Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Bacon Slaw

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These shrimp tacos are a flavor explosion! They strike the perfect balance between spicy shrimp, crisp and tangy slaw, and creamy avocado. With so much flavor, I guarantee you’ll make this shrimp taco recipe again and again!

Shrimp tacos on a plate next to avocado

Are you ready for the best shrimp tacos ever? You know I’m a fan of shrimp recipes, but I’ll be honest, these shrimp tacos might just be my favorite. They satisfy my cravings for spicy Mexican flavors, are approachable enough for an easy weeknight dinner, and will hit the spot as a crowd pleaser. I’d say that’s an unbeatable combo!

Just season your shrimp, give them a quick saute, and whip up a mouthwatering cilantro lime bacon coleslaw. A drizzle of lime crema takes them over the top for a seriously delicious taco. And if you’re thinking about a full fiesta spread, keep reading for delicious Mexican recipes to add to the table (yes, that includes my best ever guacamole of course).

Ingredients for shrimp tacos with cilantro lime slaw on a table

Shrimp Taco Ingredients

There’s really two components to this recipe – the seasoned shrimp, and the slaw. Those two items then get piled into warmed tortillas, along with avocado slices, my favorite lime crema, and an extra squeeze of lime juice!

Spicy Shrimp

  • Shrimp: I prefer large or jumbo shrimp for this recipes, but really, any size will work. You can check also out my garlic grilled shrimp skewer recipe for tons of tips on how to shop for shrimp.
  • Seasoning: All you need is chipotle powder, cumin powder, salt, and pepper for spicy shrimp with a kick!  
  • Olive Oil: Just a little bit helps the seasoning stick to the shrimp.

Cilantro Lime Bacon Slaw

  • Bacon: Just follow my oven baked bacon recipe for easy, crispy bacon.
  • Green Cabbage: Green or red cabbage will work!
  • Cilantro Leaves: Cilantro make for the perfect pairing with lime.
  • Olive Oil & Lime Juice: Brings this slaw to life with fresh, zesty flavor!

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Sauteeing seasoned shrimp for shrimp tacos

How to Make Shrimp Tacos

All it takes is a little prep work and some quick (really quick) cooking. Here’s what to do:

  1. Cook the bacon. Lay the bacon on a sheet pan and pop it in the oven at 400F for 18-20 min. 
  2. Make the slaw. While the bacon is cooking, thinly slice the cabbage and add it to a mixing bowl, along with the chopped cilantro. Once the bacon is cooked and cooled, crumble that into the bowl along with the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper, and stir it all together. 
  3. Prep the shrimp. In a separate mixing bowl, add the shrimp, olive oil and spices, and toss together. 
  4. Cook the shrimp. Heat a sauté pan on medium heat and cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. You can also grill the shrimp for extra char! 
  5. Assembly time. Assemble the tacos by adding a spoonful of slaw to a tortilla, topping with several pieces of shrimp, a few slices of avocado, and if you’d like, a drizzle of lime crema. 
Shrimp tacos in the center of a table next to tortillas, avocado, and lime crema.

What to Serve with Shrimp Tacos

While these tacos are delicious on their own, it doesn’t hurt to add a few additional sides. Round out your Mexican meal with: 

How to Store and Reheat

Let’s be honest, these shrimp tacos are best fresh and there’s rarely leftovers. But if you do happen to have some, you can store the shrimp in the fridge for up to 3 days. And you can store the slaw separately for 3-5 days in the fridge.

To reheat, simply heat the shrimp up in the microwave for 30 seconds or so and assemble your tacos. 

A plate of shrimp tacos with cilantro lime slaw.

More Easy Shrimp Recipes

When it comes to light, fresh, and healthy meals, I can always count on shrimp to check the boxes. Here’s a few weeknight favorites to try!

Two shrimp tacos on a plate with cilantro lime slaw.

Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Bacon Slaw

4.97 from 57 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 tacos
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

These shrimp tacos are a flavor explosion! They strike the perfect balance between spicy shrimp, crisp and slaw, and creamy avocado. I guarantee you'll make this shrimp taco recipe again and again!

