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    Home » Seafood Recipes

    Easy Shrimp Tacos

    Published: Mar 17, 2021 · Modified: Aug 18, 2021 by Shelby Law Ruttan · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    A delicious, easy to make and flavorful taco made with corn tortillas and filled with a spicy shrimp topped with red cabbage, cilantro cream, and queso fresco.
    A corn tortilla in a yellow taco holder with cooked shrimp, red cabbage, cilantro lime cream sauce, and queso fresco inside the tortilla.

    These Easy Shrimp Tacos are ready in just minutes, dressed with red cabbage and a tangy Cilantro Lime Cream Sauce. The shrimp is plump and juicy and flavored with a spice blend of chili, chipotle, and cumin.

    Served on a warmed corn tortilla, these easy shrimp tacos are perfect to enjoy on taco Tuesdays (or any day of the week for that matter!), and are also a great addition to a Cinco de Mayo celebration along with a glass of Pineapple Agua Fresca.

    A corn tortilla laid out flat on a black plate with cooked shrimp, purple cabbage shreds, cilantro, queso fresco cheese, and a green lime wedge

    Why I Love This Easy Shrimp Taco Recipe

    I am a huge fan of shrimp. I grew up in a home where shrimp was never part of the menu because my mother did not eat it. However, I always loved to go to Nanny and Poppys and find out they had shrimp on the table for dinner! Shrimp, bacon, and toast spread with real butter. Those are 3 treats I always looked forward to at Nanny's house.

    Shrimp is quick and easy to prepare and cook. If you buy the shrimp with the shell and tail on, then it is a little more time consuming because you have to remove the shell and tail for this recipe. However, even at that, it maybe will take you 5 minutes!

    A corn tortilla in a yellow taco holder with cooked shrimp, red cabbage, cilantro lime cream sauce, and queso fresco inside the tortilla.

    What You Need To Make Easy Shrimp Tacos

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from affiliate links.

    Medium Sized Shrimp is my choice. If you want to buy smaller shrimp, they should work as well. I just don't recommend buying large or jumbo shrimp as they well be too big for these easy shrimp tacos.

    Chili Powder, Chipotle Powder, Cumin Powder, and Smoked Paprika. These are 3 spices commonly used in Mexican style cooking. I prefer to buy this brand of spices.

    Cabbage, I like to use red cabbage because I love adding color to my shrimp tacos.

    Fresh Cilantro is used in the cream sauce as well as an optional topping on the taco.

    Fresh Limes, be sure you buy limes that are not hard, they should be soft to the touch to get the juiciest lime.

    Wooden Citrus Juicer

    Corn Tortillas, I love to use these white corn tortillas. 

    5 pieces of cooked seasoned shrimp on a white corn tortilla on a black serving plate.

    Tips and Substitutions

    • Buy small to medium sized shrimp that already have their shells and tails removed to save on prep time.
    • If the shrimp are frozen, run them under cold water in a colander for 5-10 minutes to thaw.
    • Depending on the size of shrimp (small to medium), it should take 3-5 minutes for the shrimp to cook. Shrimp is cooked when it curls slightly and has plumped up and pink.
    • Do not buy pre-cooked shrimp. Raw shrimp is required to make this recipe.
    • If you're not a fan of chipotle, it is ok to leave out the chipotle powder and increase the chili powder or smoked paprika by ½ teaspoon.
    • Swap out the olive oil for butter to cook the shrimp in and add a buttery flavor to the cooked spicy shrimp.
    • Buy pre-shredded cabbage slaw mix for the cabbage topping.

    More Mexican Style Recipes To Try

    Carne Asada

    Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce

    Green Chicken Enchiladas

    Grilled Stuffed Burrito

    Homemade Refried Beans

    Roasted Shrimp Enchiladas

    Sweet and Spicy Pulled Pork Tacos

    Turkey Tostadas

    Mexican Casserole

    Mexican Street Tacos

    Pinnable Image of a corn tortilla with seasoned shrimp, purple cabbage, avocado, queso fresco, mexican crema and a green lime wedge ona  black plate.

    Cooling Beverages That Go with Easy Shrimp Tacos

    Classic Margarita

    Coconut Lime Rum Refresher

    Homemade Horchata

    Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita

    Rhubarb Lemonade

    Strawberry Mojito

    If you made this Easy Street Tacos recipe, please give it a star rating

    A corn tortilla in a yellow taco holder with cooked shrimp, red cabbage, cilantro lime cream sauce, and queso fresco inside the tortilla.

    Easy Shrimp Tacos

    Shelby Law Ruttan
    A delicious, easy to make and flavorful taco made with corn tortillas and filled with a spicy shrimp topped with red cabbage, cilantro cream, and queso fresco.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Go to Collections
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Fish Recipes
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 4
    Calories 347 kcal

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients
      

    FOR THE SHRIMP

    • 1 lb raw shrimp peeled and deveined with tails removed
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    FOR THE CILANTRO CREAM SAUCE

    • ½ cup sour cream
    • 1½ tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • 3 tablespoon cilantro finely chopped (optional)
    • 1 large garlic clove minced
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

    Other Toppings

    • 1 avocado diced (optional)
    • 2 cups shredded red cabbage
    • ½ cup crumbled queso fresco

    Instructions
     

    • In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
      A blue bowl with cilantro lime crema
    • In another small mixing bowl, add the shrimp, chipotle powder, chili powder, cumin powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Toss to completely coat the shrimp.
      adding the seasoning to the shrimp
    • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and firm.
      cooked shrimp in a skillet
    • Heat the corn tortillas for 30 seconds or until lightly browned on both sides. Assemble the shrimp tacos by placing 4-6 shrimp on one tortilla and topping with the cabbage, avocado, cilantro cream sauce, and queso fresco.
      Sprinkling assembled shrimp taco with cilantro

    Video

    Notes

    Tips and Substitutions

    • Buy small to medium sized shrimp that already have their shells and tails removed to save on prep time.
    • If the shrimp are frozen, run them under cold water for 5-10 minutes to thaw.
    • Depending on the size of shrimp (small to medium), it should take 3-5 minutes for the shrimp to cook. Shrimp is cooked when it curls slightly and has plumped up and pink.
    • Do not buy pre-cooked shrimp. Raw shrimp is required to make this recipe.
    • If you're not a fan of chipotle, it is ok to leave out the chipotle powder and increase the chili powder or smoked paprika by ½ teaspoon.
    • Swap out the olive oil for butter to cook the shrimp in and add a buttery flavor to the cooked spicy shrimp.
    • Buy pre-shredded cabbage slaw mix for the cabbage topping.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 347kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 28gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 311mgSodium: 1480mgPotassium: 540mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1114IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 320mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword Easy Shrimp Tacos
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    About Shelby Law Ruttan

    Honeybunch Hunts is a website dedicated to sharing canning and dehydrating recipes, wild game recipes, fish, seafood, plant based recipes, and some DIY scattered in between. Written by Shelby Law Ruttan, is also author and owner of Grumpy’s Honeybunch, and The Best Vegetarian Recipes. Shelby has also authored two cookbooks, The One Pot Paleo Cookbook and The Pescatarian Keto Cookbook.

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    Welcome! I'm Shelby, author of Honeybunch Hunts. I grew up with self sustaining parents and enjoyed the fruits of their harvest. This website is dedicated to recipes to preserve that harvest, and how to be self sustainable along....

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