It’s Taco Tuesday, and these spicy shrimp tacos were exactly what I wanted.
The shrimp are seasoned with cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne, then cooked quickly in a hot skillet. The crunchy cabbage slaw gets tossed with a creamy cilantro-lime sauce made with Greek yogurt, sour cream, Kewpie mayo and sweet-and-spicy pickled jalapeños.
Pile everything into warm tortillas with avocado, more sauce and a little hot sauce (I love Cholula Hot Sauce). Spicy, creamy, crunchy, and easy enough for a weeknight.
Why you’ll love it
- The shrimp are boldly seasoned and cook in just a few minutes.
- The cilantro-lime sauce doubles as the dressing for the slaw and a sauce for finishing the tacos.
- Sweet-and-spicy pickled jalapeños add tang and heat without needing a fresh jalapeño.
- Crunchy cabbage and creamy avocado give you plenty of texture.
- Everything comes together in under 30 minutes.
Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
Spicy skillet shrimp tucked into warm tortillas with crunchy cilantro-lime slaw, avocado and a creamy sauce made with Greek yogurt, sour cream, Kewpie mayo and sweet-and-spicy pickled jalapeños.
Ingredients
For the shrimp
- 1 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
For the cilantro lime slaw
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- Zest of 1 lime
For the cilantro lime sauce
- ⅓ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup Kewpie mayo
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Sweet-and-spicy pickled jalapeños chopped, to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1½ Tbsp fresh lime juice
For serving
- 8 small tortillas
- 1 ripe avocado sliced
- Hot sauce to taste
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry and place them in a bowl. Add the olive oil, kosher salt, cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne. Toss until the shrimp are evenly coated.
- Combine the cabbage, cilantro, scallions and lime zest in a medium bowl.
- Add the Greek yogurt, sour cream, Kewpie mayo, cilantro, pickled jalapeños, garlic powder, kosher salt and lime juice and mix well.
- Taste and add more pickled jalapeños or lime juice if needed.
- Add enough of the cilantro lime sauce to coat the cabbage mixture and toss well. Reserve the remaining sauce for serving.
- Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for about 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and just cooked through.
- Warm the tortillas in a dry hot skillet until soft and pliable, flipping once.
- Fill each tortilla with cilantro lime slaw, shrimp and sliced avocado. Finish with more cilantro lime sauce and hot sauce.
- Serve right away.
Notes
- Pickled jalapeños: I used sweet-and-spicy pickled jalapeños from Trader Joe’s instead of fresh jalapeño. Add them to taste depending on how much heat you want.
- The sauce: You’ll use part of the cilantro lime sauce to dress the slaw and save the rest for spooning over the tacos.
- Shrimp: Don’t overcrowd the skillet. If necessary, cook the shrimp in two batches so they sear rather than steam.
- Adapted from Feasting at Home’s Shrimp Tacos, with a few changes based on what I had on hand, including cayenne in place of chipotle powder, Kewpie mayo, and sweet-and-spicy pickled jalapeños.
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