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    Recipes » Main Course Recipes » Mexican Main Courses

    Shrimp Tacos

    Published: Mar 8, 2023 by Marissa Stevens · 99 Comments

    Gluten FreeQuick MealsPescatarian

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    These are not your average Shrimp Tacos. Imagine lightly charred corn tortillas cradling tender shrimp with a crisp salt and pepper crust, topped with crunchy cabbage and radish slaw then finished with creamy spicy shrimp taco sauce, a scatter of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

    Shrimp Tacos served on a white oval platter with extra sauce on the side.

    For the past year, I've been working on perfecting this shrimp taco recipe. I've made them a dozen times and these are literally the best shrimp tacos I have ever tasted. They're weeknight easy too (watch the video if you want me to prove it 😉). You can make them start to finish in just 30 minutes!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need to Make Shrimp Tacos
    • How to Buy Shrimp
    • How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp
    • Recipe Tips
    • Shrimp Taco Sauce
    • How to Peel and Devein Raw Shrimp
    • What to Serve with Shrimp Tacos
    • More Mexican Food Recipes You'll Love
    • How to Make Shrimp Tacos
    • Shrimp Tacos Recipe Video
    • Shrimp Tacos
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients You Need to Make Shrimp Tacos

    Shrimp Tacos Ingredients arranged on a white marble board.

    Shrimp Taco Sauce

    • Mayonnaise: your favorite brand or homemade mayonnaise
    • Sour cream: ideally full fat sour cream
    • Sriracha Sauce: or your favorite hot sauce
    • Water: as needed to thin sauce

    Shrimp Tacos

    • Corn Tortillas: or flour tortillas
    • Shrimp: ideally medium shrimp (see instructions in post on how to choose shrimp and how to peel and devein them)
    • Cornstarch
    • Avocado Oil: or other high heat oil
    • Garlic: fresh garlic cloves
    • Ground Black Pepper and Kosher Salt
    • Cabbage: shredded for topping, optional
    • Radishes: for topping, optional
    • Fresh Cilantro: optional
    • Lime Wedges: for serving, optional
    • Jalapeño Peppers: pickled slices or thinly sliced fresh jalapeño peppers for serving, optional

    How to Buy Shrimp

    For the freshest shrimp, buy frozen and thaw them at home. Because shrimp are typically frozen shortly after being caught, even 'fresh' shrimp are likely thawed by grocery store fish counters. If you do buy thawed shrimp, be sure they are not soft or slimy and don't smell like ammonia, a sure sign that they're going bad.

    How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp

    For the best results, thaw frozen shrimp overnight in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. For faster thawing, place shrimp in a sealed zip-top bag and submerge in a bowl of cold water in the sink. Let stand 30 minutes, or until the shrimp are thawed. (This method works for other frozen meats as well.)

    Shrimp Tacos served on a white oval platter with extra sauce and lime wedges on the side.

    Recipe Tips

    A couple of recipe tips: first, I love to make these with corn tortillas, but flour tortillas work just fine if that's what you have on hand. Second, be sure to use a high heat oil for frying the shrimp. Olive oil has a lower smoke point and you want the oil to be very hot so the shrimp get a nice, crispy coating.

    Shrimp Taco Sauce

    The crisp shrimp are essential to these tacos, but so is the sauce. Shrimp Taco Sauce sounds so official, but it's actually really simple and made with things that I bet you have in your refrigerator right now. It's just three ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream and sriracha sauce, but it brings the textures together in these shrimp tacos and makes all of the other flavors shine!

    How to Peel and Devein Raw Shrimp

    For shrimp tacos, you'll want to completely peel and devein the shrimp (step by step photos below). No one wants to bite into a shrimp tail!

    To peel raw shrimp, first gently twist off the head (if still attached) then wedge your thumb inside the shell, just above the legs. Grasp the shell between your thumb and forefinger; lift and turn to detach the shell down to the tail segment. For shrimp with the tail intact, hold the peeled shrimp near the tail and gently pull to release the shrimp completely. (Skip this step for recipes where you want to leave the tail intact.)

    peeling the shell off of a raw shrimp.
    Peeling Shrimp
    peeled raw shrimp with tail intact.
    Peeled Shrimp with Tail Intact
    peeled raw shrimp with tail removed
    Fully Peeled Shrimp

    To devein, use a sharp paring knife to cut a shallow slit down the center of the back. With the tip of the knife, gently lift the vein out and discard (wipe onto a paper towel). Repeat with remaining shrimp.

    slicing down the back of a raw shrimp to devein.
    deveining raw shrimp with the tip of a paring knife.

