Taco night just got FUN! This delicious twist on tacos will knock your socks off. These Shrimp Tacos are EASY (done in 30 minutes!) and you can add either no spice or a lot of spice. You will want to drizzle the Cilantro Lime Sauce all over everything you see.
One of the first things my cute hubby and I bonded over was Mexican food and drink. We enjoyed spicy food and margaritas together on most of our first handful of dates. Taco Dip, Guacamole, Grapefruit Lime Margaritas.. we enjoyed it all and so much more. Still now, many years later, our favorite type of food to eat together has some sort of Mexican flavor.
We make tacos a lot at home, but usually with chicken or beef. I was giddy about making Shrimp Tacos because it was something different, totally easy and healthy, too! This recipe is going into my dinner rotation, which is saying a lot considering I rarely make the same meal twice (occupational issue). These are perfect for a weeknight meal or a large gathering with lots of people.
HOW TO MAKE THIS SHRIMP TACO RECIPE WITH CREAMY CILANTRO LIME SAUCE
MAKE THE SAUCE
In a food processor or blender, combine the sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, green onions, salt and pepper. Process/puree until creamy. Pour into a container, cover and chill until ready to serve.
MAKE THE TACOS
Place the shrimp in a rimmed, shallow pan or a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over top of the shrimp and toss to coat. Season shrimp by spooning the taco seasoning evenly over tops, ensuring all surfaces are coated. Let sit in pan for 5 minutes.
Pour the contents of the pan into a large skillet. Cook the shrimp in skillet over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes, or until shrimp are heated through. Transfer to a serving bowl (include liquid).
Place soft flour or corn tortillas on plates and top with shrimp, cheese (if using), tomatoes, lettuce, red cabbage, onions, guacamole, jalapenos (if using) and salsa. Squeeze fresh lime juice over tops, if desired, top with cilantro and the Cilantro Lime Sauce and serve with extra lime wedges!
RECIPE NOTES
- I omitted the cheese from our version of Shrimp Tacos because the Cilantro Lime Sauce added the perfect amount of flavor.
- For a healthier sauce, replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
- You can add tons of jalapenos and/or use spicy salsa for a super-spicy taco or you can omit the jalapenos and use a mild salsa for a mild taco. You can also add diced green chiles or chili powder for extra spice.
- Add guacamole or salsa, or both, as toppings! Go crazy with lettuce, tomatoes and onions. The stars of this recipe are the shrimp and the Cilantro Lime Sauce. Everything else is icing on the cake. Or, uh, toppings on the taco.
- Great options for cheeses for tacos: cheddar, mozzarella, pepperjack or cotija cheese.
- Garlic powder or fresh garlic would be a great addition to the shrimp.
USES FOR CILANTRO LIME SAUCE
- Use as a creamy dressing on any leafy salad.
- Pour it over steamed or roasted veggies.
- Top scrambled or fried eggs with it!
- Use it as a dipping sauce for grilled chicken or steak bites.
- Pour it over your next batch of tacos.
- Use it as a spread on your next sandwich.
USES FOR TACO SEASONING
If you grow tired of taco meat, we need to have a chat. Kidding, but here are a few other ideas for ways to use taco seasoning.
- Stir it into any creamy dip (yum).
- Really, you could add it to just about any meat-based meal to transform it into a tasty, spicy food. I’m thinking meatballs, burgers or even chicken.
- Add it to salad dressing for an extra zing.
OTHER FAVORITE HOMEMADE SAUCES!
I’m obsessed with making savory homemade sauces! Down with store bought! Here are a handful of my favorites that you are sure to fall in love with. These all make for great gifts, too!
- Enchilada Sauce – Homemade Enchilada Sauce is more delicious than anything you can buy at the store and it is super easy to make. It only requires a handful of ingredients and is done in 15 minutes, with perfect flavor and consistency.
- Alfredo Sauce – Homemade Alfredo Sauce is super easy to make, done in under 10 minutes.
- Arby’s Sauce – A copycat recipe of the famous Arby’s Sauce that makes sandwiches sing! This zingy flavorful BBQ style sauce is so delicious
- Pizza Sauce – This homemade pizza sauce takes less than 25 minutes to make!
- Pasta Sauce – Spaghetti Sauce is super easy, meaty and hearty when made in an Instant Pot. Using a pressure cooker to cook pasta sauce makes it flavorful and quick to prepare, but tastes like is has simmered on the stove all day.
- Taco Sauce – Make your own taco sauce to use in a variety of Mexican dishes, such as tacos, burritos and taco salads. Ditch the store-bought version so you know EXACTLY what goes inside! Make homemade taco sauce with a handful of ingredients and in just a few minutes.
Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Sauce
- 8 oz sour cream
- 2 limes juiced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 cloves garlic quartered
- 1/4 cup green onions sliced
- salt/pepper
Tacos
- 1 lb shrimp tail-on, pre-cooked and thawed
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning 2-3 tbsp
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded, optional
- 2 large tomatoes chopped
- 2 cups lettuce chopped
- 1 cup red cabbage shredded
- 1 bunch green onions sliced
- 1 cup guacamole prepared
- jalapenos sliced, optional
- 1/2 cup salsa of choice
- 8 small flour tortillas
- lime wedges and cilantro for serving
Instructions
Make The Sauce
- In a food processor or blender, combine the sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, green onions, salt and pepper. Process/puree until creamy. Pour into a container, cover and chill until ready to serve.
Make The Tacos
- Place the shrimp in a rimmed, shallow pan. Drizzle the olive oil over top of the shrimp and toss to coat. Spoon the taco seasoning evenly over the shrimp, making sure all surfaces are coated. Let sit in pan for 5 minutes.
- Pour the contents of the pan into a large skillet. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or until shrimp are heated through. Transfer to a serving bowl (include liquid).
- Place tortillas on plates and top with shrimp, cheese (if using), tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, onions, guacamole, jalapenos (if using) and salsa. Squeeze lime juice over tops, if desired, top with cilantro and the Cilantro Lime Sauce and serve!
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