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overhead view of three shrimp tacos in corn tortillas garnished with cilantro cream and green and red cabbage on a small baking tray with lime wedges around them
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5 from 2 votes

Easy Shrimp Tacos

These Easy Shrimp Tacos are light, fresh, and so full of flavor! Simple and easy to make, they're ideal for a busy weeknight meal.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
Marinating20 minutes
Total Time36 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: 30 minute meal, easy shrimp tacos
Servings: 12 tacos
Calories: 133kcal
Author: Lisa Longley

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds raw frozen shrimp, deviened and peeled thaw according to package instructions
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder (please see note 1)
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage (optional)
  • 1 cup shredded green cabbage optional
  • 12 corn tortillas

Cilantro Crema

  • 1 cup sour cream (I used light sour cream
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice (see note 2)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Pat the shrimp down with a paper towel to remove any excess liquid that accrued during thawing.
  • In a measuring cup, mix together the chili powder, paprika, kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper with the olive oil and lime juice. Pour over the thawed shrimp in a large bowl, and mix to combine. Refrigerate, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. (Move on to making the Cilantro Crema and shredding the cabbage.)
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add just enough shrimp to the skillet to cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer. Cook for 4 to 5 mintues, flipping once half way through. Cook so that the shrimp turn pink, but before they compltely curl in on themselves.
  • Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate. You will need to cook the shrimp in mutliple batchs.
  • Add shrimp, shredded cabbage, and cilantro creama to the corn tortilla shells and enjoy. Consider also making pineapple salsa or corn salsa to go on top!

Cilantro Crema

  • Add the sour cream, cilantro, 1 teaspoon lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until fully combined. Taste and add the rest of the lime juice and kosher salt a little at a time to taste.

Notes

  1. You can replace the spices in this recipe (from the chili powder down to the cayenne pepper) with 3 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning or a 1 ounce packet of store bought taco seasoning.
  2. I recommend adding half the lime juice and salt when you initially blend this. Taste the recipe and add more to taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1taco | Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 406mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 5mg