How To Make Cajun Shrimp Tacos With Slaw
Begin by making a Cajun Spice Mix.
The spices in this mix are pretty common and the results are far superior to anything Ive found pre-mixed in a shaker. Ive used this Cajun spice blend on chicken, fish, pork tenderloin and in pasta with great results.
Coat the shrimp with the spice mix.
Heat a large skillet to a medium high temp.
Add the shrimp in a single layer to an olive oil and butter combo. Let them cook mostly through without disturbing them. This will give you a great sear on the shrimp.
Flip the shrimp one time to finish cooking them through.
Shrimp cook very quickly. Overcooked shrimp can be tough. Raw shrimp are translucent and gray. They will turn opaque with reddish or pink tints as they cook. Watch the crevice in the back of the shrimp where the vein was removed and AS SOON as the flesh at the base of that crevice turns from translucent to opaque, the shrimp is done.
Load the shrimp on top of PURPLE CILANTRO LIME COLESLAW with your favorite tortilla and enjoy the succulent, spicy bite of shrimp with the cool, crisp and creamy slaw in this scrumptious taco.
PINEAPPLE COLESLAW is another great slaw that pairs really well with spicy, cajun shrimp.
If youve tried my Cajun Shrimp Tacos with Slaw or any other recipe on this website, please dont forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it came out in the comments below. Id LOVE to hear from you!
Share a photo of your creation on my , or save it to and tag #SAVORWITHJENNIFER. I cant wait to see your work!
Shrimp Tacos With Cabbage Slaw
I am long overdue for this pun: Lets TACO bout these healthy Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Taco Slaw!
Are you still reading? GOOD. Because I have a recipe for the most juicy, splendidly spiced shrimp tacos, complete with shrimp taco slaw and a creamy, dreamy shrimp taco sauce.
Not only is this healthy shrimp recipe worth making for dinner tonight, its worth putting up with my bad jokes!
What To Serve With Shrimp Tacos
So what should you serve along with your yummy shrimp tacos? Ive rounded up a few of my best recipes to complement this ultra tasty dinner, so lets dive in!
- Chips and Salsa: The perfect side to any spicy meal, chips and salsa is easy to make, light, and even healthy! My Avocado Salsa is bursting with flavor and so simple to make, I guarantee youll love this tasty appetizer.
- Crab Rangoon Wontons: Another snackable side dish, Crab Rangoon Wontons play on the yummy Asian flavors in the slaw. Try them, and youll fall in love!
- Fries: I guess you guys probably know by now that I love fries. I could eat them with anything! But the fries I have in mind here are actually my Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Fries! Theyre delicious, satisfying, and they bring an extra serving of veggies to the table that no one can resist!
Recommended Reading: Cooking Salmon On The Griddle
How To Buy Shrimp
For the freshest shrimp, buy frozen and thaw them at home. Because shrimp are typically frozen shortly after being caught, even ‘fresh’ shrimp are likely thawed by grocery store fish counters. If you do buy thawed shrimp, be sure they are not soft or slimy and don’t smell like ammonia, a sure sign that they’re going bad.
Saute Shrimp And Make Cabbage Slaw
Cook shrimp for 4 minutes in a hot ceramic non-stick skillet. Shrimp cooks fast and its ready when no longer gray and starts to turn pink. For more browned look, flip once and press on shrimp with spatula.
Make slaw by literally just dumping a 14 oz bag of store-bought cabbage slaw, cilantro, salt and almost all of the taco sauce. I like to reserve some of the dressing for drizzling on shrimp tacos. But you dont have to. Just looks good and tastes better!
Reserve some of the shrimp taco sauce for drizzling on the finished shrimp taco recipe this adds extra creaminess and gives it a restaurant-worthy presentation quality!
Don’t Miss: Mama Shrimp Tom Yum Noodles
Shrimp Taco Recipe Faqs
How do you season shrimp for tacos?
