In under 30 minutes you can make up this easy Blackened Shrimp Tacos recipe! Spicy cajun seasoned shrimp are folded in toasted corn tortillas and topped with the best cilantro lime cream sauce. Make up these healthy and gluten-free tacos for a quick dinner on a busy weeknight.
A wave of busyness begins to set in the first week of August here in Austin.
Back-to-school commercials come on between your favorite TV shows. The highways get insanely crowded, and we avoid the San Marcos outlets like the plague!
It is in times like these that having a good, go-to, 30-minute shrimp tacos recipe comes in handy.
There is no need to prep-ahead, thaw chicken, or throw your ingredients into a Crock-Pot 6 hours in advance.
Simply whisk together the seasoning, sauté your shrimp, and make the most delicious cilantro lime sauce… all in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
The simple ingredients needed to make spicy shrimp tacos include:
- Shrimp. Peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp with the tail removed are the easiest for this recipe. Read more below for more information on what shrimp to use.
- Blackened seasoning. Make your own with easy spices you likely have on hand. See below for more details.
- Tortillas. Toasted corn tortillas are a delicious and healthy option. You can use white or yellow corn tortillas.
- Taco sauce. Homemade cilantro lime sauce made with Greek yogurt is the best for complementing the spicy blackened shrimp.
- Toppings. Use your favorite taco additions like sliced avocado, shredded cabbage, and cilantro.
How to Make
Making blackened shrimp may seem complex, but really it only takes a few simple steps:
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk together paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Sprinkle seasonings over prepared shrimp and toss to combine.
- Place butter or oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add half of the shrimp to the skillet.
Cook shrimp for 3-4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
- Make the sauce.
Add yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth.
- Load the tacos!
Top toasted corn tortillas with the shrimp, cilantro-lime yogurt sauce, red cabbage, avocado, and additional cilantro.
Blackened Seasoning
To make your own homemade blackened, or Cajun, seasoning you need the following simple spices:
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Oregano (you can also use dried basil, rosemary, or thyme!)
- Salt
- Pepper
Learn more about how to make up a big batch of Blackened Seasoning to add to your pantry.
Best Shrimp for Tacos
Jumbo shrimp are used in this recipe. To keep it extra simple and easy, buy shrimp that has already been peeled, deveined, and has the tails removed.
You can also use shrimp that have not been prepared. Just know that it will take another 20-30 minutes to peel, devein, and remove the tails.
The sauté times mentioned in this recipe are for jumbo shrimp. If you happen to buy anything smaller the cooking times will need to be adjusted accordingly. Smaller shrimp will take less time to cook.
Cilantro Lime Taco Sauce
This refreshing cilantro lime shrimp taco sauce is easy to put together while the shrimp is cooking. Gather the ingredients listed above and mix them up!
There are a few kitchen utensils you can use when making this cajun shrimp taco sauce:
- Food Processor. The smaller 4-cup food processor is ideal when making taco sauce, salad dressings, or anything that only requires a few ingredients.
- Vitamix. This has more volume capacity and power than you need. But, it will work if it is the only blender you have on hand.
- Nutribullet. If you go this route, chop up the cilantro a bit before you add all of your ingredients into it!
Dietary Modifications
The recipe you’ll find below is already gluten-free as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:
- Dairy-free: Use dairy-free plain yogurt instead of the Greek yogurt used in the shrimp taco sauce.
- Keto or low-carb: Serve the blackened shrimp with cilantro lime sauce over cauliflower rice instead of in corn tortillas!
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: To save even more time, shred the cabbage and prepare the sauce in advance.
- To Store: Keep the prepared sauce and leftover cooked shrimp in separate airtight container in the refrigerator. Store for up to 3 days. Wait until serving to slice the avocado and toast the tortillas.
- To Reheat: Warm the shrimp in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.
FAQs
Peeled, deveined, and tail-removed jumbo shrimp makes for delicious and easy-to-make tacos.
Tartar sauce, cilantro lime sauce, avocado ranch, remoulade sauce, secret sauce, and ranch dressing all go well on shrimp tacos.
Rice, beans, corn, or coleslaw all pair wonderfully with shrimp tacos.
Taco seasoning, butter, garlic, and lime are all great shrimp seasoning options. For the best shrimp tacos though, using a blackened seasoning is perfect!
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Save even more time. Shred the cabbage and make the sauce in advance.
- Go easy. Buy shrimp that have already been peeled and deveined.
- Get toasty. Warm your tortillas in a hot cast iron pan.
- Make it low-carb. Ditch the tortillas and serve the shrimp, sauce, and toppings over cauliflower rice.
Make it a Meal
These spicy shrimp tacos taste even better when paired with these other dishes:
Easy Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce
In under 30 minutes you can make up this easy Blackened Shrimp Tacos recipe! Make up these healthy and gluten-free tacos for a quick dinner on a busy weeknight.
Ingredients
Blackened Shrimp
- 1 ½ lbs. shrimp jumbo, deveined, tails removed
- 2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
- 1 tsp. paprika
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- ⅛-¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp. oregano dried
- ¾ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
Cilantro Lime Sauce
- ½ cup Greek yogurt plain, dairy-free
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ¼ tsp. salt
Tacos & Toppings
- 8 corn tortillas or cauliflower rice*
- 1 cup red cabbage shredded
- 1 avocado cut into slices
- Cilantro
- See this recipe in Healthy Meal Plan #3
Instructions
-
Place deveined shrimp in a large bowl.
-
In a medium-sized bowl whisk together paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, and pepper.
-
Sprinkle seasonings over shrimp and toss to combine.
-
Place butter or oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add half of the shrimp to the skillet. Cook shrimp for 3-4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
-
While shrimp are cooking add yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth.
-
Serve shrimp in a toasted corn tortilla with cilantro-lime yogurt sauce, red cabbage, avocado, and additional cilantro. See this recipe in Healthy Meal Plan #3.
Recipe Notes
**Nutritional information is calculated for 2 tacos.
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: To save even more time, shred the cabbage and prepare the sauce in advance.
- To Store: Keep the prepared sauce and leftover cooked shrimp in separate airtight container in the refrigerator. Store for up to 3 days. Wait until serving to slice the avocado and toast the tortillas.
- To Reheat: Warm the shrimp in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Go easy. Buy shrimp that has already been peeled and deveined.
- Get toasty. Warm your tortillas in a hot cast iron pan.
- Make it low-carb. Ditch the tortillas and serve the shrimp, sauce, and toppings over cauliflower rice.
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Mike from Chili Pepper Madness says
I need to make these again. So good! I love all of the seasoning blend. Basically — Perfect!
London says
Thank you so much, Mike!! The seasoning blend definitely gives these tacos a bit of flavor. Thanks for your comment and rating!!