    What to Serve with Shrimp Tacos

    Though these are a meal on their own, they would be great alongside Homemade Refried Beans and tortilla chips with Pico de Gallo or Mango Avocado Salsa and Salsa Guacamole for dipping.

    For a 30 minute, summertime version of these check out Grilled Shrimp Tacos.

    More Mexican Food Recipes You'll Love

    • Carne Asada (Check out the comments - everyone loves this!)
    • Carne Asada Tacos (Perfect way to feed a crowd.)
    • Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa (These are absolutely bursting with flavor!)
    • Pork Carnitas (Made in the slow cooker - easy, super juicy and flavorful.)
    • Pork Carnitas Tacos (Our favorite way to enjoy carnitas!)
    • Pulled Pork Quesadillas (Crispy, oven baked and totally irresistible!)
    • Pulled Pork Nachos (With my top tips for perfect nachos every time.)
    • Rice Cooker Mexican Rice (SO easy to make this classic side dish in your rice cooker.)
    • Mexican Cauliflower Rice (You'd never know that this is a lightened up version!)

    How to Make Shrimp Tacos

    Finely chop cabbage and radishes (and fresh cilantro if desired). Set aside.

    Finely Chopped Cabbage and Radishes

    Make Shrimp Taco Sauce with equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream and sriracha sauce to taste. Dribble in water to thin if desired.

    making shrimp taco sauce

    Lightly char both sides of each corn tortilla in a hot cast iron skillet and transfer to a packet of aluminum foil to keep warm.

    charred corn tortilla
    wrapping warm tortillas in foil

    Toss shrimp with cornstarch.

    tossing shrimp in cornstarch

    Fry shrimp in hot oil (nearly smoking) in a large wok or skillet until pink. Add salt, pepper and fresh garlic to shrimp; toss until coated and fragrant (a riff on these Salt and Pepper Shrimp). Transfer shrimp to a plate.

    frying shrimp for shrimp tacos

    Assemble tacos one at a time, topping each tortilla with shrimp, cabbage, radishes and cilantro (optional). Drizzle with shrimp taco sauce and add a squeeze of lime (optional). Enjoy!

    drizzling sauce over shrimp tacos

    Shrimp Tacos Recipe Video

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    Shrimp Tacos served on a white oval platter with extra sauce on the side.

    Shrimp Tacos

    Marissa Stevens
    Shrimp Tacos with lightly charred tortillas, crisp salt and pepper coated shrimp, crunchy slaw and spicy, creamy shrimp taco sauce!
    5 from 25 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 8 tacos
    Calories 250 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Shrimp Taco Sauce

    • ¼ cup mayonnaise
    • ¼ cup sour cream
    • 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce or more
    • water as needed to thin sauce

    Shrimp Tacos

    • 8 corn tortillas
    • 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • ¼ cup avocado oil or other high heat oil
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 cup finely chopped cabbage
    • ½ cup finely chopped radishes
    • ½ cup finely chopped cilantro optional
    • 1 lime cut into wedges
    • jalapeño peppers thinly sliced, optional

    Instructions
     

    Shrimp Taco Sauce

    • Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream and sriracha sauce in a small bowl. Add water, a few drops at a time, to reach your desired consistency. Set aside.

    Shrimp Tacos

    • Place a large piece of aluminum foil near cooktop. Heat a dry, heavy skillet (ideally cast iron) over medium high heat until hot. Add one corn tortilla; cook 30 seconds on each side until softened and lightly charred. Transfer to aluminum foil and fold around tortilla to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
    • In a medium bowl, coat peeled and deveined shrimp in cornstarch.
    • Heat oil in a large wok or skillet until nearly smoking. Shake any excess cornstarch from shrimp and carefully add a few at a time to wok, giving each shrimp some room to crisp up. Cook, turning often with a spatula until shrimp are pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt, pepper and fresh garlic; toss with spatula just until spices are dispersed and garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer shrimp to a plate or platter.
    • Assemble tacos: top one warm corn tortilla with 3 or 4 shrimp and sprinkle with chopped cabbage, radishes and cilantro (if desired). Drizzle with desired amount of shrimp taco sauce. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve with lime wedges and sliced jalapeño if desired.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 14gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 680mgPotassium: 149mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 121IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 119mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword Cinco de Mayo, easy, gluten free, pescatarian, quick
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

    More Mexican Main Courses

    • Birria Ramen
    • Slow Cooker Birria de Res
    • Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
    • Carne Asada Recipe

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Teri says

      October 15, 2022 at 7:34 pm

      5 stars
      These are simply amazing! We altered the sauce recipe by adding a few drops of scorpion pepper sauce because we love HOT foods. I would give more stars!!! So good!!!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        October 16, 2022 at 9:31 am

        Thanks so much, Teri! I'm so glad that you're enjoying this recipe and making it your own.

