These Shrimp Tacos are loaded with plump juicy shrimp, crisp cabbage, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro and an easy shrimp taco sauce that will win you over. They are served over toasted corn tortillas so they are naturally gluten-free. 

Shrimp tacos on a platter drizzled with shrimp taco sauce

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What makes these Shrimp Tacos is the mouthwatering Shrimp Taco Sauce! This is the same sauce we use on our famous Fish Tacos and it’s mesmerizing. These tacos are an easy 30-minute meal that comes together fast. Taco night will never be the same! 

Watch How to Make Shrimp Tacos:

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Shrimp Taco up close with shrimp, avocado, cabbage, cilantro and red onion drizzled with shrimp taco sauce

Ingredients for Shrimp Tacos:

  • Shrimp – We used large 21-25 count shrimp, but the medium (26-30 count) or even small shrimp (31-35 count) would work well. Keep in mind smaller shrimp will cook faster.
  • Red Cabbage – the color and flavor is perfect for tacos, but you can sub with green cabbage or even a coleslaw blend
  • Cheese – Cotija is a Mexican cheese that is the traditional cheese for Mexican tacos. I found cotija at the grocery store next to the refrigerated tortillas.
  • Toppings – avocado, red onion, and cilantro are our go-to toppings for tacos.

Shrimp Taco Ingredients with tortillas, raw shrimp, seasonings in bowl, avocado, cabbage and cotija cheese

The Best Tortillas for Shrimp Tacos:

  • Corn tortillas are best for making shrimp tacos. Either yellow or white corn tortillas will do but we love the flavor and texture of white corn tortillas best. Also, corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free which is always appreciated by those with food sensitivities.
  • Flour tortillas will work if that is what you have on hand, but corn tortillas are the traditional and more authentic choice for Mexican tacos.

Our Go-To Shrimp Taco Sauce:

We use an easy garlic-lime crema with just a touch of spice from the hot sauce. If you love spicy shrimp tacos, add more sriracha hot sauce to taste. If you like it mild, add less hot sauce.

Serve this with a spoon or transfer to a zip bag to drizzle, but serving it out of a squeeze bottle makes it feel like dining out.

Shrimp taco sauce stirred together in a bowl with whisk

How to Toast Tortillas for Tacos:

  • Over a Gas Stove Flame – We love this method for authentic lightly charred edges. Toast the tortilla directly over a medium/low open flame on a gas stove. Use tongs to rotate the tortilla about every 5 seconds. Flip as soon as the tortilla is lightly blackened on the edges and repeat with the second side. Keep your eye on that tortilla and adjust the flame as needed because they can burn quickly.
  • On a Griddle – This is our favorite way to make a bunch of tortillas at once. Preheat a dry griddle to medium/high heat. Add tortillas in a single layer and toast 15-30 seconds per side until golden brown in some spots on each side.
  • On a Skillet (preferably cast iron)- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in a single layer (a very large pan can accommodate up to 3 at a time) and toast 15-30 seconds on each side until golden and hot on each side.

Ingredients for serving shrimp tacos arranged on a platter with toasted tortillas

Keep these Shrimp Tacos in mind for your next Taco Night and make a taco bar out of it.

Love Tacos? Try these Taco Recipes Next:

Side profile of tacos laying on platter loaded with shrimp and drizzled with sauce

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Shrimp Tacos with Best Shrimp Taco Sauce

5 from 689 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Shrimp taco up close on platter drizzled with sauce
These Shrimp Tacos are a must-try - loaded with plump juicy shrimp, crisp cabbage, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro and a lime crema sauce that will win you over. We serve these over toasted tortillas.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 Tacos

For the Shrimp:

  • 1 lb shrimp (medium or large)
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

Shrimp Taco Toppings:

  • 8 white corn tortillas, (small, 6” diameter), or Hard Taco Shells
  • 1/2 small purple cabbage, 2 cups shredded
  • 1 large avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 4 oz Cotija cheese, (1 cup grated on a box grater)
  • 1/4 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
  • 1 lime , cut into 8 wedges

Shrimp Taco Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice, squeezed from 1 medium lime
  • 3/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 3/4 tsp Sriracha sauce, or to taste

