These Shrimp Tacos are loaded with plump, juicy shrimp, crunchy cabbage, cotija cheese, and the best garlic-lime crema shrimp taco sauce that will win you over. They are served over toasted corn tortillas, making them authentic, delicious, and naturally gluten-free. Go ahead and make a double batch – you’ll thank me later!
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Helpful Reader Review
“My husband made these for us tonight and they were absolutely delicious—from the seasonings to the sauce, every bite was amazing and he followed the recipe to a T. These were the best shrimp tacos ever… Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!” – Nancy ★★★★★
Shrimp Tacos Video Tutorial
Discover how I prepare these delicious Shrimp Tacos with a sensational garlic-lime crema shrimp taco sauce. Don’t miss my tips on heating the tortillas for an authentic crunch.
Easy Shrimp Tacos Recipe
These easy shrimp tacos have been a favorite in my house for years! My kids love them, my husband loves them, and I love them–a winning recipe! They’re also perfect for entertaining and we have hosted many shrimp taco parties over the years. I love all the fresh toppings and the perfectly seasoned shrimp. Read on to see my trick for getting an authentic crunch on the corn tortillas–it takes these shrimp tacos from good to restaurant-quality delicious!
The mouthwatering Shrimp Taco Sauce makes these Shrimp Tacos the BEST! It comes together fast and has an irresistible garlic-lime spin. It’s the same sauce we use on our famous Fish Tacos and Fish Taco Bowls. I like to make double and then use it on everything–from Pan-Seared Steak to Air Fryer Potatoes.
Ingredients for Shrimp Tacos
These easy shrimp tacos come in three parts: the seasoned shrimp, the toppings, and that irresistible shrimp taco sauce.
- Shrimp – We used large 21-25 count thawed shrimp, but the medium (26-30 count) or even small shrimp (31-35 count) would work well. Keep in mind that smaller shrimp will cook faster. Season the shrimp with a simple combo of garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
- Cheese – Cotija is the traditional Mexican cheese for tacos. I found cotija at the grocery store next to the refrigerated tortillas. You can substitute feta, queso fresco, or Mexican blend cheese.
- Other Toppings – red cabbage (or try green cabbage or a coleslaw blend), avocado, red onion, and cilantro are our go-to toppings for tacos. Readers have also suggested jalapeños, pickled red onion, sautéed red peppers, and Pico de Gallo.
- Tortillas – Corn tortillas make the most authentic Mexican tacos and my personal preference is white corn tortillas. They’re also naturally gluten-free. You can also use small flour tortillas if that is what you have on hand.
Shrimp Taco Sauce Ingredients
- Sour cream and Mayonnaise – The basis of the crema sauce. Readers have reported swapping the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt, but I love the tang and richness from the sour cream.
- Fresh lime juice – squeeze 1 medium lime for a bit of sour freshness
- Garlic powder – I prefer garlic powder over fresh for a smoother sauce.
- Sriracha sauce – Adds just a touch of spice. If you love spicy shrimp tacos, add more sriracha hot sauce to taste.
How to Make Shrimp Tacos
It takes minutes to make these delicious shrimp tacos! We marinate and cook the shrimp, whip up a bit of crema sauce, and load on the toppings. The completed dish is a masterpiece–almost too good to eat!
- Make the taco sauce – Whisk all the crema ingredients and set aside for the flavors to meld.
Pro Tip:
You could serve the Garlic-lime crema sauce with a spoon, or snip the corner of a zip-top bag to drizzle, but my favorite way to serve it is out of a squeeze bottle because it makes me feel like I’m dining out.
- Prep the toppings – Slice the red cabbage and limes, dice the avocado and red onion, and then chop the cilantro.
- Season the Shrimp – Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, add the seasonings and garlic, and stir together.
- Cook the Shrimp – Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add the shrimp in a single layer and saute for a minute or two on each side until cooked through (they will be opaque with some pink on the outside). Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Toast Tortillas – see below for options, whether you’re using a gas stove, griddle or skillet.
- Serve Shrimp Tacos – Setting up a taco bar is my favorite way to serve shrimp tacos so everyone gets exactly what they like.
How to Heat Tortillas for Tacos
I love the flavor of slightly charred tortillas. Here’s how to acheive that with a big batch or small batch of tortillas.
- 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 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 it can burn quickly.
- Toast Tortillas in the Oven – Arrange the tortillas in a single layer on a sturdy baking sheet and set under the broiler, about 6-8 inches from the heat source and broil for 2 minutes or until you see browned spots on the tortillas.
- On a Griddle or cast iron skillet – Preheat a dry griddle or skillet to medium-high heat. Add tortillas in a single layer and toast for 15-30 seconds per side until golden brown in some spots on each side.
Helpful Reader Review
“Amazing! Every part was perfect and we love the way you heat the tortillas. So authentic tasting. We didn’t have Cotija cheese but they were perfect. Next time we will add it and they will be even better, if that is possible!” – Alane ★★★★★
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
Shrimp tacos are easy to make ahead! Store each element separately in air-tight containers and combine when ready to serve. Toast the tortillas just before serving for the best flavor.
- To Refrigerate: Allow cooked shrimp to cool, and then store for up to 4 days. Crema will last for up to a week in the fridge.
- Freezing: Flash freeze the cooled shrimp by placing it on a baking dish for an hour until frozen, then store it in a zip-top bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. The crema shrimp taco sauce doesn’t freeze well.
- To Reheat: thaw in the fridge overnight, then saute the shrimp until warm in a low-heat pan. Be careful not to overcook.
