Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Tacos
By Lena Abraham
Approved by the Delish Test Kitchen

Yields:
4 serving(s)
Total Time:
35 mins
Cal/Serv:
477
Ready to switch up the classic fish tacos? Upgrade the staple summer dinner with these cilantro-lime shrimp tacos! The combination of avocado slaw, marinated shrimp, and garlic-lime mayo makes for a seriously delicious taco. Serve 'em up with a margarita and extra hot sauce on the side, and you’ve got an easy dinner to come back to again and again.
The tortillas.
We use corn tortillas in this recipe, but if you prefer flour, you can use that instead! Whatever you choose, we like toasting our tortillas over the open flame on our stove. The char gives them a little smoky flavor, warms them up, and makes them more pliable. If you’ve got one, you can also heat your tortillas in a hot cast iron skillet.
The shrimp.
Since these shrimp are going in a taco, it's really best that they're totally free of shells. But, if you bought them with the shells & tail on, don’t stress! Removing the shell and tail from shrimp is actually super easy. To do it, place your thumbs on the underside of the shrimp (where the legs are) and pull the shell away from the body. The tail can also be pulled off, but do it gently to preserve as much meat as possible.
Next comes the vein. *Technically* you can eat the vein, but it can make things a little gritty so we prefer to remove it. Using a paring knife, make a thin incision next to the vein, then use the tip of your knife to remove it.
The sauce.
The true winner of these shrimp tacos? The garlic-lime mayo.You only need 4 ingredients (plus salt) to make it: mayo, hot sauce, lime zest, and garlic powder. It’s the perfect pairing for our shrimp and cabbage slaw, and tbh, would go just as well on almost any of your favorite tacos. For the hot sauce, feel free to use your favorite! In the test kitchen, we like Cholula or Tapatio, but Tabasco or even Sriracha would also be delicious.
Made this recipe? Tell us how you feel (and give us a star rating!) below!
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Ingredients
For the tacos
Juice of 3 limes
- 2 Tbsp.
freshly chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 2
garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp.
cumin
- 1 Tbsp.
olive oil
Zest of 1 lime
Kosher salt
- 1 lb.
shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8
Tortillas, warmed, for serving
For the cabbage slaw
- 1 cup
shredded green cabbage
- 1/4 cup
cilantro
- 1/4
red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2
avocado, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lime
- 1 Tbsp.
extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
For the garlic-lime mayo
- 1/3 cup
Duke's Mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp.
hot sauce
Zest of 1 lime
- 1/2 tsp.
garlic powder
Kosher salt
Directions
- Step 1 In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, olive oil, lime zest and season with salt. Add shrimp and cover with plastic wrap. Let marinate 20 minutes in refrigerator.
- Step 2Make slaw: in a large bowl combine all slaw ingredients. Toss gently to combine and season with salt.
- Step 3Make garlic-lime mayo: in a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Whisk and season with salt.
- Step 4Preheat grill or grill pan to medium heat. Grill shrimp until pink and opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Step 5Build tacos: add a scoop of slaw, a few shrimp, and a drizzle of the garlic-lime mayo to each taco. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
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