Instructions

  • Thaw and pat dry shrimp with paper towels and place in a medium bowl. Add seasonings and garlic and stir to combine.
  • Place a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and add shrimp in a single layer. Sauté 1-2 minutes per side or just until cooked through. As soon as they are cooked through (white inside with some pink and red accents outside), transfer to a serving platter and set aside to cool.
  • Toast 8 tortillas over an open gas stovetop flame on medium/low heat (about 10 seconds per side) until lightly charred on the edges (or on a medium-hot skillet or griddle) until golden brown in some spots (30 seconds per side).
  • Thinly slice cabbage, dice the avocado, finely dice the red onion, and coarsley chop the cilantro. Add these to your serving platter along with lime wedges. Build tacos by arranging toppings and shrimp over each toasted tortilla.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients and serve with assembled shrimp tacos.

Nutrition Per Serving

308kcal Calories21g Carbs17g Protein18g Fat5g Saturated Fat163mg Cholesterol849mg Sodium391mg Potassium5g Fiber4g Sugar739IU Vitamin A39mg Vitamin C218mg Calcium2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Shrimp Tacos with Best Shrimp Taco Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
308
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
18
g
28
%
Saturated Fat
 
5
g
31
%
Cholesterol
 
163
mg
54
%
Sodium
 
849
mg
37
%
Potassium
 
391
mg
11
%
Carbohydrates
 
21
g
7
%
Fiber
 
5
g
21
%
Sugar
 
4
g
4
%
Protein
 
17
g
34
%
Vitamin A
 
739
IU
15
%
Vitamin C
 
39
mg
47
%
Calcium
 
218
mg
22
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: shrimp taco sauce, shrimp tacos
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 308

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Evelina
    April 25, 2020

    Hey!
    What kind of cheese can I use instead of cotija? I can not find it in my city.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      April 25, 2020

      Hi Evelina, cotija is hard to replace, but you could try a shredded Mexican 3-cheese blend. The tacos would still work without the cheese also.

      Reply

      • Marycarmen
        May 14, 2020

        I would rather use fresco or Panela cheese, 3 cheese blend is simply too salty to my taste.

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          May 14, 2020

          That should work well too!

          Reply

  • Lyuda
    April 20, 2020

    These are the bomb!!! My family and I love your recipes they are simple and tasty! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 20, 2020

      That’s so awesome! I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes Lyuda! Thank you for that wonderful review!

      Reply

  • cathy
    April 19, 2020

    these were spectacular! I didn’t have siracha so I used a little cayenne in the sauce. I used corn tortillas and low carb flour also. I made pico to put on top. I’ll make these again and again!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 19, 2020

      Sounds like you found a favorite! So glad you loved this.

      Reply

  • Yolanda
    April 19, 2020

    Delicious! My family already loves your Korean beef tacos and your fish tacos; now we have another taco recipe! I’m going to try the Hawaiian shrimp tacos next! Thanks, Natasha!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 19, 2020

      Wow sounds like you and your family are taco lovers just like us. Thanks for giving this a try and for your excellent review!

      Reply

  • Cheryl T.
    April 19, 2020

    I made the sauce using sour cream and mayonnaise but i mixed in some Thai sweet chili sauce for the heat and because i like some sweet. It was delicious on your tacos!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 20, 2020

      That’s a nice addition, Cheryl. So glad to know that the end result was awesome! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply

  • Julie
    April 13, 2020

    I made this last night, my husband love it. Thank you. Also I made Tortillas from scratch. Not very pretty, but this is my first time I made those tortillas. I am happy. Thanks again. I will try your another receipt soon.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 13, 2020

      That’s awesome Julie! No worries, I’m sure with practice you’ll be perfect at making tortillas!

      Reply

    • Yelena Gimpelman
      April 22, 2020

      Hi Julie,
      How do you make Tortillas from scratch?

      Reply

  • Kate P
    April 10, 2020

    Natasha, I made this for my family tonight. We loved it, it’s an amazing recipe and easy to make! I told my husband that in fact, I’ve liked every recipe I’ve made from your website. Thank you for what you do!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 10, 2020

      That makes me so happy, Kate. Thank you for your great feedback and review. I am so glad that you enjoyed every recipe that you’ve tried!

