Easy shrimp tacos anyone??
YES PLEASE!
Warm garlicky shrimp, fresh sweet and tangy red cabbage slaw, with smoky and spicy sour cream, intensely flavor these easy shrimp tacos.
I cannot even begin to tell you just how good these easy shrimp tacos with red cabbage slaw and chipotle sour cream really are. All I can tell you is this recipe will change the way you think about taco night forever.
I have posted similar recipes for grilled shrimp tacos years ago, but over the years I have simplified how these come together. These tacos are delicious and I felt like they deserved much more love!!
I kid-you-not, David and I practically fight over the shrimp in these easy shrimp tacos. No really, we actually count the shrimp out and ration them off. If the shrimp are not divisible by two, we will cut the extra little guy in half so that we both get a bite.
How To Make Easy Shrimp Tacos
Marinate the shrimp for the tacos:
First, marinate the shrimp in a mixture of extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, chili powder,
The marinade is very simple, but packs a huge punch of flavor! The marinade is also pretty strange-looking and it may seem like there isn’t enough to coat the shrimp, but once you put the shrimp into the bag with marinade and start squishing them around, you soon realize that the shrimp will be well coated.
Tip: Line a large plastic cup with a zip-top bag, folding the top around the lip of the cup for easier filling.
Surprisingly, the amount of flavor you get into these shrimp in 30 minutes is pretty intense, but you can marinate the shrimp for up to 24 hours for even more flavor. You can have them ready to throw in the
Make the red cabbage slaw for the tacos:
Once the shrimp are in the fridge marinating, then you can make the red cabbage slaw. This slaw is made of shredded red cabbage, sweet onion, and fresh cilantro tossed in a citrus vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is naturally sweetened with honey and then seasoned with salt and pepper.
The red cabbage slaw needs to sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before you cook the shrimp. It’s important to toss the slaw occasionally to ensure the cabbage stays coated with the vinaigrette.
It may seem like a lot of cabbage, but you will notice that the volume of cabbage in the bowl will reduce within the 20 minutes as it begins to break down and wilt from the acid.
Prepare the chipotle sour cream:
Add as many or as few of the chipotles to the sour cream as you like. It’s really up to you and your taste. I have found that the more we make these easy shrimp tacos, the spicier we like them. I think I may be up to 1 ½ to 2 chopped chipotles plus the adobo. We really like it spicy! This chipotle sour cream can be made ahead of time also. Place the chipotle sour cream inside the refrigerator until time to serve the tacos.
After the shrimp have marinated, simply toss them into a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, until lightly browned on both sides. The crispy bits on the shrimp are locking in the most amazing flavor!
Assemble the tacos:
To assemble these easy shrimp tacos, lightly toast a flour or corn tortilla over a gas burner on the stove or per package directions.
Next, give the chipotle sour cream a final stir and dab some on the prepared tortilla. Spread the chipotle sour cream around the tortilla using the back of a spoon. Proceed, by placing 3 to 4 of the warm shrimp on top of the tortilla. Give the red cabbage a final toss and top the shrimp.
Repeat for each taco and serve with extra fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Once the marinating wait time is over, these easy shrimp tacos are full of flavor and come together in just 15 minutes! This recipe never fails me and they always leave us wanting more!
Make these easy shrimp tacos, but don’t say I didn’t warn you about fighting over the shrimp!
Easy Shrimp Tacos With Red Cabbage Slaw & Chipotle Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 6 flour or corn tortillas 6-inch
- chipotle sour cream recipe to follow
- marinated shrimp recipe to follow
- red cabbage slaw recipe to follow
- fresh cilantro for serving (optional)
- lime wedges for serving (optional)
The Shrimp Marinade:
- 1 pound shrimp fresh or frozen medium, thawed, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Red Cabbage Slaw:
- ½ cup orange juice fresh squeezed
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cabbage small head, thinly sliced into shreds
- 1 sweet onion small, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro fresh, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Chipotle Sour Cream:
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper finely chopped, canned in adobo sauce or more!
Instructions
Marinate the shrimp:
- Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Peel and devein. Then rinse the shrimp and pat dry.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt, using a whisk, until well incorporated. Add the shrimp to a zip-top bag and pour in the marinade ingredients. Seal the bag squeezing as much air out as possible. Turn and gently squeeze the bag to move the shrimp around, making sure each shrimp is coated. Place the shrimp in the refrigerator no less than 30 minutes to marinate or overnight.
Make the Red Cabbage Slaw:
- Chop the cabbage, onion, and cilantro and combine in a large mixing bowl.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, oil, and honey until combined.
- Pour vinaigrette over cabbage mixture; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well to coat.
- Allow the slaw to sit at room temperature for a minimum of 20 minutes, tossing now and then, to keep the cabbage coated.
Prepare the Chipotle Sour Cream:
- In a small bowl combine sour cream and chipotle pepper; refrigerate until needed.
Cook the shrimp:
- Spread the shrimp out into the bottom of a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, ensuring there is a little room between each shrimp. Cook 5 to 8 minutes, turning about halfway through until the shrimp are opaque and have browned slightly.
Assemble the tacos:
- To assemble these easy shrimp tacos, lightly toast a flour or corn tortilla over a gas burner on the stove or per package directions. Next, give the chipotle sour cream a final stir and dab some on the prepared tortilla. Spread the chipotle sour cream around the tortilla using the back of a spoon. Proceed, by placing 3 to 4 of the warm shrimp on top of the tortilla. Give the red cabbage a final toss and top the shrimp. Repeat for each taco and serve with extra fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
chef mimi says
What a beautiful day in the mountains! Love your shrimp tacos. Such wonderful flavors and textures.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks Mimi! This is one of my favorite recipes. Simple ingredients with lots of flavor! 🙂
Tasty Eats Ronit Penso says
Love everything about this dish. Looks delicious!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thank you, Ronit. I hope you give these a try! 🙂
anyone4curryandotherthings says
The Hills are alive ……..(sorry 🙂 ….. what a beautiful part of the world you live in.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Heehee! Thank you so much! 😉
Kris Marie says
Could I use bagged cabbage mix? I’d like to make these tonight and that’s what I have on hand. Thank you.
Kris Marie says
Instructions call for oil in the slaw dressing but it’s not listed in the ingredients so what kind of oil and how much? I’m making this now….
Kris Marie says
These were absolutely delicious! A definite keeper! Thank you!