Keeping ingredients simple and fresh guarantees the mild sweet flavor of the shrimp shines. These easy shrimp tacos are made with spicy seasoned shrimp, sauteed mushrooms, crunchy cabbage and finished with a luscious pineapple adobo sauce = The best shrimp tacos recipe.
Easy shrimp tacos are a perfect choice for Taco Tuesday or any weeknight meal. Juicy fried shrimp wrapped in a warm corn tortilla and drizzled with a spicy creamy tropical sauce = yes please.
To make this recipe even easier, purchase shrimp that have been peeled, deveined and tails removed. You’re just one step closer to easy shrimp tacos.
The sauce for these shrimp tacos is simply mayo, sour cream, canned chipotle peppers, lime and pineapple. Using a food processor to blend the ingredients makes this a quick fix. Fresh with tropical flavors, it’s a delicious fish taco sauce.
Simple Shrimp Taco Ingredients
With just a few pantry staples, you can serve up delicious taqueria-style street Mexican shrimp tacos in about 30 minutes. With shrimp tacos, less is always more. Simple in ingredients and big in flavor.
- Shrimp: Making shrimp tacos with frozen shrimp is the normal for us in Colorado. If you buy thawed shrimp from the seafood counter, more than likely it’s been frozen and been thawed for your convenience. And usually a bit more pricey for that reason. So unless you live on the coast and are fortunate enough to have access to fresh caught shrimp, buying a package of frozen shrimp is your best bet. And look for peel and eat shrimp that’s deveined. It will save you so much time. And better yet, shrimp that are peeled, deveined and tails removed.
- Mushrooms: Vegetables play a big part in Mexican cooking. Such as Swiss Chard like I used in my Swiss Chard Vegetarian Tacos. And yes, mushrooms are included in many Mexican Shrimp Taco Recipes. White button mushrooms are easy to find, baby Portabello mushrooms will work here.
- Cabbage: The cabbage used in this recipe is mostly to add a little crunch and a lot of decoration. A little goes a long way here as cabbage has a strong flavor.
- Pineapple: Pineapple is used to make the quick sauce for these shrimp tacos.
- Mayonnaise
- Sour Cream: I like to use Mexican Crema for this recipe. It’s thinner and tangier in flavor.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: Another ingredient for the creamy topping.
- Spices: New Mexico Red Chile Powder, preferably Chimayo Chile Powder, salt and pepper are used as taco seasoning for the shrimp before cooking.
- Avocado: Optional. I always have avocados in my kitchen and hardly a taco hits our dinner table without a slice.
- Corn Tortillas: Either white corn or yellow corn tortillas work well here.
Ingredients Swaps and Substitutions
- Cabbage: Swap out iceberg lettuce for the cabbage. Slice it ribbony thin.
- Pineapple: Use mango in place of pineapple. Super sweet, it will make a good sauce for shrimp tacos.
- Red Chile Powder: If you don’t have access to New Mexico Red Chile Powder, use Ancho Chile Powder. It’s medium in heat and easier to find.
- Mayonnaise: Use non-fat Greek Yogurt in place of mayo to save on fat calories. You’ll still have very flavorful creamy shrimp tacos, and healthy shrimp tacos.
- Tortillas: You can make these shrimp tacos with flour or corn tortillas.
- Chipotle Chiles in Adobo: Instead of using canned chipotle peppers, substitute 1/2 teaspoon of Chipotle Chile Powder. Taste and sprinkle on more to adjust for your heat tolerance for spicy shrimp.
How To Make Shrimp Tacos
Making these Mexican Shrimp Tacos is quick and easy. Let’s start with the sauce for shrimp tacos using easy ingredients and a food processor.
Step 1: Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotle peppers in adobo, fresh lime juice, and fresh pineapple in a food processor. I found that my mini-chopper had enough room to make this sauce. Blend until smooth.
Set the sauce aside and make the Mexican shrimp tacos.
- Step 1: Season the Shrimp with New Mexico Red Chile Powder, preferably Chimayo Chile Powder, and season both the shrimp and sliced mushrooms with salt and pepper.
- Step 2: Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add one tablespoon oil. Once the oil is shimmering add the sliced mushrooms. Let them cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the shrimp and cook for about two minutes, or until shrimp are cooked through.
- Step 3: Warm the tortillas by either toasting them individually on a hot dry comal, or by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving for three minutes on 50% power, or even warming them on a sheet pan in the oven. You simply can’t just take corn tortillas out of the package and use them. If using flour tortillas, place them on a plate in the microwave and cook for about 30 seconds to warm and make them more soft and pliable. You can also wrap flour tortillas in foil and place then in a 200 degree oven while you make the tacos.