We love to use low sodium taco seasoning with garlic powder, it gives just enough spice to make the shrimp shine in the tacos! Combined with the cilantro lime coleslaw and creamy taco sauce, you will have a very flavorful seafood shrimp taco.
What can I substitute cilantro with?
Substitute cilantro with fresh parsley if you do not love cilantro. The taste definitely will be different though.
Is it better to use fresh or frozen shrimp for tacos?
You can use either for this easy shrimp taco recipe! Since you are seasoning the shrimp, it is fine to use frozen. Thaw raw shrimp overnight or place in colander in a bowl with cold water, thaws in 15-20 minutes. Pat dry the shrimps.Readers have had good luck with precooked frozen shrimp as well after thawing let sit with seasoning for 20-30 minutes then warm up in skillet .
Can you use 0% fat yogurt for shrimp taco sauce?
Readers have used 0% fat with great results, I like to use 2% as it gives it more flavor, same goes for healthy shrimp salad.
How Long Should Shrimp Be Grilled For
Just 2-3 minutes per side! You know grilled shrimp is done when it turns bright pink.
While the shrimp are grilling, I like to create a crunchy slaw with whatever veggies I have on hand. This week I had leftover red cabbage, shredded carrots, and scallions but green cabbage, red peppers or thinly sliced red onions would work great too!
For the slaw vinaigrette, I simply drizzle the veggies with lime juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Before serving I sprinkle with Gourmet Gardens lightly dried cilantro for added freshness.
These lightly dried herbs will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 4 weeks! Typically fresh herbs start to wilt after about a week or so. Using Gourmet Garden herbs is a great way to cut down on food waste.
To serve, scatter the shrimp in a warmed tortilla and top with the crunchy slaw.
No forks required.
Read Also: Best Canned Tuna For Keto
Recipe Tips And Tricks
Cuttingshrimp. I recommend cutting the shrimp into bite-sized pieces before dipping them into the batter and air frying. I find that it makes the tacos easier and cleaner to eat!
Cleaning shrimp. If you are new to cooking, cleaning, or preparing shrimp, I recommend checking out my post on how to clean shrimp.
Panko breadcrumbs. Looking to make the shrimp gluten free? Substitute the regular panko with gluten free panko.
Soft tacos. One thing I love about taco recipes is their ability to be customized based on personal preference! For this recipe, you can use your favorite tortilla. Whether you like flour tortillas, yellow corn tortillas, white corn tortillas, a cold or room temperature tortilla, a warm tortilla, or if you are looking to cut calories, you can use a large piece of lettuce as a make-shift tortilla shell.
Spray oil. I recommend using spray oil for cooking like olive oil, canola oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil.
What Are The Best Shrimp To Buy For Tacos
There are lots of different sizes and options when it comes to shrimp. The first decision will be to buy frozen or fresh. Frozen is fine and usually is a bit more affordable. Next look for shrimp that has the shell removed and has been deveined. This will save you lots of prep time. Finally, you can buy any size shrimp you like. Just be aware that it will affect the cooking time. Usually, I look for medium to large shrimp, with a count around 20-24 shrimp per pound.
Recommended Reading: Sea Pak Garlic Butter Shrimp
Best Spicy Shrimp Tacos With Cilantro Lime Slaw
The Best Spicy Shrimp Tacos Recipe ever ready in 30 minutes and loaded with flavor for the perfect dinner. Pan Seared Shrimp with a smoky spicy rub, nestled in corn tortillas, with cilantro lime slaw, fresh pico and an epic avocado crema!
I dont know about you, but if Im making tacos I need to make sure that its accompanied with some awesomeness. Here is our favorite Guacamole Recipe and a Classic Margarita thats a must with these Shrimp Tacos.
What Are The Best Paleo Tortillas
If you watch the YouTube video for this shrimp taco recipe, you will see that I am using Siete brand cashew tortillas. I really love everything they make, but if you are looking for a spot on texture and flavor to real corn or flour tortillas, go with the cashew variety of grain free tortillas. No, they did not pay me to say this, but maybe they should!
