This 15 Minute Easy Shrimp Tacos Recipe with creamy slaw and spicy shrimp have the best taste and texture and make a weeknight meal a breeze!
We also love our bang bang shrimp tacos, shrimp ceviche recipe or shrimp tostadas. So easy and good!
Oh my goodness, these shrimp tacos came out fantastic! Spicy shrimp, creamy slaw, yummy shrimp taco sauce wrapped in warm fresh corn tortilla. Then a squeeze of fresh lime juice and you are in Mexico!
I promise you my fish tacos recipe and grilled fish tacos are just as good!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy: This recipe is ready in 15 minutes from start to finish and healthy dinner is served.
- Healthy: Shrimp is low calorie and full of nutrients and then combined with coleslaw cabbage that is high in Vitamin C and K .
- Enjoy year round: Grill in the summer, pan fry in cooler months, you can also easily host with these tacos any time!
- Customizable: As with any tacos, sky is the limit when serving tacos!
Ingredients for Shrimp Tacos Recipe
Let’s start with simple and best shrimp tacos ingredients.
- Raw shrimp: Fresh or frozen. I use 31-40 count per pound shrimp. You can use smaller or larger shrimp if you wish, you will have to adjust the cook time. P.S. I forgot to remove the tails.
- Tortillas: We prefer small corn tortillas around 6 inches in diameter. You can use flour tortillas as well.
- Store bought coleslaw mix: Saves a lot of time.
- Plain yogurt: Use regular yogurt or Greek yogurt mixed with a bit of water. I do not recommend to use 0% yogurt because slaw will lack flavor. We already reduced a lot of fat by cutting back amount of mayo.
- Mayo: A little bit of mayo makes taco sauce “legit”.
- Seasonings: Taco seasoning, garlic powder, lime and cilantro. That’s it!
How to Make Shrimp Tacos
Make Shrimp Taco Seasoning and Sauce
Make shrimp taco seasoning: We combine enough taco seasoning with garlic powder to season raw shrimp for 5 minutes while you are making the sauce and pre-heating the skillet. You want shrimp to be a little spicy, so assembled tacos do not taste bland.
And no salt is added because shrimp contains a lot of sodium. And so does taco seasoning although I buy low sodium taco seasoning or make my homemade taco seasoning.
Make shrimp taco sauce: Most shrimp taco recipes are heavy on mayo. I used yogurt and a touch of mayo because these tacos wouldn’t be real shrimp tacos without creamy mayo slaw. It is a version of my healthy coleslaw recipe. This step reduces fat and calories but still gives the tacos a more authentic taste.
Combine yogurt and mayo with lime juice, more taco seasoning and a pinch of cayenne. We will use it for the slaw and to drizzle on tacos. Set aside.
Saute Shrimp and Make Cabbage Slaw
Cook shrimp for 4 minutes in a hot ceramic non-stick skillet. Shrimp cooks fast and it’s ready when no longer gray and starts to turn pink. For more browned look, flip once and press on shrimp with spatula.
Make slaw by literally just dumping a 14 ounces bag of store-bought cabbage slaw, cilantro, salt and almost all of the taco sauce.
Recipe Tip
I like to reserve some of the sauce for drizzling on tacos but you don’t have to. This adds extra creaminess and gives it a restaurant presentation quality.
Assemble The Tacos
Time to assemble the tacos: I like to warm tortillas in a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. Just 10 seconds per side because otherwise tortilla will dry out and break as you fold it.
Press with a spatula for extra char. If you have a gas stove, do it directly on the burner using tongs.
What goes in shrimp tacos? Fill each tortilla with 3-4 sauteed shrimps (depending on the size), some slaw and drizzle with the sauce.
Tips for Best Results
- If your shrimp is not cleaned: Here is a quick tutorial how to peel and devein shrimp.
- Serve tacos in 2 tortillas (double layer): Because corn tortillas are delicate and tend to fall apart if fresh. That’s what they do in Mexico.
- For non-creamy slaw: Make this vinegar coleslaw recipe instead. It will go very well in this recipe and make heck of a super healthy shrimp tacos!
- To make grilled shrimp tacos: You can grill shrimp on a silicone grill mat on medium-high heat. Keep in mind it slows down cooking as food is not hit directly by flames. Cover the grill and give shrimp a few minutes. Then open and when you see pink on the bottom, flip carefully, cover and cook until no longer gray.
What to Serve with Shrimp Tacos?
This shrimp taco recipe is highly versatile! I usually use what I have on hand. Here are a few other ideas:
- Other toppings: Add diced jalapenos or drizzle with hot sauce for heat lovers, diced avocado or pico de gallo on the side, crumbled cotija cheese on top and sour cream on a side.
- Add fruit salsas: Replace coleslaw entirely with any of these salsa recipes: pineapple jalapeno salsa, mango salsa or peach salsa.
- Make low carb: Make lettuce wraps and serve in double layers of Boston lettuce or Romaine lettuce leaves. Or serve them a taco bowl style.
- Make a taco bar: Set out brown rice or quinoa, Mexican street corn salad, guacamole, Instant Pot refried beans, Instant Pot corn on the cob for a whole spread where everyone can make a taco, a bowl or whatever combination they like!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers: Refrigerate leftover cooked shrimp and slaw in separate airtight containers for up to 24 hours. Cabbage slaw will leak a bit, so be sure to drain and stir before serving in tacos.