- Step 4: Build the tacos by placing a small amount of shredded green cabbage on the bottom of the warmed taco shells. Add the shrimp and mushroom mixture and serve, serving the sauce on the side or drizzling the sauce over the tacos. Garnish with more cabbage, add a wedge of lime for squeezing, some avocado and chopped fresh cilantro.
Toppings for Shrimp Tacos
To keep these shrimp tacos simple, keep those topping simple. You don’t want to mask the flavor of the shrimp but simply enhance the flavor and texture.
For this recipe, just a drizzle of the slightly sweet, slightly spicy and creamy texture of the pineapple salsa is fresh compliment to the shrimp. All you need to finish is:
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice.
- A sprinkle of chopped cilantro, and
- A thin wedge of avocado.
- A sprinkle of Cotija cheese is alway a welcome topping.
FAQ’s and Tips
As with any protein, best practices tell us to pat meat with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Doing so will insure a nice sear on the surface of the shrimp.
Shrimp cook very quickly. Depending on the size, and if the pan is heated properly, they cook in 2 – 4 minutes. In Culinary School we were taught: straight shrimp are undercooked, shrimp curled into a “C” are done, shrimp closed in a tight curl are overcooked. Also pay close attention to the color of the shrimp. As soon as the thickest part of the shrimp turns from translucent to opaque, the shrimp is done. Remove from heat immediately to avoid over cooking.
Instant Pot Refried Beans
Chips and Mexican Salsa
Cowboy Beans
Paloma Cocktail
I hardly ever use an entire package of flour or corn tortillas. The good news is that they both freeze very well. Just seal them good and freeze for up to two months. I like sliding the package of tortillas, still in their purchased wrapper, then sliding that package into a freezer safe zip lock bag. Squeeze the air out and freeze.
The Best Mexican Shrimp Tacos Recipe
Related Recipes
- Shrimp Tacos on Lettuce with Lime Dressing
- Green Chile Shrimp Quesadillas
- Mexican Shrimp Burritos Con Queso
- Campechana, Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- Easy Weeknight Grilled Fish Tacos
And if you’re looking for more Mexican food recipes, don’t miss my Mexican Southwest Category. You’ll find lots of South of the Border meal ideas including the most popular on my site for Hatch Green Chili with Pork.
Best Shrimp Tacos Recipe with Pineapple Adobo Sauce
Ingredients
- For The Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup Mexican Crema or Sour Cream
- 2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce plus a little of the sauce
- 1 cup chopped pineapple fresh
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- For The Tacos
- 1 pound Shrimp peeled, deveined and tails removed
- 1 pint sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon Red Chile Powder New Mexico (Chimayo preferred) or Ancho Chile Powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Toppings: Lime wedges, cilantro, avocado
- 12 Corn tortillas I like to use two corn tortillas per taco.
Instructions
- For The Shrimp Taco Sauce: Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotle peppers in adobo, lime juice, and fresh pineapple in a food processor. I found that my mini-chopper had enough room to make this sauce. Blend until smooth.
- For the Shrimp Tacos: Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Season the Shrimp with New Mexico Red Chile Powder, preferably Chimayo Chile Powder, and season both the shrimp and sliced mushrooms with salt and pepper.
- Heat a fry pan over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil is shimmering add the sliced mushrooms. Let them cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked through.
- Warm the tortillas by either toasting them on a hot dry comal, or wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 3 minutes on 50% power, or warming them on a sheet pan in the oven. You simply can't just take corn tortillas out of the package and use them. If using flour tortillas, place them on a plate in the microwave and cook for about 30 seconds to warm and make them more soft and pliable.
- Build the tacos by placing a small amount of shredded cabbage on the bottom of the warmed taco shells. I like to use two corn tortillas per taco, street taco style. Add the shrimp and mushroom mixture and serve serving the sauce on the side or drizzling the sauce over the tacos. Garnish with more cabbage, add a wedge of lime for squeezing, some avocado and cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
The Best Mexican Shrimp Tacos … It’s What’s for Dinner
Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever had pineapple and adobo. With or without shrimp. Neat flavor combo — gotta try this. Thanks!
Years ago I feel in love with the combination of chipotle adobo sauce and pineapple. Out of curiosity I dipped a spear of fresh pineapple in the adobo sauce and was instantly in love. So I can easily imagine how absolutely delicious these tacos are! Fabulous looking plate of tacos.
We like seafood tacos and your shrimp version looks delicious and the sauce sounds perfect for them.