These are my favorite shrimp tacos ever with spiced shrimp served on warmed tortillas, topped with crunchy slaw and spicy, creamy jalapeno sauce. So easy to make! Definitely a favorite.
We’re cooking up some amazing Shrimp Tacos in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends, and you’re going to love them.
These aren’t your average shrimp tacos. They’re loaded with bold spices, a fresh crunchy slaw with Fresno chilies, and topped with my irresistible Mexican-style creamy jalapeño sauce (salsa doña), so creamy, zesty, and unbelievably dairy-free.
This sauce truly makes the recipe. Inspired by a cantina in Florida, it took me years to perfect. Now it’s your turn to enjoy it.
Let’s talk about how to make shrimp tacos, shall we?
Shrimp Tacos Ingredients
- FOR THE CRUNCHY SLAW
- Green Cabbage. Red cabbage is good, too, as long as it is nice and crisp.
- Fresno Pepper. Use jalapeno pepper as a substitute.
- Cilantro. Fresh chopped. 1/2 cup or so.
- Lime Juice.
- Champagne Vinegar. Use white vinegar as a substitute.
- Honey. For a touch of sweetness.
- Salt and Pepper. To taste.
- FOR THE SHRIMP TACO SAUCE
- Jalapeno Peppers. Yes, you need jalapenos to make jalapeno sauce.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Neutral Oil. Use corn oil, avocado oil, or a neutral vegetable oil.
- Salt. To taste.
- FOR THE SHRIMP TACOS
Shrimp. Smaller shrimp are easier to work with, as they fit better onto the taco tortillas, but larger shrimp will work, peeled and deveined. Frozen shrimp is fine to use. Just be sure to thaw it. - Seasonings. Garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, cayenne chili powder, white pepper (black pepper is good, too), salt to taste. Try it with your favorite taco seasoning recipe.
- Olive Oil. For cooking.
- Tortillas. I'm using flour tortillas today, but you can use corn tortillas.
- Extra Toppings. Use your favorites. Some suggestions are sliced roasted jalapeno peppers or chiles toreados, chopped avocado, fresh lime juice, sour cream, your favorite hot sauce. Gotta have hot sauce, my friends!
How to Make Shrimp Tacos
MAKE THE SLAW
Toss in a Bowl. Toss together the shredded cabbage, chopped peppers, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, honey and salt in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
MAKE THE SHRIMP TACO SAUCE
Jalapenos and Onion. Slice the stems from the jalapeno peppers and add them to a medium sized pot along with the onion.
Boil. Cover with water and bring to a quick boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the jalapeno peppers soften up.
They will turn dull green and you can pierce them with a fork easily, but do not let them become mushy.
Strain but keep the liquid on hand.
Process the Sauce. Add the boiled jalapenos and onion to a food processor along with the garlic, oil and salt.
Process until very smooth and creamy, about 4-5 minutes. You can drizzle in the oil a bit at a time if you'd like. This helps with the emulsion process, resulting in a slightly creamer jalapeno sauce.
I love this sauce. You won't get it any grocery store.
Adjust the Jalapeno Sauce. If you’d like a thinner sauce, add in a few tablespoons of the reserved boiling water. Taste and adjust for salt.
FOR THE SHRIMP TACOS
Season the Shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry and toss them in a medium bowl with all of the seasonings to coat.
Cook the Shrimp. Heat the oil in a pan to medium high heat and add the shrimp.
Cook gently for 4-5 minutes in a cast iron pan, or until the shrimp are cooked through and lightly charred. Remove from heat.
Assemble the Tacos. Serve the pieces of shrimp onto warmed tortillas, then top with crunchy cabbage slaw and creamy jalapeno sauce.
Don't forget the hot sauce!
Boom! Done! Shrimp tacos are ready to serve! They look so good, don't they? All the crunchy slaw, that spicy, creamy jalapeno sauce. I love these!
This is definitely my favorite shrimp taco recipe by far. I love spicy shrimp tacos.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Marinate the Shrimp. For additional flavor, marinate your shrimp for 10-15 minutes before cooking. Try my flavorful shrimp marinade recipe, which adds in a ton of flavor.
People love this one.
The Crunchy Slaw. I'm using Fresno peppers for this slaw, as they have a nice level of heat similar to a jalapeno pepper, though you can include other peppers to your preference.
Use sweet peppers or bell peppers for a no-heat version.
The Creamy Jalapeno Sauce. This is a recipe from the American Southwest, which is essentially an emulsion of oil with softened peppers.
No cream or Greek yogurt involved.
A neutral oil is ideal here, as the flavors won't interfere with the jalapeno. You can use olive oil, but olive oil often has quite a strong flavor. Try it also with my fiery St. Augustine Heat Hot Sauce.
Storage & Reheating
Store shrimp, slaw, and sauce separately. Refrigerate cooked shrimp up to 3 days, slaw 2 days, and sauce 1 week.
To enjoy the leftovers, reheat the shrimp gently in a skillet or microwave just until warm. Keep tortillas sealed and reheat briefly before serving.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my easy shrimp tacos recipe, especially with the creamy jalapeno sauce. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how they turned out for you.
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
FOR THE SLAW
- 1/2 head small green cabbage shredded
- 1 fresh Fresno pepper chopped (or use a jalapeno)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- Juice from 1 large lime
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar use white vinegar as a substitute
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Sea salt to taste
FOR THE CREAMY JALAPENO SAUCE
- 4 fresh jalapeno peppers
- 1/2 small onion roughly chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup Neutral oil use corn oil, avocado oil, or a neutral vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
FOR THE SHRIMP TACOS
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 flour tortillas warmed (or use corn tortillas)
- EXTRA TOPPINGS: Sliced roasted jalapeno peppers or chiles toreados, chopped avocado, fresh squeezed lime, your favorite hot sauce
Instructions
MAKE THE SLAW
- Toss together the shredded cabbage, chopped peppers, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, honey and salt in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
MAKE THE CREAMY JALAPENO SAUCE
- Slice the stems from the jalapeno peppers and add them to a medium sized pot along with the onion.
- Cover with water and bring to a quick boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the jalapeno peppers soften up. They will turn dull green and you can pierce them with a fork easily, but do not let them become mushy. Strain but keep the liquid on hand.
- Add the boiled jalapenos and onion to a food processor along with the garlic, oil and salt. Process until very smooth and creamy, about 4-5 minutes.
- If you’d like a thinner sauce, add in a few tablespoons of the reserved boiling water.
- Taste and adjust for salt.
MAKE THE SHRIMP TACOS
- Pat the shrimp dry and toss them in a bowl with all of the seasonings to coat.
- Heat the oil in a pan to medium heat and add the shrimp. Cook gently for 4-5 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through. Remove from heat.
- Serve the pieces of shrimp onto warmed tortillas, then top with crunchy cabbage slaw and creamy jalapeno sauce. Don't forget the hot sauce!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 10/22/25 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 11/24/21.
Sandy says
I made these shrimp tacos last night. They are delicious! Will be making again and again. I will share the recipe, too! Too good to keep to myself!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes!! Thanks for sharing, Sandy!! I love to hear it. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!