Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw

These easy spicy shrimp tacos with cilantro lime slaw are so tasty and perfect for your next taco Tuesday or any day of the week! They only require a few simple steps and are ready to serve in less than 25 minutes. Best shrimp tacos ever! {Gluten-free & dairy-free-friendly}

spicy shrimp tacos served with lime wedges

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos with Slaw – An Easy Weeknight Dinner!

Hands up… who loves shrimp tacos?!

I love how simple they are to whip together, and how they’re so much fun to eat! This spicy shrimp taco recipe with cilantro lime slaw is no exception. It’s colourful, vibrant, and absolutely delicious!

Not to mention, it’s a great option for taco night that requires minimal preparation. Just mix up the shrimp seasoning, cook up the shrimp and prep the slaw.

You’ll have a quick, healthy and family-friendly dinner on the table in record time!

If you love tacos as much as we do, be sure to check out my Grilled Chicken Street Tacos, Vegan Lentil Tacos, and Crock Pot Taco Meat which is perfect for stuffing into shells!

Why We Love these Healthy Shrimp Tacos

Flavourful: The shrimp is coated in a spicy seasoning mix before being sautéed on the stovetop for a Mexican flair. The tacos are then topped with a fresh homemade slaw. The finished result is the perfect balance of spicy and zesty freshness.

Quick: This easy shrimp taco recipe only takes about 25 minutes to put together. The shrimp is cooked up in one pan and the slaw is tossed together in a matter of minutes. Perfect for a quick dinner!

Easy to customize: You can make these tacos more or less spicy depending on your tastes. We all know that tacos are all about the toppings, so it’s easy to add your favourites!

Ingredient Notes

ingredients for the shrimp tacos on a marble background with labels

For the spicy shrimp tacos

Shrimp: I prefer to use the jumbo shrimp that’s already been cooked, peeled and deveined, but you can also use smaller shrimp too. Raw shrimp can be used as well, however, you may need to adjust the cooking time.
Spices: A mixture of chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne and salt are used to flavour up the shrimp. Use less cayenne if your milder tacos and more if you like more heat. You can also sub in taco seasoning if in a pinch.
Lime: In addition to the seasoning, a squeeze of lime juice is added to marinate the shrimp.
Tortillas: I like to use small soft corn tortillas for these tacos, but hard shells or flour tortillas are good as well. If using soft tortillas, heat them up a bit in a frying pan to get them nice and warm and slightly crispy.

For the cabbage slaw

Cabbage: A mixture of green and red cabbage are used for the slaw to add some freshness and crunch to the tacos. Shred the cabbage yourself using a sharp knife or food processor, or purchase pre-shredded cabbage at the store for a more convenient option.
Carrot: Adds additional colour and crunch to the slaw. Grate your own carrot or purchase matchstick carrots.
Cilantro: Incorporates a refreshing herby flavour. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can leave it out.
Oil: Used for the base of the slaw dressing. I typically use olive oil, but you can also use canola oil or avocado oil.
Lime: For zesty flavour. Sub in lemon juice if you don’t have lime.
Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing. You can also sub in maple syrup.

Step by step instructions

There are only a few simple steps required to whip together these tacos!

1. Prepare the shrimp taco marinade

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Season shrimp with the spice mix and juice of half a lime and toss until well coated.

NOTE: If you have time, allow the shrimp to sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes.

2. Cook the shrimp

Heat oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thawed seasoned shrimp to the hot pan and saute for 5-8 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through.

3. Prepare the shrimp taco slaw

While the shrimp cooks, mix together the ingredients for the coleslaw in a large bowl until combined.

Cilantro lime slaw mixed together in a white bowl

4. Assemble Tacos

Serve on warm tortillas. To assemble, layer some mashed avocado, shrimp and top it off with the slaw. Garnish with cheese, fresh cilantro and lime juice, if desired.

Sauce for Shrimp Tacos

If you want to kick these tacos up a notch, you can also top them with a creamy sauce!

Avocado sauce: If you prefer to go with an avocado sauce, try this homemade avocado crema recipe. It’s really simple to prepare!

Mayo sauce: If you’d rather do a mayo sauce, try mixing some mayo with some sriracha hot sauce. I usually mix about 4 tablespoons of mayo with 2 tablespoons of sriracha. You can even add a little of lemon juice and some freshly minced garlic too for some extra flavour. Then drizzle it over the spicy shrimp tacos with slaw.

The sauce is totally optional but adds an extra kick of flavour!

Recipe Notes:

Don’t overcook the shrimp: Keep an eye on the shrimp and be careful not to overcook it or it will be rubbery. We want nice and juicy shrimp!

