for 6 minutes, shaking the basket halfway, until cooked in the center.
- Or Cook Shrimp in Skillet: In two batches, over medium-high heat cook the shrimp in a large skillet about 1-2 minutes on each side, until opaque and cooked through.
- How to Heat Corn Tortillas: If you have a gas stove, turn on one of the burners, and hold each tortilla over the open flame with tongs. Char until there are a few brown spots, and then flip over to do the other side. You can also heat the tortillas in a skillet on the stove for about 30 seconds.
Swaps and Variations
- Allergic to shrimp? Substitute white fish, like cod, flounder, or tilapia. Check out these Cod Fish Tacos.
- No air fryer? Sauté the shrimp in a pan for a few minutes, flipping halfway, until opaque and cooked through.
- Add Zing: If you wish, you can also top them with pickled red onions to give them some zing.
- Not a fan of slaw? Try these spicy shrimp tacos with guacamole, mango salsa, pico de gallo, or salsa verde.
- Tortillas: Swap corn tortillas with flour tortillas if you prefer
- Low Carb: For a lighter taco use lettuce wraps instead.
Make It A Meal
These are delicious on their own, but if you want to make this a fiesta, here’s some side dish ideas:
- Beans and Rice: Black Beans and Rice, Instant Pot Refried Beans, Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice
- Corn: Mexican-Inspired Grilled Corn Salad, Corn Tomato Avocado Salad
- Low-Carb Options: Skillet Mexican Zucchini, Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
Shrimp Tacos: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Just thaw them first—pat them dry so they don’t steam.
Nope. The slaw is fresh and tangy from lime and cilantro. The heat comes from the separate spicy cream sauce, so you can adjust that to your taste.
Shrimp tacos are best eaten fresh, but you can save the shrimp for leftovers too. Store the tortillas, shrimp, slaw, and sauce separately. The shrimp will keep in the fridge for up to three days and can be microwaved or eaten cold.
Swap the Greek yogurt in the sauce for a dairy-free yogurt or mayo alternative.
The slaw and sauce can be made a few hours ahead. Cook the shrimp just before serving so they stay juicy.
Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- 24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, about 16 oz total
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt, like Tajin or Old Bay
- 8 corn tortillas, or flour if you prefer
For the Slaw
- 2 cups cabbage, shredded, green or red is fine (buy it pre-shredded to save time)
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
For the Shrimp Taco Sauce
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoon Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sriracha, or Louisiana style hot pepper sauce
Instructions
- Drizzle shrimp with oil to coat and season shrimp with garlic and seasoning salt.
For the shrimp taco sauce
- Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice and hot sauce in a small bowl adding a few drops of water if needed to thin it out so you can drizzle; set aside or transfer to a squeeze bottle.
For the Slaw
- To make the slaw combine the cabbage, onion, jalapeño, lime juice and cilantro in a large bowl ; cover and chill.
To Cook The Shrimp
- Preheat the air fryer to 360F. Cook the shrimp 5 to 6 minutes shaking the basket halfway until cooked through in the center. To make it on the skillet, cook on medium-high, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Skillet Method
- Or Cook Shrimp in Skillet: In two batches, over medium-high heat cook the shrimp in a large skillet about 1-2 minutes on each side, until opaque and cooked through.
- Meanwhile char the tortillas on an open flame or skillet about 30 seconds and set aside.
- To Serve: Place 1/4 cup slaw on each tortilla, top each with 3 shrimp, then drizzle with spicy mayo, and garnish with cilantro.
Last Step:
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Notes
- You can make the slaw a few hours in advance
- Swap the shrimp for grilled fish
- Store leftovers separately to keep tortillas from getting soggy.
Nutrition
More Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love
If you love shrimp as much as my family does, you’ll love these other easy favorites:
- Air Fryer Shrimp
- Shrimp Ceviche
- Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad
- Cilantro Lime Shrimp
- Shrimp Quesadilla
Want even more ideas? Browse all my Shrimp Recipes or explore the full Seafood Recipes collection!
