Easy Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Slaw

Spicy shrimp tacos and creamy slaw tucked into flour tortillas are loaded with tangy cotija, creamy avocado, and juicy Mango Salsa in this easy shrimp tacos recipe! Ready in under 30 minutes, shrimp tacos are a favorite quick weeknight dinner!

Some of my most popular recipes on the blog are taco recipes… Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos for busy days, Spicy Salmon Tacos for fish lovers, Slow Cooker Carnitas for that authentic Tex Mex meal, Black Bean and Corn Salsa Tacos for the vegetarians, and even Ground Beef Taco meat – stretched with hidden vegetables to help you make the most of every grocery dollar.

I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of shrimp tacos sooner, but after a few test batches, they’ve quickly become one of my favorite taco meals!

Spicy Shrimp Tacos Recipe

One huge plus to the spicy shrimp tacos recipe, in general, is that shrimp thaws REALLY fast. If you have busy weekdays and ever forget to pull something out for dinner to thaw, shrimp is your best friend.

Plus shrimp is different. As much as we love chicken tacos and beef tacos and pork tacos, sometimes it all feels redundant… like we’ve already had those tacos and can’t we have something else?

That’s where shrimp comes into play.

A spicy shrimp tacos recipe topped with a creamy slaw? Dinner ready in under 30 minutes? A flavor-packed meal with minimal ingredients that tastes better than take-out?!

Yes, please!

Shrimp Taco Recipe Ingredients

One of the reasons I love this shrimp taco recipe is because the ingredient list is super short – a whopping 4 ingredients:

• Shrimp. I like medium shrimp for tacos because they’re small enough to fit into one bite but big enough to not disappear among the fun taco toppings. You want your shrimp to be peeled and deveined.
• Taco Seasoning. Homemade Taco Seasoning is MUCH more flavorful than store-bought taco seasoning (in my opinion), and it calls for spices you likely already have. If you only have store-bought, that will work.
• Ancho Chili Powder. Don’t skip this. It might not be a spice you typically keep on hand, but it’s 100% worth buying because it really gives that kick you’re looking for in a spicy shrimp taco recipe!
• Butter. For cooking the shrimp. You can use coconut oil or a nonstick pan too. (Skip the olive oil, it’s a little strong in flavor.)

Of course, no taco night is complete without the requisite taco vehicle (warm tortillas: Corn Tortillas, Flour Tortillas, hard shell tortillas, etc.) or the fun favorite toppings (shredded cheese, lime crema, diced tomato, pickled red onions, sour cream, chopped cilantro, mango salsa, etc.) or the easy side dishes (Cilantro Lime Rice, Crock Pot Refried Beans, 5 Minute Guacamole, etc.)…

… but since every family is different, I’ll leave all those options up to you!

How to Make EASY Seasoned Shrimp Tacos Recipe

You’ll want to have all of your taco stuff – tortillas, toppings, etc. – ready before you make the shrimp. Shrimp cooks VERY fast!

Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp and the seasonings. Mix well.

Step 2: Melt butter in a heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat.

Step 3: Cook the shrimp in the melted butter until they begin to curl, are pink, and are no longer translucent – about 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp over to finish cooking on the other side for about 1-3 minutes. Don’t overcook the shrimp or they will be rubbery! Remove to a serving dish when they’re done.

Easy Shrimp Tacos vs. Prawns Tacos

Both shrimp tacos and prawns tacos are AMAZING – and you can use shrimp and prawns interchangeably in any taco recipe. Prawns are generally bigger and will require some prep beforehand (you can get shrimp de-shelled and de-veined, but you’ll likely have to peel and devein yourself with prawns). Just plan your time accordingly!

Let’s Talk About the Creamy Coleslaw for the Spicy Tacos

The creamy coleslaw that goes on top of these spicy tacos is so good, I gave it its own home on the internet right here. But I don’t want you to have to open all the tabs for the deliciousness, so here’s how it works:

1. Mix up some Greek Yogurt, Mayo, fresh lime juice, and garlic powder in a bowl.
2. Add super thinly sliced cabbage (or a bag of coleslaw mix MINUS the dressing) and toss really well.
3. Add julienned carrot (if you’re feeling fancy), season with salt and pepper, and taste. Add more lime juice if it needs zing, salt if it’s boring, and yogurt if it’s not creamy enough. (I do recommend a 50/50 split of yogurt and mayo, since mayo adds some of that undertone savory vibe.)
4. Set aside your cabbage slaw until ready to serve to let the flavors meld.

Variations for the Best Shrimp Tacos Recipe

As written, my best shrimp tacos recipe is already topped with an amazing creamy slaw. Here are some other fun variations too to switch up taco night:

• Shrimp. Experiment with different sizes of shrimp to see which you like best (jumbo, large, medium, small, salad shrimp, etc.)
• Vehicle. Make bowls with rice, salads with lettuce, and slightly char your tortillas on an open flame (YUM!) Homemade Corn Tortillas are our favorite.
• Salsas. Try Traditional Red Salsa, mild salsa verde, Mango Salsa, peach salsa, pico de gallo
• Sauces. Lime crema is always my favorite, but try sour cream, Greek Yogurt, Ranch Dressing, green goddess dressing, or even a creamy avocado dressing or hot sauce. There are lots of options for shrimp taco sauce!
• Cheese. Cotija cheese is traditional, but a Tex-Mex blend or Pepperjack would also be really good!
• Flare. Ingredients like quick pickled onion, chopped cilantro, diced tomato, diced avocado, and sliced jalapeno sprinkled on top really kick the tacos up a notch. A squeeze of fresh lime wedges is always delicious!

FAQs for Easy Shrimp Tacos with Slaw

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