      Reply

  • Dave
    April 8, 2020

    Haven’t tried this yet but it’s going to happen! What do I do differently in order to use frozen shrimp that is already cooked?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 9, 2020

      Hi Dave, we prefer fresh but that may work. Pre-cooked shrimp tends to get rubbery when heated. If you experiment I would love to know how you like that!

      Reply

  • Anna
    April 8, 2020

    Best tacos ever.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 8, 2020

      I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Anna!

      Reply

  • Cathy
    April 8, 2020

    I made these yesterday.
    A.MA.ZING! They were easy and delicious!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 8, 2020

      I’m so glad you enjoyed that Cathy! Are they so so good! Thank you for that wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Laurinda
    April 8, 2020

    HELP!!! I’m out of hot sauce!! Is there a seasoning I could maybe add instead to give it a similar flavor? I’m making these tonight!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      April 8, 2020

      Oh bummer! You could add a little spice with cayenne pepper to taste and also a tiny splash of vinegar if it needs it.

      Reply

  • Jenn
    April 8, 2020

    I just saw this recipe and also watch the video. I’m planning of making this but I have a question. I don’t have a gas stove what can I do or use to toast the tortilla.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      April 8, 2020

      Hi Jenn, I have a few different methods for toasting the tortilla in the video and in the written post above.

      Reply

  • Denise C
    April 7, 2020

    I made this for lunch today and it was fast and delicious! I added tapatio into my sauce instead and was the spicy kick we liked. Definitely one I’ll keep making!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 7, 2020

      Isn’t the flavor amazing! I’m so glad you enjoyed that Denise!

      Reply

  • Melissa
    April 6, 2020

    Shrimp taco are the best! We made your recipe last night it was amazing!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 6, 2020

      That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Melissa!

      Reply

    • Jesse
      March 12, 2021

      Can you use a different hot sauce instead if sriracha

      Reply

      • Natasha
        March 13, 2021

        Hi Jesse, we always stick with the same one but I think it would work to substitute and add to taste.

        Reply

  • Kelly
    April 4, 2020

    Loved this recipe & the sauce was perfect, thank you for sharing! Would you mind sharing where you purchased your cutting board?
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 4, 2020

      Hi Kelly, we used this cutting board here. It can also be found in our shop. I hope that helps.

      Reply

      • Stacey
        April 9, 2020

        I can’t wait to make these. Can you tell me which citrus press you recommend. I could not find it in the notes that you mentioned in the video. Thank you. Stacey

        Reply

  • Jessica Reyes
    April 4, 2020

    This was a hit! My husband and children loved it! I told my husband ‘tonight we are having shrimp tacos!’ And he wasn’t very thrilled with the idea. But he ate 9 of them YES 9 and my kids are VERY picky eaters but tonight they were not. I’ll tell you what they really loved them an I am sure that it will not be the last time I make them!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 4, 2020

      That is the best when kids (and the husband)love what we moms make. That’s so great!

      Reply

  • Kasia Perkosz
    April 4, 2020

    I made these delicious tacos last night. Amazing!! I’m not a cilantro fan so swapped for parsley, made no difference. My boyfriend loved them and couldn’t get enough. The sauce makes the dish!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 4, 2020

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kasia! Thank you for the wonderful review!

      Reply

    • Jessica
      April 13, 2020

      Thank you for posting your experiment changing to parsley as I’m not a fan of cilantro too.

      Reply

  • Krissy Allori
    April 3, 2020

    I love shrimp and I love tacos so I know I will love these! That sauce look absolutely amazing too. A little sweet and spice!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 3, 2020

      I hope you love this recipe, Krissy!

      Reply

  • Kristyn
    April 3, 2020

    Oh, my…I need one! Better than Rubios! And, my favorite is the sauce! It brings it all together!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      April 3, 2020

      That is quite a compliment! Thank you, Kristyn, for your awesome review.

      Reply

  • Natalie
    April 3, 2020

    I want to put that sauce on everything!! These tacos are perfect & so easy & delicious!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      April 3, 2020

      I’m so glad you loved it. That sauce is what makes me crave shrimp tacos the most.

      Reply

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