Description
These Grilled Shrimp Tacos are bursting with flavor, featuring juicy shrimp marinated in a smoky, spicy blend and topped with a creamy, tangy mayo sauce. Perfectly charred on the grill and paired with fresh toppings like cabbage, radish, and cilantro, these tacos make a delicious and easy meal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Shrimp
- 1 pound large or extra large shrimp (31/40 size), frozen and thawed
Shrimp Marinade
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Frank’s or Valentina)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Optional Items for Serving
- Coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
- Cotija or feta cheese crumbles
- Lime wedges
- Radish, sliced
- Red onion, sliced
- Corn or wheat taco size tortillas
- Cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Prepare Shrimp: Rinse and pat dry the shrimp. Leave tails on for grilling, but remove after cooking if preferred.
- Marinate Shrimp: In a large bowl, combine minced garlic, lime juice, ground cayenne, smoked paprika, cumin, melted butter, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss the shrimp until fully coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the flavors penetrate.
- Make Spicy Sauce: Mix mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, hot sauce, and onion powder in a bowl. For best results, chill the sauce in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes to allow flavors to blend well.
- Preheat Grill: Heat the grill to medium-high temperature, ensuring it is ready for cooking the shrimp.
- Cook Shrimp: Thread the marinated shrimp onto wooden skewers. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 3 minutes on each side until the shrimp turn opaque and charred slightly. Alternatively, cook shrimp in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side.
- Remove Tails: After cooking, remove the shrimp tails if desired before assembling the tacos.
- Assemble Tacos: Warm the tortillas and layer each with coleslaw or shredded cabbage, radish, red onion, cilantro, and cheese crumbles. Place 3-4 shrimp on each taco and drizzle with the spicy mayonnaise sauce. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling to prevent burning.
- For extra smoky flavor, use smoked paprika and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice after cooking.
- Feel free to swap Greek yogurt for sour cream in the sauce if preferred.
- To make this recipe gluten free, ensure the tortillas are corn-based and all added ingredients comply with gluten free standards.
- Leftover grilled shrimp can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheated gently.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