To reheat: Place previously cooked shrimp on well preheated ceramic non-stick skillet with a bit of cooking spray or oil. You want skillet to be hot.
Cook shrimp for maximum 1 minute per each side, just to heat through and not overcook. It doesn’t need much more than that.
Enjoy this 15 minute easy shrimp taco recipe! I swear, it’s the easiest weeknight dinner I ever made.
FAQs
Substitute cilantro with fresh parsley if you do not love cilantro. The taste definitely will be different though.
Readers have used 0% fat yogurt with great results, I like to use 2% yogurt as it gives it more flavor.
You can use either for this recipe! Since you are seasoning the shrimp, it is fine to use frozen shrimp. Thaw raw shrimp overnight or place in a colander in a bowl with cold water, it thaws in 15-20 minutes. After make sure shrimp is very well drained and dry. This will ensure it gets a char on instead of releasing a lot of water.
Readers have had good luck with precooked shrimp as well. After thawing let it sit with seasoning for 20-30 minutes, then warm it up in a skillet.
Yes. Refrigerate seasoned shrimp and shrimp taco sauce separately for up to 2 days. Cook tacos and assemble slaw right before serving.
More Shrimp Recipes to Try
- Shrimp salad
- Grilled shrimp skewers
- Shrimp and spaghetti
- Air fryer shrimp
- Bang bang shrimp
- Shrimp egg roll in a bowl
More Tacos Recipes to Try
- Chicken street tacos
- Ground chicken tacos
- Ground beef tacos
- Ground turkey tacos
- Carne asada tacos
- Baked tacos
Also browse through all of my favorite healthy taco recipes and healthy shrimp recipes!
15 Minute Easy Shrimp Tacos Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Shrimp Tacos:
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled & deveined (I left tails on)
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 14 ounces bag of coleslaw or 3 cups shredded cabbage
- 1/2 small bunch cilantro finely chopped
- Avocado oil for frying
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 9 corn tortillas
- Easy guacamole optional
For the Shrimp Taco Sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt 2%+ fat
- 1/4 cup mayo I use avocado oil mayo
- 1 lime juice of
- 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch cayenne
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add shrimp, 1 tbsp taco seasoning, garlic powder and pepper. Stir and set aside.
- In a small bowl, add yogurt, mayo, lime juice, taco seasoning, cayenne and black pepper. Stir and set aside.
- Preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on high heat and add shrimp. Cook until pink on the bottom, flip and cook until no longer gray. For more char, flip once and press on shrimp with spatula. Or you can grill shrimp on a silicone grill mat on high heat.
- In a large bowl, add slaw, cilantro, salt and almost all of the sauce, reserving some for drizzling on tacos. Stir gently.
- To assemble tacos, warm tortillas in a cast iron skillet on high heat for 10 seconds per side and pressing on with spatula.
- Fill each tortilla with 3-4 shrimps, some slaw and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate leftover cooked shrimp and slaw covered for up to 24 hours.
- Shrimp: Make sure shrimp is very well drained and dry. This will ensure it gets a char on instead of releasing a lot of water.
- Yogurt: I do not recommend to use 0% yogurt because slaw will lack flavor. We already reduced a lot of fat by cutting back amount of mayo.
- Serve in 2 tortillas (double layer) if using small corn tortillas. They are delicate and tend to fall apart if fresh.
- To make low carb: Make lettuce wraps and serve in Boston or Romaine lettuce leaves (again double the layers to hold better).
Makes some good shrimp tacos!
I find it bizarre that the tails aren’t taken off in the pictures. Do you eat the tails??
Some people eat the tails. When I was in highschool my friends mom from Pennsylvania only removed the heads and ate the shell, legs and tail after cooked. I agree it is bizarre.
This is a simple, quick, and absolutely delicious meal! I could eat way too many of these at once!
By far thee best shrimp tacos I’ve ever had! These are better then restaurant quality. I made this twice my husband loved them too! Thank you for sharing!!
I made these tonight for dinner and let me tell you so good. My wife and boys couldn’t get enough of them. We are doing these again on Saturday for my wife’s birthday party. Thank you so much for the amazing recipe!
Happy Birthday to your wife! So happy to hear of the shrimp taco love!
This is great as is most of you recipes. Wil do a batch for a shrimp salad topper.Thank you
What can I use in place of yogurt? Sourcream??
Yes, sure.
I’m so glad I found your site!! I have precooked frozen shrimp. Would I be able to use this?
Welcome!:) Definitely. Jus thaw it and cook 1-2 minutes just enough to flavor and warm through.
Been craving shrimp tacos for a few days. All the recipes I find take too long. Found this one and decided to try. It literally only took 15 minutes. I was blown away. Just the right amount of spice. Love love love this recipe. Will totally be making it again
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Love this!!
I have a question! In the ingredients, when you say you use avocado oil do you mean avocado mayo? Or avocado oil in place of mayo? Thanks!!! Really want to try but I’m confused on that part.
Yes, avocado oil mayo. You can use any, I just share what I personally used because many readers like to know. I will edit it cause I see how it may be confusing. 🙂
Soooo good! & My picky eaters actually liked it!!
I’m so glad you enjoy these shrimp tacos so much.