Easy Shrimp Tacos with Slaw | Elizabeth Rider

If you like fish tacos, you’re going to love shrimp tacos. They’re quick, foolproof, and loaded with flavor.

In under 30 minutes, you can have a fresh, colorful dinner that’s packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats — and yes, they’re healthy.

Today I’m showing you my go-to shrimp taco recipe with a creamy lime slaw, a simple homemade spice rub, and the most delicious shrimp taco sauce (that you’ll want to put on everything).

The beauty of this recipe? It’s endlessly adaptable. You can make it exactly as written, skip the corn or avocado if you don’t have them, or swap the sauce base for Greek yogurt or vegan alternatives. The result is always fresh, bright, and perfect for taco night.

Why You’ll Love These Shrimp Tacos

• Quick & easy: Making shrimp tacos is surprisingly fast. You can go start to finish in about 20-30 minutes.
• Perfectly seasoned shrimp: My simple spice rub works every time with common spices you may already have! I use ground cumin, chili powder, paprika, granulated onion, granulated garlic, salt and pepper.
• Customizable: I prefer flour tortillas for shrimp tacos, but you can use corn or gluten-free tortillas.
• Best shrimp taco sauce ever: Creamy, tangy, and a little zippy — works on any seafood taco!

Shrimp Taco Ingredients

• Shrimp: About 1 pound, peeled and deveined (tails on or off). Toss with cumin, chili powder, paprika, granulated onion, granulated garlic, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime. Use fresh from the seafood counter when possible, or frozen shrimp thawed and patted dry. (See notes below about buying shrimp.)
• Slaw: Shredded cabbage (or a bag of coleslaw mix), cilantro (optional), and chopped green onions. I like to use red cabbage here, but green cabbage works, too.
• Crema Sauce: Sour cream or Greek yogurt, mayonnaise (use your favorite mayo), lime juice, sea salt, and optional hot sauce. (See note below about the best sauce for shrimp tacos.)
• Corn (optional): Fresh summer corn cut off the cob or thawed frozen corn, quickly sautéed until bright.
• For serving: Small flour or corn tortillas, avocado slices (optional), pickled red onions or jalapeños, extra lime wedges.

Choosing the Best Shrimp for Tacos

For shrimp tacos, I like small to medium shrimp — enough for a satisfying bite without overwhelming the tortilla. You’ll often see shrimp labeled with numbers like 12/16 or 21/25. This number tells you how many shrimp you’ll get per pound:

• 12/16 count = 12–16 shrimp per pound (larger, meatier shrimp)
• 21/25 count = 21–25 shrimp per pound (smaller, great for tacos)

Either size works. If your cooked shrimp end up on the larger side, simply cut them in half before assembling the tacos for easier bites.

Fresh vs. Frozen: At the fish counter, ask for the freshest peeled and deveined shrimp they have. If you’re not cooking them the same day, frozen is often a better choice because you can control the thawing process. Most “fresh” shrimp on ice was previously frozen and thawed for display.

Quick Thaw Method: If you forget to pull shrimp from the freezer, place them in a colander under cold running water for 5–7 minutes, tossing occasionally. Pat completely dry before seasoning so your spice rub sticks and they sear beautifully.

Tails On or Off? Tails can be removed before cooking for convenience or left on for presentation and cut off afterward — your choice.

How to Make Shrimp Tacos

Here’s a quick overview. Get the detailed method in the recipe card below:

1. Cook corn first (if using) so it’s ready to add when assembling.
2. Make slaw by tossing cabbage, cilantro, and green onions.
3. Mix crema and add a spoonful or two to the slaw to make it creamy.
4. Season shrimp with the spice blend and cook in a hot large skillet with a few tablespoons of avocado oil (or olive oil) for 2–3 minutes per side until just opaque. Use tongs to flip and avoid overcooking. Cook in a single layer and cook in batches if needed. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the shrimp while they’re still hot.
5. Warm tortillas over a flame, in a skillet, or in the microwave.
6. Assemble tacos with avocado, corn, shrimp, and slaw. Top with extra crema and garnishes.

Elizabeth’s Tip: Shrimp cook fast! Overcooked shrimp will be tough, so stay near the stove. Also note that this steam/saute method of cooking is very effective for dishes like this. When adding water to a hot pan, always be mindful that the steam will be hot and the pan will sizzle. If cooking over gas, be sure the flame is on low to medium to prevent a flare.

Alternate Cooking Methods

• Broil: Place seasoned shrimp on a lined baking sheet. Broil on high for 2–3 minutes per side, until pink and opaque.
• Grill: Thread shrimp onto skewers, grill over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side, until pink and opaque. Grill time will depend on how hot your grill is. In general, cook shrimp quickly over high heat.

Tips for the Best Shrimp Taco Sauce

The sauce can make or break any fish taco or shrimp taco—it’s what ties everything together! Here’s how to make a great one:

• Restaurant secret: Many restaurants use a blend of mayonnaise and sour cream for richness and tang. Follow my recipe in the recipe card—it’s fantastic. I use Vegainaise because I like the taste, but any mayo works.
• Healthy swaps: You can sub some or all of the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt (or vegan yogurt/sour cream) for extra protein or to keep it dairy-free.
• Only have one base? If all you have is sour cream, plain yogurt, or mayo, just use that — then add fresh lime juice, a pinch of salt, and hot sauce to bring it to life.
• Always add lime: Fresh lime juice brightens the sauce and balances the creamy texture.
• Optional heat: A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce add a subtle kick without overpowering the shrimp. I like sriracha.
• Optional cilantro: You can add a little chopped fresh cilantro to the sauce, but since I mix it into the slaw, I skip it here. Of course, omit cilantro entirely if you’re part of the population that thinks it tastes like soap.
• Season to taste: Even a pinch of salt can make the flavors pop — don’t skip it.

Serving Ideas

Shrimp tacos are loaded with ingredients, so I often serve them solo (the slaw is basically a big salad on top!), but these would go well:

• Pair with a simple side of pinto beans, black beans, or rice.
• Serve alongside a fresh mango salsa or pico de gallo.
• Make it a shrimp taco bowl by skipping the tortillas and serving over greens or rice.
• Serve with a skinny watermelon margarita if you’re feeling it!

Make these Easy Shrimp Tacos with Slaw once, and they’ll become a regular in your summer rotation. The creamy lime sauce ties everything together, the shrimp are juicy and perfectly spiced, and the toppings are endlessly adaptable.

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Shrimp Taco FAQs

How to season shrimp tacos?
A mix of cumin, chili powder, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper is my go-to. It’s flavorful without overpowering the shrimp. You can also use any packet of your favorite taco seasoning. I prefer a dry rub over fresh garlic and onion in this shrimp recipe because they can burn at high temperatures.

How to cook shrimp tacos?
You can make awesome shrimp tacos in just a few steps. Season the shrimp, make your slaw and sauce, cook shrimp for just a few minutes, then assemble with your favorite toppings. The stovetop is my favorite for quick, even cooking — 2–3 minutes per side. You can also broil or grill them (see instructions above).

Are shrimp tacos healthy?
Yes! Shrimp is a lean source of protein and pairs well with fiber-rich cabbage slaw and healthy fats from avocado. Choose whole-grain or corn tortillas for extra fiber.

How do I make them spicy?
Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper to your spice blend for a hot & spicy kick!

What cheese goes on shrimp tacos?
I don’t add cheese to shrimp tacos. They don’t need it! Between the sauce, avocado and toppings, it will get lost. However, if you really want to add cheese, I would add a crumbly Mexican cheese like cotija cheese.