Description
These shrimp tacos are a flavorful and quick dinner option featuring sautéed shrimp seasoned with chili and cumin, topped with a creamy cilantro lime sauce and crunchy cabbage slaw. They combine juicy, spicy shrimp with fresh, tangy toppings for a delicious Mexican-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp
- 1 pound large or jumbo shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails removed, fresh or frozen and thawed)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Tortillas
- 6 to 8 corn or flour tortillas
Garnishes and Sauce
- 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (peeled)
- ½ small jalapeno (seeds and membranes removed)
- ¼ cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Zest and juice of 1 large or 2 very small limes (about 2 teaspoons zest and 3 tablespoons juice)
- 2 cups shredded cabbage or slaw mix
- Avocados (optional)
- Cilantro (optional)
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional)
- Lime wedges (optional)
- Mango salsa (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the shrimp seasoning: Rinse and pat the shrimp dry, then transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with ½ tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with chili powder, chipotle chili, cumin, and kosher salt. Toss to coat evenly and let rest while preparing the sauce and slaw.
- Make the sauce and slaw: In a food processor, combine Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, kosher salt, lime zest, and lime juice. Process until smooth. Place shredded cabbage in a bowl and toss with about ½ cup of the sauce. Add more sauce if you want a creamier slaw. Reserve remaining sauce for serving.
- Cook the shrimp: Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and sauté until cooked through and no longer translucent in the center, about 4 minutes. Avoid overcooking. Transfer shrimp immediately to a plate.
- Warm the tortillas and assemble: Optionally warm tortillas in a microwave covered with a damp towel or in a 250 degrees F oven while shrimp cooks. Fill each tortilla with shrimp, then top generously with cabbage slaw, extra sauce, a squeeze of lime juice, and any additional desired toppings such as avocado, cilantro, sour cream, or mango salsa. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, leave some jalapeno seeds in the sauce or add extra chipotle chili.
- Use corn tortillas for a gluten-free option or flour tortillas for a softer texture.
- To save time, prepare the sauce and slaw ahead of time and refrigerate.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp, or they will become tough and rubbery.
- Fresh lime juice adds brightness; be generous with it when topping the tacos.
- Consider adding diced mango or pineapple for extra sweetness in the slaw.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 158 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
