Description
These shrimp tacos offer a deliciously fresh and flavorful meal, featuring sautéed seasoned shrimp, crunchy purple cabbage, creamy avocado, tangy Cotija cheese, and a zesty lime garlic sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, they make a perfect, easy-to-make dinner that combines vibrant textures and bold flavors in a handheld delight.
Ingredients
Shrimp and Seasonings
- 1 lb shrimp (medium or large), raw, peeled and deveined
- 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Tortillas and Toppings
- 8 white corn tortillas (small, 6-inch diameter) or hard taco shells
- 1/2 small purple cabbage, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 4 oz Cotija cheese (about 1 cup grated)
- 1/4 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
Shrimp Taco Sauce
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice (freshly squeezed from 1 medium lime)
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, or to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Shrimp: Thaw shrimp if frozen and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place shrimp in a medium bowl and add pressed garlic, sea salt, black pepper, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to evenly coat shrimp with seasonings.
- Cook Shrimp: Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread shrimp in a single layer. Sauté shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until cooked through—shrimp should appear white inside with some pink and red accents outside. Remove cooked shrimp to a serving platter and allow to cool slightly.
- Warm Tortillas: Toast the corn tortillas over an open gas stovetop flame on medium-low heat for about 10 seconds per side until the edges are lightly charred. Alternatively, warm tortillas on a medium-hot skillet or griddle for about 30 seconds per side until they develop golden brown spots.
- Prepare Toppings: Thinly slice the purple cabbage, dice the avocado, finely dice the red onion, and coarsely chop the cilantro. Arrange all toppings on your serving platter alongside lime wedges.
- Make Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, garlic powder, and Sriracha sauce until smooth and well combined. Adjust Sriracha to taste depending on desired heat level.
- Assemble Tacos: Build your tacos by layering the toasted tortillas with the cooked shrimp, cabbage, avocado, red onion, Cotija cheese, and cilantro. Drizzle or serve with the shrimp taco sauce on the side. Squeeze lime wedges over tacos before eating for added brightness.
Notes
- Use fresh shrimp for the best flavor, but thawed frozen shrimp also works well.
- For a milder version, reduce or omit the cayenne and Sriracha sauce.
- If corn tortillas are not available, small flour tortillas can be substituted.
- To make this dish gluten-free, ensure tortillas are corn-based and that all condiments are gluten-free certified.
- Cook shrimp just until opaque to avoid toughness.
- Leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
