These easy shrimp tacos are bursting with flavor, topped with a delicious, creamy cilantro citrus sauce, and the perfect dinner to make on even the busiest of Taco Tuesdays!
I LOVE a good shrimp taco, y’all. Really, I love shrimp in any form, but a good shrimp taco will always be a go-to restaurant order for me. These shrimp tacos are far and away the best I’ve had in a LONG time, and it’s a wonderful bonus that they can be whipped up in my own kitchen in only 30 minutes. That means that I get to enjoy the best shrimp tacos WHENEVER. I. WANT!
Recipe Ingredients
These easy shrimp tacos require several seasonings and spices (all of which are likely hanging out on your spice rack already), a handful of ingredients for the dreamy, creamy Cilantro Citrus sauce that *makes* these tacos, and any taco garnishes that you love!
For the Shrimp
- Jumbo Shrimp – you’ll need about a pound and a half of peeled and deveined raw shrimp for these tacos.
- Lime Juice – 2 tablespoons of lime juice (freshly squeezed is best, so you’ll need 1 lime here!),…
- Spices + Seasonings – …2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of oregano, ¾ teaspoon of sea salt, and a ½ teaspoon of pepper give this shrimp its incredible flavor!
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – to cook the shrimp, we’ll use a tablespoon or so of extra-virgin olive oil.
For the Cilantro Citrus Sauce
- Greek Yogurt – the bulk of our sauce is made up of 1 cup of full-fat Greek yogurt (our absolute favorite is Stonyfield’s whole milk organic Greek yogurt – the taste and texture just can’t be beat!). Greek yogurt is actually what makes this sauce so creamy and delightful!
- Orange Juice – you’ll also need 3 tablespoons of orange juice, and…
- Lime Juice – …2 tablespoons of lime juice to give this sauce a good kick of citrus!
- Fresh Cilantro – what would a Cilantro Citrus sauce be without cilantro?! You’ll need ⅓ cup of packed cilantro (stems and leaves) here, as well as…
- Garlic – …1 clove of garlic!
For the Tacos
- Tortillas – we love nestling our shrimp and toppings inside warmed corn tortillas, but feel free to use flour tortillas or any tortillas you love most!
- Cabbage – shredded red cabbage (green cabbage works too!) adds the perfect crunch to our tacos while making them especially pretty! Feel free to chop a head of cabbage on your own, or buy the pre-shredded stuff to keep things easy!
- Avocado – who doesn’t love avocado as taco topper?! You’ll need 1 sliced avocado here, but feel free to use more if you’d like!
- Cheese – crumbled queso fresco (or Cotija cheese) finish our shrimp tacos off beautifully!
How to Make Shrimp Tacos
- Whisk Together the Lime Juice + Seasonings – in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper, then add the shrimp and toss well to coat.
- Cook the Shrimp – heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the shrimp, working in 2 batches if needed (be careful not to overcrowd the pan!), and cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes, until browned, then flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes, until the shrimp turn white and begin to curl in on themselves, then remove from heat.
- Make the Cilantro Citrus Sauce – to make the cilantro citrus sauce, add the sauce ingredients (Greek yogurt, orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic) to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Assemble, Serve, and Enjoy – to serve, spoon the shrimp into a warm tortilla, then top with the shredded cabbage, avocado slices, cotija cheese, spoon the creamy cilantro sauce over top, and serve!
Shrimp Taco Toppings
If I wrote a book on taco toppings, would you read it? I feel like it could be a best-seller…I mean, WHO DOESN’T LOVE TACO TOPPINGS?! Honestly, the sky’s the limit here – if you have a taco topping must-have, add it to your grocery list! Here are a few of our favorites:
Slaw instead of Cabbage
Homemade Salsa
More Toppings
- Grilled Veggies
- Pickled Jalapenos
- Diced Tomatoes
- Shredded Lettuce
- Guacamole
- Sour Cream
How to Serve
Scoop up salsa verde, pico de gallo, or mango salsa with your favorite tortilla chips for a pre-dinner snack, and then serve this shrimp taco recipe alongside a bowl of black beans, rice (if you wish!), and a Fresh Lime & Jalapeno Margarita to spice things up!
How to Store
Shrimp typically tastes best on the same day it was cooked, but it can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days if needed. Because of that, we don’t recommend meal prepping shrimp, but you can certainly save your leftovers! Store each taco component separately, and then assemble your tacos when you’re ready to enjoy them!
What else can I use Greek yogurt for?
TONS of things, actually! This dinner was actually created as a 3-part quick dinner series in which each dinner utilizes the tangy goodness of Greek yogurt! Grab a quart of Stonyfield’s plain Greek yogurt for this shrimp taco dinner and then use the leftover yogurt to make bold Thai Red Curry Buddha Bowls and an easy-peasy Creamy Chicken Piccata later in the week.
We hope you enjoy these easy shrimp tacos on your next taco night – they’ve got so much flavor, so we know won’t be disappointed!
More Favorite Taco Recipes
Easy Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Citrus Sauce
Ingredients
For the Shrimp:
- 1 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp peeled and de-veined
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
For the Cilantro Citrus Sauce
- 2/3 cup Stonyfield whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/4 cup packed cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
For the Tacos:
- 8 corn tortillas warmed
- Shredded purple cabbage for garnish
- 1 avocado sliced, for garnish
- Queso fresco or cotija cheese crumbled, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper, then add the shrimp and toss to coat.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the shrimp, working in 2 batches if needed, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until browned, then flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes, until the shrimp turn white and begin to curl in on themselves, then remove from heat.
- To make the sauce, add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- To serve, spoon the shrimp into corn tortillas, then top with the shredded cabbage, avocado slices, and cotija cheese. Spoon the sauce over top and serve!
Recipe Notes
- For dairy-free: replace the Greek yogurt with mayo, and omit the cheese
- For grain-free: use grain-free tortillas, or serve bowl-style over cauliflower rice
- For Paleo: follow the dairy- and grain-free substitutions above
- For low-carb: serve bowl-style over cauliflower rice
- For low-FODMAP: omit the garlic powder, garlic clove, and follow the dairy-free modifications above.
Nutrition
Thanks for this recipe! And several others that I have tried, too!
My wife has celiac and I am always looking for new GF meals that are different (and easy!) to make, especially those that I can dial up or down for a little more, or less spicy option. I like to mix the basic dry spices and split them in half, with one part getting less heat/strong flavor and the other getting more heat or a stronger spice flavor. With this recipe, I make 2 lbs of shrimp in the same frying pan. The first batch is gets the mild spice mix, the second batch the spicier mix.
The Cilantro Citrus sauce was a really nice counterpoint to the shrimp and went great with the red cabbage, too!
I’m a fan! And for Christmas, I’m buying myself your cookbook! Thanks for being a big help in my kitchen!
Thank you for taking the time to review and share! I love the idea of splitting it up to dial up or down the spice level! I hope that you enjoy the cookbook. Love that this was a special way to gift yourself for the holiday! Thank you for being here! ~Melissa
These tacos were AMAZING!!! 10/10 would recommend! I get nervous cooking seafood – this was my first time cooking shrimp – but it was super simple and easy to do!!