        Reply
    2. Danielle says

      October 08, 2022 at 9:47 am

      5 stars
      I love how simple this recipe is. It was a huge hit in our household. I make it all the time now. We had some family and friends over helping with a project and I whipped this up for them, nothing was left and I was sending the recipe link to everyone afterwards 🙂 Thanks for sharing this gem!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        October 09, 2022 at 5:17 pm

        You made my day, Danielle! I'm so happy that you and your family and friends are enjoying these!

        Reply
    3. Leslie says

      September 23, 2022 at 11:11 am

      This looks wonderful. Your pictures are art, some of the most beautiful food photos I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing all these great recipes with us!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        September 24, 2022 at 7:22 pm

        aww...that's so kind of you, Leslie! It's my pleasure!!

        Reply
    4. Zana says

      September 20, 2022 at 4:43 pm

      5 stars
      Made these tonight and Wow! Awesome. I did add a few drops of apple cider vinegar to the cabbage. Will be a keeper!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        September 22, 2022 at 6:44 pm

        I love to hear this, Zana! Thanks so much for letting me know.

        Reply
    5. Cara stpeter says

      September 14, 2022 at 6:03 pm

      Can you use flour instead? I'm out of cornstarch and pressed for time, so no time to go to the store.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        September 15, 2022 at 12:41 pm

        Hi Cara! Yes, you can use flour - the crust won't be quite as crispy, but will still be delicious.

        Reply
    6. Donna says

      July 13, 2022 at 11:07 am

      5 stars
      These look amazing and I plan to make them this week! Do you think greek yogurt could br subbed for sour cream? Thanks

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        July 15, 2022 at 8:34 pm

        Hi Donna! Yes, absolutely.

        Reply
    7. mimi rippee says

      April 16, 2021 at 7:01 am

      Mmmmmmm these look fabulous! I've had tacos with white fish and salmon, but not shrimp. Why the heck not?!! Can't wait to make these, thanks!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 16, 2021 at 8:09 am

        Thank you, Mimi! I'm so excited for you to try these!

        Reply
    8. Janet Hanke says

      October 13, 2019 at 4:41 pm

      5 stars
      I just tried these for dinner tonight. My husband and I both LOVED them!! Thanks so much for this fantastic recipe!! 😋😋😋

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        October 14, 2019 at 12:37 am

        That's wonderful, Janet!! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know!

        Reply
      • Michal says

        January 31, 2020 at 5:56 pm

        This was fantastic!! Since I’m the only one that likes radishes in my house I switched them out for scallions and it was delicious. I had the leftover greens as a salad for lunch the next day. Love the crunch!

        Reply
    9. Janet says

      May 18, 2019 at 8:30 pm

      Can you make these ahead of time, say an hour before serving?
      I need to bring a Mexican appetizer to a pool party and these look delicious!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 20, 2019 at 4:27 pm

        Hi Janet! Honestly, I wouldn't make them that far in advance. They're best served pretty quickly after assembling. How about something like this Mexican Street Corn Salad with Spicy Grilled Shrimp? I've served it at several parties and it's always a hit. Hope that helps!

        Reply
        • Karen M Fuqua says

          August 04, 2019 at 12:16 am

          Can the shrimp be cooked ahead of time and then assemble tacos at dinner time. I'm doing a taco bar and wanted to make as much ahead of time that I can.
          Thank in advance for your help.

          Reply
          • Marissa says

            August 04, 2019 at 4:22 pm

            Hi there, Karen! I like to cook the shrimp as close as possible to when I'll be serving the tacos. The shrimp will still be tasty if cooked a bit ahead, but the crust won't be quite as hot and crispy.

            Reply
    10. MissMD says

      May 10, 2019 at 6:21 am

      5 stars
      Made this for Cinco de Mayo and it was a huge hit! My friend who lived in Mexico said it was the best shrimp taco he’s ever had and very authentic. Others asked where I ordered in from. Will definitely make this again.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 10, 2019 at 8:02 am

        That makes me so happy!! Thank you for coming back to let me know!!

        Reply
    11. Debbie Hall says

      May 05, 2019 at 7:00 pm

      5 stars
      I was looking for.a shrimp taco recipe when I came across this. It was a Hit. Everyone loved it, ages 2 through 69.
      Thank you!,

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 05, 2019 at 10:27 pm

        That's fantastic, Debbie! So glad the tacos were a hit!

