Spiced up Easy Spicy Shrimp Tacos are so easy and tasty! Perfectly seasoned, quickly pan-cooked, and served with the creamiest homemade slaw. 

overhead easy spicy shrimp tacos this recipe

Love tacos? Try our Grilled Chicken Tacos. It’s another easy meal to add to your weeknight rotation. 

Shrimp Tacos in 20-Minutes!

Who doesn’t love a quick homemade meal, especially one with plump shrimp? Well, we’re no strangers to shrimp, everything from pineapple shrimp fried rice to shrimp quinoa bowls!

These easy spicy shrimp tacos with slaw are the definition of easy. They come together in about 20-minutes! The key to quick tacos is buying cleaned shrimp and bagged slaw mix. Both will speed up your prep time in about half.

The shrimp is tossed with fragrant coriander, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Then quickly pan cooked on the stovetop and piled with creamy slaw inside a warm flour tortilla.

The slaw on its own is so good. It balances out the heat of the shrimp and adds the perfect creaminess to the tacos.

close up spicy shrimp tacos

Key to Best Tasting Shrimp Tacos

No matter the recipe, shrimp is always a weeknight winner because it cooks up in no time, and making perfectly juicy shrimp is not complicated at all. It’s all about how you season it and then cook it.

SEASONING THE SHRIMP: The best way to season the shrimp is to first whisk the spices in a bowl and then add the seasoning to the shrimp. Toss around with a pair of tongs until the shrimp are fully coated.

Tip: If using frozen shrimp, make sure to let them completely thaw out. Pat dry with few sheets of paper towels before tossing with the spices. 

COOKING THE SHRIMP: Look for shrimp that has already been peeled and deveined, as this makes life much easier. Use a large skillet to cook the shrimp, either a non-stick skillet, stainless-steel skillet, or a cast-iron skillet. Do not overcrowd the shrimp. Cook in batches if need to.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat and when hot, add the shrimp to the pan. It should sizzle on contact. Cook the shrimp until pink and opaque. Shrimp cooks very quickly, about 2 minutes per side. 

The shrimp should curl into a loose “C” when properly cooked. Immediately remove the shrimp to a serving dish. Do not leave in the hot skillet, otherwise, they will continue to cook.

ingredients for shrimp tacos

Ingredients You Will Need:

  • Shrimp
  • Coleslaw mix
  • Jalapeño
  • Granulated sugar or honey
  • Spices  (coriander, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, cumin)
  • Limes
  • Mayonnaise
  • Avocado oil or other high heat oil
  • Cilantro
  • Flour tortillas
  • Kosher salt

How to Make Shrimp Tacos

  • Season the shrimp: In a small bowl, whisk together the spices and add to the shrimp. Toss around with a pair of tongs until the shrimp is fully coated. Set aside while you make the slaw.
shrimp in a bowl with spices
  • Make the slaw: Whisk together the mayonnaise, avocado oil, lime zest, lime juice, and sugar.
creamy dressing for slaw
  • To a salad bowl, add the slaw mix, jalapeño, and cilantro. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate while cooking the shrimp.
slaw with dressing in a bowl
  • Cook and assemble: Heat avocado oil in a large skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes undisturbed. Then flip the shrimp and continue to cook for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes or until tender. Immediately remove off heat. 
cooked spicy shrimp in a skillet
  • Assemble, tortilla, slaw, shrimp, and a squeeze of fresh lime. For extra creaminess, feel free to add a drizzle of cilantro lime crema.

What Goes Well with Shrimp Tacos?

What goes with shrimp tacos for dinner? Easy sides or more toppings. It’s truly a meal that you can customize to suit your taste. Set up a toppings bar so everyone can add what they like.

spicy shrimp taco recipe

Love Mexican food? Try our popular Sheet-Pan Zucchini Chicken Enchiladas or Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps.

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shrimp tacos with slaw

Easy Spicy Shrimp Tacos Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 10 min
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Pan Fry
  • Cuisine: Mexican
Print Recipe

Description

Spiced up shrimp tacos are so easy and tasty! Perfectly seasoned, quickly pan-cooked, and served with the creamiest homemade slaw. 

Ingredients

Units Scale

Shrimp

  • 1 lb. peeled and deveined large shrimp, pat dried with paper towels
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1–2 Tbsp. avocado oil or other high heat oil

Slaw

  • 1 (16 oz.) bag coleslaw mix
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp. avocado oil or olive oil
  • Zest 1 lime
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, about 1 lime
  • 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar or honey

To Serve

  • Flour tortillas
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Season the shrimp: Place the shrimp into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coriander, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt. Add the seasoning mix to the shrimp and toss to combine. Set aside to marinate while preparing the slaw.
  2. Make the slaw: In a bowl, combine the slaw mix, jalapeño, and cilantro. Whisk together the mayonnaise, avocado oil, lime zest and juice, and sugar. Add to the slaw and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate while cooking the shrimp.
  3. Cook the shrimp: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of avocado oil and when hot, add the shrimp in a single layer. It should sizzle on contact. Cook for 2 minutes undisturbed. Flip shrimp over and continue to cook 1 1/2 – 2 minutes longer or until just pink. Immediately remove off heat. If desired, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice over the shrimp.
  4. Assemble: Stuff a warmed tortilla with a generous amount of slaw, 2-3 shrimp, and squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Notes

  • Shrimp: If using frozen shrimp, make sure to let it completely thaw out. Pat dry with few sheets of paper towels before tossing with the spices.
  • Making Ahead: To make the shrimp ahead, toss the shrimp with the seasoning mix, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4-6 hours. The dressing for the slaw can be made the night before. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Toss with the slaw mix right before you begin to cook the shrimp that way the slaw has some time to sit and slightly soften. It tastes the best that way. I find that if you make the slaw too much in advance it turns really soggy.
  • Leftovers: Leftovers shrimp can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Slaw tastes the best the same day.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tacos
  • Calories: 722
  • Sugar: 8.3 g
  • Sodium: 1613.2 mg
  • Fat: 36.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 66.5 g
  • Protein: 35.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 191.2 mg