Check out my other Mexican recipes:
Don’t Miss: Conrad’s Seafood Restaurant Menu
How To Make The Best Shrimp Taco Recipe
To make shrimp tacos, try to buy large shrimp from the store. Look for 10-20 per pound and make sure they are defrosted. Otherwise it takes 24 hours to thaw them. I think one of the keys to this shrimp taco recipe is my homemade taco seasoning. Add some smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, and ancho chile to the shrimp along with a shot of oil and mix well.
Its important not to add the salt until right before the shrimp go in the hot cast iron pan. Otherwise it will draw out too much moisture and the shrimp wont get crusty. Make sure your cast iron pan is really hot and add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil.
Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes on the first side and only 30-45 seconds on the second side. Shrimp cook really quickly because they have barely any fat. Plus, they will go back in the pan to finish cooking in the shrimp taco sauce.
Shrimp Tacos With Coleslaw
It seems like an odd combination, but adding some homemade coleslaw to shrimp tacos makes a delicious and light weeknight meal!
A few weeks ago we bought the ingredients to make some homemade coleslaw, and it was delicious! After that, we were all in the mood for other recipes that used a coleslaw, so decided to think of something else to use a few ingredients that were leftover from other meals. There was about half of a cabbage in the refrigerator, some shrimp in the freezer, and a couple of corn tortillas left in the pantry. So if you put that together, you get shrimp tacos with coleslaw!
Yes, I know it sounds like an odd combination, but stick with me here for a minute.
This recipe includes making a cabbage and carrot slaw to go with the tacos. Youll also need to bread and fry the shrimp before adding them to your taco shell. We used the new cast iron skillet that I received as a gift a few months ago for the shrimp. Im still learning how to use the skillet, but so far its been great!
If you dont want to make your own coleslaw or need to save time, you can buy it packaged. We have now done it both ways. There are advantages to each method. Last time, when I used a bag of slaw, I added the dressing mixture from the recipe. Bagged coleslaw is usually very dry. For the shrimp tacos, it helps to have one with dressing to add flavor.
You May Like: Blue Buffalo Salmon Cat Food
What Is The Difference Between Coleslaw And Slaw
The main difference between coleslaw and just plain slaw has to do with the cabbage. Coleslaw is basically a cabbage salad. It can mean one or many varieties of cabbage thinly shredded in the same bag that youd then add a dressing to.
Just plain slaw can feature cabbage, but can also feature just about any veggies you can shred or jullienne and put in a bag, like carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and snow peas.
Either variety will work in this recipe with the slaw dressing, so you decide which you like best.
Ingredients For Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce
Lets talk more about the sauce for these shrimp tacos.
All you need is sour cream, lime juice, garlic, some herbs, and olive oil. Blitz it all up together and youre in business.
Were gonna toss it with some shredded cabbage and ALSO give these tacos a good shower on top. Because there is no such thing as too much sauce. Especially when it comes to tacos.
Don’t Miss: Best Way To Cook Lobster Tails On The Grill
How To Peel And Devein Raw Shrimp
For shrimp tacos, you’ll want to completely peel and devein the shrimp. No one wants to bite into a shrimp tail!
To peel raw shrimp, first gently twist off the head then wedge your thumb inside the shell, just above the legs. Grasp the shell between your thumb and forefinger lift and turn to detach the shell down to the tail segment. For shrimp with the tail intact, hold the peeled shrimp near the tail and gently pull to release the shrimp completely.
To devein, use a sharp paring knife to cut a shallow slit down the center of the back. With the tip of the knife, gently lift the vein out and discard . Repeat with remaining shrimp.
Why This Shrimp Taco Recipe Works
- Easy: This shrimp taco recipe is ready in 15 minutes from start to finish!
- Healthy: Shrimp is low calorie and full of nutrients and then combined with coleslaw cabbage high in Vitamin C & K we have a healthy dinner we can feel good about serving!
