If you’re a fan of shrimp and you’re also looking for Taco Tuesday inspiration, you might like to make these fantastic shrimp tacos. The shrimp are marinated in a spicy, smoky, zesty marinade to infuse them with incredible flavor. Every bite of these tacos is sure to be a culinary delight!
The avocado crema is similar to guacamole but creamy, and then the tacos are assembled and garnished with shredded cabbage and other tasty toppings you feel like adding. Despite their gourmet flavors, these tacos are really easy to make, even if you don’t make Mexican food that often.
You need to start with prepared shrimp, which means thawing them if frozen, and then discarding the head, legs and outer shell. Slice along the spine and pull out the black line and discard it. It’s easier to get the tails off cleanly if you pinch firmly right at the back as you pull.
Why You’ll Love the Recipe
Shrimp tacos are a lovely dish for Taco Tuesday or any other day of the week. This recipe is so easy. While the shrimp are marinating, you can blend the avocado crema mixture and shred the cabbage. All that’s left to do is cook the shrimp and assemble the tacos.
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How to Serve Them
These are best served hot, as soon as they’re cooked. You can offer more toppings on the side if you wish, such as sliced jalapenos, crumbled queso blanco, or anything else you want.
Can You Make Them Ahead?
These are best made and served fresh.
Storage Instructions
Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Variations and Substitutions
You might like to swap the shrimp for scallops or even pieces of fish. Feel free to use storebought crema to save time or swap the shredded cabbage for lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp
- 8 to 10 warmed small flour or corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded green cabbage
- Lime wedges and cilantro to serve
- FOR THE MARINADE:
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dark chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Juice of a lime
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
FOR THE AVOCADO CREMA:
- Flesh of 1 avocado
- ½ cup cilantro
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 de-seeded jalapeno
- 3 peeled garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons water
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients, then add the shrimp, stirring to combine.
- Refrigerate for half an hour at most.
- Meanwhile, add all the avocado crema ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth.
- If it’s too thick, add a splash of water and pulse some more, repeating if needed.
- Shred the cabbage using a knife or mandoline, then toss with a few spoonfuls of the crema.
- Grill the shrimp (skewer them first) or cook in a cast iron skillet, flipping once.
- They will take between 4 and 6 minutes to cook, depending on size.
- Add some cabbage slaw to each tortilla and top with some shrimp, avocado crema, and cilantro.
- Serve with lime wedges.