My easy Shrimp Tacos recipe with garlic-lime crema shrimp taco sauce will change the way you eat tacos! The juicy seasoned shrimp, toasted tortillas, crisp veggies, and tangy crema sauce combine to make an irresistibly delicious meal. I know you will love this recipe as much as I do!
Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
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
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
For the Shrimp:
- 1 lb shrimp (medium or large), raw
- 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
Instructions
- Make the Shrimp Taco Sauce – In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside for the flavors to meld. Transfer to a squeeze bottle if desired.
- Prep the Toppings – Thinly slice cabbage, dice the avocado, finely dice the red onion, and coarsely chop the cilantro. Arrange toppings in small bowls for easy serving.
- Season the Shrimp – Thaw and pat dry the shrimp with paper towels and place in a medium bowl. Add seasonings and garlic and stir to combine.
- Cook the Shrimp – 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.
- Heat the Tortillas – You can toast the tortillas over a gas flame, on a griddle or in a skillet**.
- To Serve – Build tacos by arranging toppings and shrimp over each toasted tortilla. Serve drizzled with the taco sauce.
Notes
- Gas Stove: Toast tortillas one at a time over an open gas stovetop flame on medium/low heat (about 10 seconds per side) until lightly charred on the edges.
- Toast Tortillas in the Oven: Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and broil about 6-8 inches from the heat source for 2 minutes or until you see browned spots on the tortillas.
- Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet to medium-high heat and toast tortillas for 15-30 seconds on each side or until golden. No oil needed.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Love Tacos? Try these Taco Recipes Next
Once you fall in love with these easy Shrimp Tacos, you have to try these other superstar Taco Recipes:
- Ground Beef Tacos
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
- Beef Bulgogi Tacos
- Carne Asada Street Tacos
- Breakfast Tacos
- Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
- Taco Salad
- Taco Soup
This was delicious. Made exactly per recipe except doubled it. Made the family try at least one assembled with all the toppings and they devoured them. The sauce IS SO good!
Made these last following the recipe exactly, and as my husband(who is a taco fanatic!) said, “Those are the best shrimp tacos I’ve ever had. Maybe even the best all around taco). WOW! Loved them!
We made this tonight and it was wonderful!!! We subbed lettuce and tomatoes for onions and cabbage since my boys don’t like them but they were still amazing!!! Thank you for sharing this with us.
You’re so welcome, Tricia! I’m so glad those substitutions worked great.
These were fantastic! I didn’t have sour cream, but I did have Mexican crema. My family loved these.
We have used this recipe as our go to “taco” recipe for years now. My son constantly asks for shrimp tacos. I made it again tonight for him and received a hug for making dinner. ^_^ Such great flavors that blend perfectly! Thank you!
Made this tonight, SO GOOD! Finally I can eat tacos with flavor that dont wreck my gut! I will use this recipe for fish tacos also.
I’m so glad to hear that, Michelle!
This sauce is PERFECTION.
Have used as a starting point for dressings, dippin’ sauces and slaw. Just kinda tweek it for whatever’s on the menu.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
OMG again Natasha haha! Yummmmm
I had bagged slaw, put the mayo, sour cream, 1 lime all the juice, lots of cilantro and 2T malt vinagar in. I didn’t have it al so just wung it. Shrimp as directed and tortias. Shredded monterrey jack.
~~ Delicious!!!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I am not a good cook. However, I can follow a recipe. I have made many of Natasha’s recipes
and my family and I have loved them all. Thanks for making me look like I can cook Natasha!
THE BEST SHRIMP TACOS RECIPE! I LOVED NATASHAS KITCHEN!
I love all of your recipes, I watch you on YouTube and Instagram. Keep up the good work Natasha.
Made these as well as fish tacos for company. Amazing. Will be having them again for sure.
Glad you enjoyed it!
These are our GO-TO! Love these shrimp tacos and the sauce! Such a great recipe!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a favorite recipe, Melissa!
Family loved these tacos! We couldn’t stop eating them. Was fairly easy to prepare as well.
That’s wonderful, Shawn! Thank you for sharing.
Hubby and daughter loved these. My daughter said no more beef tacos. Ha ha. Thank you!
That’s amazing. We love this recipe! I’m so glad it was a joy by your family as well.
This is one of our family favorites!! Full of flavor and so filling!
We love these too! Thank you for the feedback.
Awesome recipe, totally changed the way we eat tacos 😍 thank you so much
You’re very welcome. This is one of our favorites!
Another favorite of my teenage son’s that is on repeat rotation in our home. He is very health and diet conscientious and this one he gets excited about, every week!
We love this one too! I’m happy it made it your meal rotation!
My family loved this recipe. Thank you for the video and the recipe. This is a keeper and my family wants it more often.
I’m so glad to hear that, Monica!
Do you use raw or cooked shrimp? Not specified in instructions. Looks liked cook shrimp but wanted to check. Thank you!
Hi S! The ones in the image above are wild gulf shrimp so they have that pink tint, but they are raw shrimp. I included a note in the recipe card to also indicate “raw” to help prevent confusion in the future. I hope you love the recipe!
I just subscribed Natasha. You are a delightful culinary host and your recipes are always the bestm I was looking for the info on that lime squeezer….please.
That’s great, Joanne! Welcome. I try to link my products throughout the blog post. The red font words can be clicked on and you’ll be redirected. In the recipe card, next to the lime you’ll see the word “squeezed” in red font. That’s the link. You can also select “shop” from the menu above to view my favorite tools in my Amazon affiliate shop.