- Enjoy year round: Grill in the summer, pan fry in cooler months.
- Customizable: As with any taco, the sky is the limit when serving! Skip the tortilla and serve shrimp salad taco bowl style. Drizzle with hot sauce for heat or add chopped jalapeño. Serve sliced avocados or pico de gallo on the side etc. So many ideas!
Also Check: Salmon Air Fryer Cook Time
Video Result For Shrimp Taco With Coleslaw Recipe
Shrimp Tacos Recipe With Cilantro Coleslaw | Cait…
Crispy Shrimp Tacos Recipe With Homemade Slaw – Taco…
Healthy Shrimp Tacos with Cabbage Slaw and Cilantro…
greatifoodreal.com
shrimptacowithshrimptacoshrimp
shrimp
shrimpwithtacoshrimp
greatwww.realsimple.com
shrimpwithshrimpshrimp
greatwww.myrecipes.com
withshrimp
withshrimptacoshrimp
trendpipandebby.com
shrimptacoshrimpshrimp
shrimpwithshrimpshrimp
shrimpshrimptacowithshrimpwith
hotwww.bhg.com
shrimptacoshrimptacoshrimptacowithwith
with
shrimpshrimpwithtacoshrimpshrimpshrimp
hotwww.cookingonthefrontburners.com
withshrimpwithshrimp
shrimpshrimp
shrimpwithshrimpshrimp
What To Serve With These Spicy Shrimp Tacos
Make it a feast! Here are some of our favorite recipes to make alongside these delicious little pockets of goodness.
These shrimp tacos are fast, easy, and give me something to look forward to at the end of the day.
For example: TV and tacos! Late-night work and tacos! Friends and tacos! Hanging out on the deck with the dog and tacos!
Everything is better with tacos.
Cheers to many warm-weather nights with tons and tons of shrimp tacos in your future!
PS. Okay, for people who are extra: these cute little taco holders* and other goods that will make you feel like youre at a restaurant and they are worth a browse, if youre a taco accessory kind of a person .
Recommended Reading: Seafood Buffets Ocean City Md
Use Homemade Taco Seasoning:
Have you tried making your own taco seasoning yet? I promise that its not as hard as it seems. This is probably one of my favorite recipes.
Its a mix of basic spices like chili powder and garlic powder. Items that you probably already have in your pantry. I like to make a large batch and keep it in a mason jar so I always have some of hand.
What To Serve With Healthy Shrimp Tacos
- Beans. A side of Instant Pot Refried Beans would be delicious with these tacos.
- Cornbread. For a hearty, filling side, try these tacos with Mexican Cornbread.
- . Pour yourself a tasty Skinny Margarita, and call it done!
Whether you cook these tacos outdoors or in, Id love to know how this recipe turns out for you. Dont forget to leave a comment below. I love hearing from you!
Recommended Reading: Substitute For Mayo In Tuna Salad
How To Make The Cabbage Slaw
Once the veggies are shredded, this slaw is as easy as pie! To make shredding easier, try using a mandolin. Ive even seen slaw made in a food processor. The pieces were tiny, but the slaw was still crunchy and easy to spread onto things. Whatever works for you!
What Toppings Go Well With Shrimp Tacos
When choosing toppings for tacos with shrimp, you want to make sure to find things that won’t cover the taste of the shrimp. Since it is a more expensive ingredient, you want to be able to taste it. That’s why we like to stick to a simple cabbage slaw flavored with lime juice and cilantro. It also adds a great crunch to the tacos.
If you aren’t in the mood for cabbage slaw, you can go more traditional and reach for diced onions, cilantro, salsa, chopped avocado, guacamole, or sour cream. When choosing a salsa, look for something that isn’t too smoky since the shrimp is already seasoned with chipotle powder. I like something light and refreshing like pico de gallo or mild green salsa.
Recommended Reading: Imitation Crab Seafood Salad Recipe