Name: Shrimp Tacos
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Ingredients: 1 pound raw shrimp (shells and tail removed, deveined, patted dry); 1 large lime; 1/4 cup medium grind cornmeal; 1/4 cup all purpose flour; 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning; 2 Tablespoons avocado oil (can use other oils that can tolerate high heat, may need to increase amount depending on size of pan); 12 corn tortillas (two tortillas per taco (this is just a preference)); coleslaw (links below in recipe notes); radish, crema, Cotija, salsa (topping ideas)

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These Shrimp Tacos are incredibly delicious and easy to make! Fresh shrimp is lightly coated and cooked to crispy perfection. Then, all you need to do is place the warm delicious shrimp in some tortillas with some coleslaw and your favorite toppings. I guarantee you will devour these!

Why this recipe works so well:

Quick and easy to make: Shrimp is one of the fastest cooking proteins out there. If you're looking for a fast weekday dinner option, this is it!
Super delicious: Both the flavor and the crispy texture of the perfectly cooked shrimp will have you fighting over who gets the last one.
Versatile: Not only can you change up the toppings and the coleslaw to make these shrimp tacos different every time you make them, but you can also follow this recipe to cook the shrimp and just serve it alongside your favorite dipping sauce or aioli!

Ingredients needed:

To cook the shrimp:
- Raw shrimp - I would go for shrimp that are 21-30 count per pound or bigger. Be sure the shells and tail are removed and the vein is cleaned.
- Fresh lime - gives the shrimp a great flavor.
- Cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and taco seasoning - mixed together to provide the crunchy coating.
- Avocado oil - or another cooking oil that can tolerate high temperatures.
For the tacos:
- Corn tortillas
- Coleslaw
- Toppings - sliced radish, crema, Cotija cheese, salsa, avocado, etc.

How to make Shrimp Tacos:

Full ingredient list and detailed step by step instructions are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.

Prepare the shrimp: Ensure the shrimp is fully thawed if previously frozen, excess moisture has been absorbed, and shrimp is coated with fresh lime juice.
Prepare coating: Combine cornmeal, flour, and taco seasoning in shallow dish.
Coat shrimp: Generously coat all the the shrimp with the cornmeal mixture.
Heat oil: Ensure the entire base of your pan is generously coated in oil and that the oil is fully heated before adding the shrimp.
Cook the shrimp: Add coated shrimp to the hot oil in a single layer. Let it cook for a few minutes until it is golden brown on the bottom, then flip only once to cook the other side.
Prepare tacos: While the shrimp is cooking, warm the tortillas and prepare the toppings for serving.

raw shrimp on paper towel lined plate — cover shrimp with lime juice

flour and cornmeal mixture — cover shrimp with lime juice

Cooking tips for best results:

Choose good quality shrimp: Any size will work, but I prefer medium to large. Wild caught is better than farmed. You can buy shrimp that has the shell and tail on or shrimp that has already been cleaned, but it needs to be raw and not fully cooked.
To get extra crispy shrimp: The oil must be HOT when you add the shrimp. Let it get hot for awhile before adding the shrimp. Also be sure not to crowd them in the pan. Cook them in batches if needed.
If feeding a crowd: This recipe only makes about six tacos, but can easily be doubled or tripled. Just cook the shrimp in batches and keep warm under foil. Just before serving add all of the cooked shrimp back to the hot pan to heat.

Recommended toppings for the shrimp tacos:

Crema or sour cream
Coleslaw or lightly dressed thinly sliced cabbage
Sliced radish or avocado
Guacamole and/or salsa
Fresh cilantro

Other great shrimp recipes:

Shrimp is such a great ingredient because it can be enjoyed in a countless number of ways and is quick to cook. Here are some great recipes to try if you love shrimp.

If you’ve made this or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out. I love hearing from my readers!

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Shrimp Tacos

These Shrimp Tacos are incredibly delicious and easy to make! Shrimp is lightly coated and cooked to crispy perfection. Then, all you need to do is place the warm delicious shrimp in some tortillas with some coleslaw and your favorite toppings. I guarantee you will devour these!

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

Hover to scale: servings

Chef: Krissy Allori

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound raw shrimp (shells and tail removed, deveined, patted dry)
▢ 1 large lime
▢ ¼ cup medium grind cornmeal
▢ ¼ cup all purpose flour
▢ 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
▢ 2 Tablespoons avocado oil (can use other oils that can tolerate high heat, may need to increase amount depending on size of pan)
▢ 12 corn tortillas (two tortillas per taco (this is just a preference))
▢ coleslaw (links below in recipe notes)
▢ radish, crema, Cotija, salsa (topping ideas)

Instructions

Pat shrimp dry and place on a paper towel lined plate. Juice lime and pour over shrimp.
In a flat bottomed dish, combine flour, cornmeal, and taco seasoning.
Add shrimp to flour mixture and toss to coat.
In a medium sized skillet over medium high heat, add oil to pan. You want the entire base of the pan to be coated in a generous amount of oil, so use more if needed. Allow oil to heat for a few minutes. When oil is hot, add coated shrimp in a single layer. Do not over crowd pan and cook in batches, if needed.
Cook shrimp, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Turn once and allow to cook for a few more minutes.
While shrimp is cooking, heat tortillas by placing stack in between two moistened paper towels and microwave in 20 second increments until warm and soft.
To serve, double up the tortillas, add coleslaw, top with hot shrimp, and add toppings.

Notes

Makes six tacos with two tortillas each. Serving size is based on one taco and does not include coleslaw or toppings in nutritional info. This was barely enough for my family of four, so feel free to double or triple the recipe if feeding a crowd.

Choose good quality shrimp: Any size will work, but I prefer medium to large. Wild caught is better than farmed. You can buy shrimp that has the shell and tail on or shrimp that has already been cleaned, but it needs to be raw and not fully cooked.
To get extra crispy shrimp: The oil must be HOT when you add the shrimp. Let it get hot for awhile before adding the shrimp. Also be sure not to crowd them in the pan. Cook them in batches if needed.

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