Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw (2024)

THE BEST shrimp tacos loaded with avocado, spicy shrimp, and a homemade creamy lime slaw? HELLO YUMMY!

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It’s almost hard to talk about these tacos, that’s how much I love them.

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These tacos are so fresh and delicious with just the right amount of heat to them. Great flavors and textures and super healthy too!

Kayla Geary

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What we have going on here is delicious spice-loaded shrimp tucked in between smashed avocado and a cabbage slaw that isheavywith ahomemade creamy lime sauce. Question: topped with crumbly, salty Cotija cheese, and wrapped in a corn tortilla with a wedge of lime squeezed over the top? Answer: Yes.

More cilantro. More lime. More avocado and spicy shrimp.

The world just seems so right.

In This Post: Everything You Need For Spicy Shrimp Tacos

VIDEO for How to Make Spicy Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients You’ll Need
Best Shrimp Taco Sauce
How to Cook Shrimp for Tacos
What to Serve with These Spicy Shrimp Tacos
Spicy Shrimp Tacos: Frequently Asked Questions

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Click here to watch step-by-step stories for how to make this recipe!

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw (3)

Ingredients You’ll Need For These Tacos

What I love about these tacos is that your grocery list will be pretty short and sweet!

Shrimp
Lots of dried pantry spices (to season the shrimp)
Cabbage
Garlic cilantro lime sauce (more on that below)
Tortillas
Toppings (avocado, lime, cotija, cilantro, anything!)

The Best Shrimp Taco Sauce

So, let’s talk more about that garlic cilantro lime sauce for these shrimp tacos, because honestly, it might just be the best part.

All you need is sour cream, fresh lime juice, garlic, some herbs, and olive oil. Blitz it all up together and you’re in business.

We’re gonna toss it with some shredded cabbage (see above) and ALSO give these tacos a good shower on top. Because there is no such thing as too much sauce. Especially when it comes to tacos.

How To Cook Shrimp For Tacos

How to Prepare the Shrimp

It might give you the scaries but I’d recommend getting tail-on shrimp (fresh or frozen) and peel and devein them yourself. Don’t worry – it’s easier than you think.

Ways to Cook the Shrimp

These are made in a skillet, but if the sun is shining and the beer is cold and the grill is hot, then you do you and grill those shrimp! Might be best to get them on some skewers (affiliate link) for a much less frustrating grilling experience.

Beer-Battered Shrimp Tacos (YUM)

For those with extra time on their hands and a heart set on fried shrimp: thebeer batter instructions in this recipework for shrimp, too!

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw (5)

What To Serve with These Spicy Shrimp Tacos

Obviously you’ll be pocketing those delicious shrimp inside corn or flour tortillas, sprinkling on some garlic cilantro lime slaw, and dousing it in even more sauce and herbs, but you can also make this an entire taco feast!

Here are some of our favorite recipes to make alongside these delicious little pockets of goodness.

Elote Queso
Pitcher Style Margaritas for a Crowd
2-Minute Creamy Avocado Dip
Corn, Avocado, and Quinoa Salad with Marinated Tomatoes
Classic Mexican Rice

These shrimp tacos are fast, easy, andgive me something to lookforward to at the end of the day.

Cheers to many warm-weather nights with tons and tons of shrimp tacos in your future!

My Favorite Taco Accessories

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw (6)

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Spicy Shrimp Tacos: Frequently Asked Questions

Any subs for cilantro? I really don’t like the taste.

You could use parsley, but it would definitely lend a different flavor. You can always just omit the cilantro!

How long will the sauce last in the fridge?

3-4 days in a sealed container!

I can’t find cotija cheese. What should I use instead?

You could use another salty crumbled cheese like feta, or just omit! They are just as delicious without cheese.

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw

4.8 from 291 reviews

Author: Pinch of Yum
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 (2 small tacos each) 1x

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Description

The BEST Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw – ready in about 30 minutes and loaded with flavor and texture. SO YUM!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce:

1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup water (if needed, to thin sauce)

Shrimp Taco Spice Mix:

2 teaspoons each chili powder and cumin
1/2 teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Stuff for the Shrimp Tacos:

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
2–3 cups shredded green cabbage
8 small tortillas (corn or flour)
2 avocados
1/4 cup Cotija cheese
lime wedges for serving

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Instructions

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Sauce: Pulse all the sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth. Add water if needed to thin.
Slaw: Toss some of the sauce (not all) with the cabbage. We’ll use the leftover sauce to top the tacos.
Shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Toss the shrimp in a small bowl with the spice mix to get it coated. Heat a drizzle of oil a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp to the hot pan and sauté for 5-8 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through.
Assembly: For the prettiest and easiest-to-eat assembly, go in this order: smashed avocado, slaw, and shrimp. Finish with Cotjia cheese, lime wedges, and extra sauce.