Make it even faster: You can purchase pre-shredded cabbage for the coleslaw to cut down on prep time.

Prep extra seasoning in advance: Make up a double or triple batch of the shrimp seasoning mix to cut down on prep time when making these tacos in the future.

Warm the tortillas: I like to heat up the tortillas in a frying pan for a couple of minutes per side to get them nice and warm and slightly crispy.

Top them up: Finish the tacos with all your favourite toppings. I like to add cojita cheese, avocado, lime juice, cilantro and other fun toppings. Mango or pineapple salsa, jalapenos and guacamole all work great!

Two shrimp tacos on a plate with lime wedges

Storage and Reheating Guidelines

Refrigerator: You can store the slaw and shrimp in the fridge for up to four days. I recommend storing them separately covered or in an airtight container and then assembling the tacos right before you’re ready to serve.

To reheat: Place the shrimp in a pan with a bit of olive oil and warm them just until they’re hot to the touch to prevent them from getting overcooked.

Recipe FAQs

How to easily remove shrimp tails

Because the shrimp are served in tacos, I prefer to remove the tails before cooking so that they are easier to eat. No one wants to be picking out tails as they devour tacos!

To remove the tail, simply peel back the shell from either side of the cut down the middle of the shrimp. Pinch the tail where it meets the body of the shrimp, gently pull and it should come off easily.

How do you peel and devein shrimp before cooking?

To peel and devein shrimp, gently twist to remove the head if it’s still attached. Next, go underneath, where the legs are attached, and dig your thumb under the shell to help it release. Tug gently to remove the tail.

To devein the shrimp, lay the shrimp down on a flat surface and run a paring knife along the back. Try to avoid cutting too deep. Pull out the thin grey vein.

For shrimp with a tail, remove the shell as you did previously but leave the last segment attached, and then devein.

What type of shrimp should you use?

Personally, I like to use the peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp. I love how meaty and juicy the jumbo shrimp are. That being said, you can definitely sub in medium-sized shrimp if that’s what you have on hand.

Can you use frozen shrimp?

I prefer to use fresh shrimp, but you absolutely can use frozen. Be sure to fully defrost the shrimp before you cook them and pat them dry to remove any excess moisture.

Both fresh and frozen shrimp should be patted dry. If there is excess moisture, the shrimp will steam when it cooks and the texture will be less firm.

Can you make shrimp tacos with cabbage slaw ahead of time?

For best results, I like to serve these spicy shrimp tacos as soon as they’re ready, but you can totally prep both the shrimp and slaw ahead of time.

Both can be stored, covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The slaw is so delicious, I often make a double batch to enjoy throughout the week!

Why does my shrimp taste rubbery?

Shrimp tends to get rubbery if it’s overcooked. To prevent this from happening, you’ll want to pay close attention to a few signs that indicate the shrimp is done.

First, when the shrimp curls into a gentle “C” shape and has transformed from grey to pink, that’s generally an indicator that it’s ready to be removed from the heat.

If the C looks more like an O, then it’s most likely overcooked. The most important thing when cooking shrimp is that you pay close attention and remove it from the heat as soon as it’s cooked which can help prevent it from becoming rubbery.

What are the calories in shrimp tacos?

There are 170 calories in one taco and the recipe makes about 8 tacos. If you add additional toppings such as cheese or salsa, you’ll need to account for this if you’re tracking your caloric intake.

What to serve with shrimp tacos

These tacos taste especially good when you spread the tortillas with some mashed creamy avocado and then place the slaw and shrimp mixture on top.

Top with additional cilantro, lime juice and Cojita cheese, if desired.

You can also serve the shrimp tacos with any of the following side dishes for a delicious spread:

Mango Pineapple Salsa
Chipotle Guacamole recipe
Grilled Corn Salad
Mexican Quinoa Salad
Strawberry Mango Salsa
Fresh pico de gallo
Rice – try Mexican rice or coconut lime rice

Recipe variations

Add beans: Add in a can of black beans to the mix to make the recipe go even further. Perfect for a crowd!
To make kid-friendly: If your kids (or anyone else in the family) is not a fan of spicy food, cut back on the cayenne pepper to make the tacos less spicy.
Try a different protein: Use white fish instead of shrimp to make fish tacos instead!
Add extra veggies: In addition to the green cabbage, red cabbage and carrots, you can also add some thinly sliced red onion or cucumber and peppers.
To make low carb: Use low carb tortillas or skip the tortillas and serve the spicy shrimp over the slaw instead with sliced avocado!

More healthy shrimp recipes

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Course dinner