Taco Tuesday just met its match. Shrimp tacos are fast, fresh, and foolproof. The shrimp cook in like 2 minutes. The slaw is a chop-and-toss situation. And that creamy lime sauce? You’ll want to put it on everything.
No marinating. No complicated spice blends. Just a ridiculously good dinner that’s on the table in 15 minutes flat. Let’s taco ’bout it.
Ingredients
Makes 8 small tacos (serves 2-3).
For the Shrimp:
- 1 lb (450g) shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails off)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of cayenne (optional, for heat)
For the Slaw & Sauce:
- 2 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Juice of 1 lime (plus extra wedges for serving)
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
For Serving:
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas
- Avocado slices or guacamole
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Sauce and Slaw
- Whisk sour cream, mayo, lime juice, and hot sauce in a small bowl.
- Toss cabbage with half the sauce. Save the rest for drizzling.
- Stir cilantro into the slaw.
Step 2: Season the Shrimp
- Pat shrimp dry. Toss with olive oil and all spices (chili powder through cayenne).
Step 3: Cook the Shrimp
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side until pink and curled into a “C” shape. Do not overcook.
Step 4: Warm the Tortillas
- Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave (wrapped in a damp paper towel).
Step 5: Assemble Tacos
- Fill each tortilla with slaw, shrimp, and avocado slices.
- Drizzle with reserved sauce. Squeeze extra lime. Eat immediately.
Summary
Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 5 mins | Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 8 small tacos (2-3 servings)
Difficulty: Easy
Storage Notes
These tacos do not reheat well (soggy shrimp = sad). Make only what you’ll eat. Store leftover cooked shrimp separately in the fridge for 2 days—eat cold on a salad or reheat gently in a pan. Sauce keeps for 5 days. Slaw gets watery after a few hours, so make it fresh.
