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
Couldnt find the cheese so I used parmasan cheese
Best tacos I ever eaten cant wait to go to Pittsburgh to mexican store in strip district so I can try them again
Cant wait ti try the pizza sauce
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Didn’t want to make the drive to Whole Foods to find cotija, but the substitute was fine. Loved the seasoning on the shrimp, reduced the cayenne since my wife doesn’t like heat. Also just 1/8 tsp siracha for same reason. Sauce is a big keeper. Excellent tacos. Thanks.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Rich!
I love, love, love this recipe. Made it today and it was a hit.
Thank you for that lovely review, Christine! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi, what the heck is cotija cheese? Never heard of it. If I can’t find, is there an alternative?
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. Others used feta cheese and they liked it too.
This was fabulous! My 29 year old son said it was the most flavorful dish I ever made. Still trying to figure out if that is a compliment to me. 🙂 My husband said they were the best shrimp tacos he ever ate.
Thanks!
Definitely a compliment to you. Great job!
What is the serving size? 1 or 2 tscos?
Hi Christine, the number of servings is always at the top of the recipe card and the nutrition label is per serving. In this case it is per taco.
Any suggestions on making the sauce without mayonnaise? My husband won’t eat mayonnaise and I would love to make these.
Hi Colleen, try our Jalapeno Ranch instead which has no mayonnaise. It would go really well with the shrimp tacos.
Oh my goodness. You can just tell these are going to be good before you even taste them. But I wasn’t quite prepared for the flavor explosion in my mouth and the music in my head when I took my first bite. These are better than any shrimp tacos I have tried in any restaurant. My husband even had 4 and he is usually a regular old taco kind of guy. (I talked him into doing this for dinner by making the sauce ahead of time and letting him try it!) I highly recommend not skipping the fresh lime in the sauce or on top of the tacos. We used coleslaw instead of cabbage and onions but that’s the only substitution I made. The pan-fried tortillas…genius. Thank you, Natasha. Your recipes never disappoint.
Wow what an awesome comment. Thank you so much for your excelleng feedback. It helps inspire us to do better and create more content!
My husband and I have foundour favorite shrimp tacos ever! I have told a lot of friends about you! We serve rice with lime zest on top pairs perfectly!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m all smiles
No matter what you are preparing, I take the time to watch just to be able to watch you! Your personality is amazing. Cutest person on the entire planet.
Aww! You’re so nice! Thank you for that wonderful compliment Suzi!
Made these tacos for dinner last night and my husband and I absolutely loved them. Loved the spices on the shrimp and the sauce was so delicious. These will definitely go in my rotational menu files. Thanks Natasha.
That’s just awesome Peggy! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Oh my goodness. Just made these for a late lunch and they were absolutely delicious. That sauce is incredible!!!! I had to sub the cotija for feta as I couldn’t find it here in the UK. Thank you so much Natasha!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Lucy!
So glad I found your website. Attempted several of your recipes with great success. This is our new go-to meal. All the flavors melded well.
Thank you Christi, so glad you found us too!
I have learned so much about cooking from your recipes. (2 so far! More to come) Simple, but extremely thought out and flavorful. The way cooking should be. These were spectacular. I added a teeny bit of lime zest along with the cilantro. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.
My pleasure Carrie. Thank you so much for your good comments and feedback, we appreciate it!
Your recipes are incredible, this one included! My son and husband said these are gourmet tacos. Thank you so much for sharing your talents and delicious recipes!!!
You are so welcome. Thanks for an awesome review and I hope you love every recipe that you try!
I realized tonight that my family has the genetic mutation that makes cilantro taste like soap suds. What would be a replacement for cilantro?
Hi Alison, you are welcome to use dill or parsley as a replacement.
NAZDOROVLA
Just made it for lunch today, delicious!!! I didn’t have Cotija cheese, so I used feta instead, and it turned out great!!! Thanks Natasha
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Lana!
Can you recommend a different cheese for this recipe? I can’t find Cotija 🙁
Hi Joanne, cotija is hard to replace, but you could try a shredded Mexican 3-cheese blend. The tacos would still work without the cheese also.
Oh my goodness. You can just tell these are going to be good before you even taste them. But I wasn’t quite prepared for the absolute flavor explosion in my mouth and the music in my head when I took my first bite. These are better than ANY shrimp tacos I have ever tried in any restaurant. I’m still in disbelief that I made them! The shrimp seasonings are PERFECT! We used coleslaw instead of cabbage and onions but that’s the only substitution that I made. Even my husband, who is not as big of a seafood fan as I am, ate 4 of these and he had originally planned to make his own ground turkey tacos tonight. (I talked him into having these with me by making the sauce ahead of time and letting him try it). The pan-fried tortillas…genius. And don’t skip the fresh lime, it made all the difference in the sauce and on the tacos. Thank you, Natasha. Your recipes never disappoint.
Wow what an awesome feedback! Thank you so much, it’s very inspiring for us. We appreciate you sharing it here.
Thank you for the recipe. My hubby and I really loved the taco. It’s easy to make and delicious.
You’re welcome! Thanks for your great feedback.
This recipe is seriously amazing! I have loved and used a lot of your recipes many times over and over. I really like how you toast the tortillas and make the crema.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Brenda! Thank you for the wonderful review!
These were spectacular! My son (15) used the leftover sauce, mixed in the leftover cilantro, cheese, and onion. He used it as a dip for tortilla chips!
Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
Oh, that is an excellent idea! Thanks for sharing that with us and for your great feedback.