        Reply
      • Lisa says

        June 01, 2019 at 6:27 pm

        Made these tacos tonight and everybody loved them !! Such a hit and pretty simple to follow the recipe! Thank you , will definitely be making these again ..... and again !

        Reply
        • Marissa says

          June 03, 2019 at 11:41 am

          I love to hear that, Debbie! Thank you!!

          Reply
    12. Joanne says

      May 05, 2019 at 6:14 am

      These look perfect Marissa!!! I love that slaw!!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 05, 2019 at 10:29 pm

        Thanks so much, Joanne! The slaw definitely adds a delicious crunch to these!

        Reply
    13. Abigail says

      April 24, 2019 at 7:24 am

      Hi! I'm excited to try these, but I don't have any cornstarch... only tapioca flour and regular flour. Which do you recommend?? I'm scared to use the tapioca flour for fear of ruining it! I've had bad experiences with alternative thickeners...

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        April 24, 2019 at 8:14 am

        Hi Abigail! I'd go with a light coating of the tapioca flour. Hope you love these!

        Reply
    14. Nicole says

      April 16, 2019 at 8:13 pm

      I had been looking forward to this recipe all day the moment my wife said yes to shrimp tacos ... everything was superb!!I couldnt believe how amazing everything came out ... she is super picky and even she was impressed especially with the sriracha sauce that she asked me to continue to make it for other tacos ...and the slaw she hates slaw and she even thought it was amazing I did it with lettuce wraps because I am keto and I am enjoying more for lunch tomorrow :)I also added avacado because what is tacos without some sort of guac or avacado:) and I paired it with a cilantro lime rice yummy ..btw if you could tell me was the nutritional facts for a total of 1 taco or 2 and is that including the corn tortillas or just the ingredients itself ?

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        April 17, 2019 at 11:26 am

        Your whole meal sounds wonderful, Nicole! I'm so glad that you and your wife enjoyed the tacos so much!! The nutrition info is per person and is for 2 tacos including the corn tortilla.

        Reply
    15. Nancy says

      April 13, 2019 at 5:23 am

      Hello,
      Just found this yummy sounding easy recipe. I was wondering if one could use cooked shrimp and eliminate the cornstarch.?

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        April 13, 2019 at 9:20 am

        Hi Nancy! You absolutely can! The shrimp won’t have that crisp salt and pepper crust, but they’ll still be delicious. I do recommend reheating your cooked shrimp in a skillet before assembling the tacos. Enjoy!

        Reply
    16. Andrea says

      March 29, 2019 at 9:28 am

      I made these last night....they were amazing! My very picky Mexican husband raved about them. I used a bit more sour cream than mayonnaise and I used Franks Hot Sauce instead of Sriracha sauce. We will definitely eat again. I may even make them for his family.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        March 29, 2019 at 11:59 am

        You made my day, Andrea! So glad that you and your family enjoyed them. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know.

        Reply
    17. Andi says

      March 20, 2019 at 10:07 am

      5 stars
      is there anything i could sub for the cornstarch?

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        March 20, 2019 at 12:45 pm

        Hi Andi! I think that arrowroot powder would work well, but haven't tried it myself. If you do, let me know how it goes. 🙂

        Reply
    18. Marcia says

      March 03, 2019 at 7:09 am

      5 stars
      Loved these, definitely restaurant quality. Was wondering if you could substitute tilapia for shrimp?

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        March 03, 2019 at 10:30 am

        So glad you enjoyed them, Marcia! I haven't made these with fish, but I think it would be delicious with a firm white fish like cod or halibut. My only concern with tilapia is that it tends to be pretty soft and I'm not sure about that texture in the tacos. If you give it a try, let me know how it goes! 🙂

        Reply
    19. Pam says

      February 07, 2019 at 4:42 pm

      5 stars
      We usually do a traditional “taco Tuesday “ with ground beef... but these were a hit... the new shrimp taco Tuesday has taken over ! The sauce is simple and goes perfectly 😊

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        February 09, 2019 at 10:45 am

        That's wonderful, Pam!! Thank you for letting me know!

        Reply
    20. Natalie says

      February 07, 2019 at 3:32 pm

      5 stars
      I made this the other week for a friend and me, and he could not stop raving about these tacos! He said if I ever make them again he better be invited. Thank you for making such an awesome recipe. They look fancy but are easy and affordable to make for a college student!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        February 09, 2019 at 10:45 am

        aww, I love this, Natalie!! I'm so glad that you and your friend enjoyed them!

        Reply
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