Video

Ingredients 
 

Shrimp

Slaw

  • 8 ounces bacon
  • ¼ medium green cabbage, core removed and thinly sliced
  • 2 cups (not packed) cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • salt and pepper, to taste

To Assemble & Garnish

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the bacon on top. Cook the bacon for 18-20 minutes, or until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to dry, then crumble into pieces.
    Baking bacon on a sheet pan for shrimp tacos.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the cabbage, crumbled bacon, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.
    Cilantro lime slaw in a bowl for shrimp tacos
  • In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the raw shrimp, chipotle powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and olive oil, until well coated.
  • Heat a sauté pan on medium heat and cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Alternatively, you can grill the shrimp.
  • Assemble the tacos by adding several pieces of shrimp and topping with a spoonful of slaw, a few slices of avocado, and a drizzle of lime crema.
    Shrimp tacos on a plate with lime crema.

Lisa’s Tips

  • If you’d like an alternative to the lime crema, give my chipotle sauce a try! 
  • When it comes to spices I’m a big fan of Simply Organic.

Nutrition

Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 845mg | Potassium: 350mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 3mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: shrimp taco recipe, shrimp tacos
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

Recipe originally posted September 2016, but updated to include new information. 

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

4.97 from 57 votes (1 rating without comment)

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139 Comments

  1. AMAZING!! Made this for friends and we all loved it! I forgot to buy bacon for the slaw but it was incredible regardless! The lime crema on top was amazing. Thank you Lisa!! – also please use her recipes! Tried and true and not AI!!!!5 stars

    1. Thanks so much, Keren! I’m so happy you enjoyed these shrimp tacos. And yes, definitely tried and true by a real human! Haha. ;)

  2. Our new favorite tacos and so easy to make! Even with the slaw and lime crema, it really only took 30 minutes.5 stars

  3. Just made them for dinner today. Delicious. The lime crema was to die for, I can see myself making a huge amount to use on pretty much everything!5 stars

  4. My husband and I loved these. I made the lime crema with kite hill dairy free sour cream and we grilled the shrimp. Thank you for sharing5 stars

  5. This is the best shrimp tacos recipe I have ever tasted!! My family LOVES it, even my 1.5 year old little baby is opening her little mouth sooo big to eat such a delicious combination of flavors….I highly recommend it! Much better than in a restaurant!!!5 stars

  6. I made this yesterday, along with your carnitas, guacamole, pico and lime crema! Everyone loved all of it! Definitely all keeper recipes! 5 stars

  7. So delicious! another family favorite. The slaw added something different, and we loved the cilantro lime flavor. I was surprised that my daughter took the leftover to school the next day for her lunch!4 stars

  8. I substituted downshiftology chipotle sauce instead of crema to top the tacos, and it was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Made it for a work group and everyone loved it a lot. Can’t wait to make again!5 stars

  9. OMG! This was amaaaaazing! I’m in Australia, and am not particularly familiar with Mexican flavours. But I had coriander (pretty much gone to seed) in the vege garden, a random bit of savoy cabbage in the fridge, some frozen prawns and, surprisingly, the rest of the ingredients. 
    So good!!! Thank you 😊 

  10. I enjoyed how easy the recipe was as I’m trying to teach my boyfriend how to cook in the kitchen. He was able to assist with 1/2 of the recipe which I know feels good when learning something new. The flavor of the dish was perfect, not too spicy but not too mild either. We paired it with street corn which worked great. I think it does need a little something more and will try with the chipotle crema recipe mentioned for next time.4 stars

  11. Yum! Love shrimp tacos but your bacon slaw totally takes these over the edge. A new staple in our house.5 stars

  12. It’s the slaw that really puts these tacos into a different category. I actually used veggie bacon to make it a little healthier and it still turned out great. I also mistakenly threw away the lime before I could zest it. I guess it takes a great recipe with great flavors to be so forgiving!5 stars

  13. Tried these with shrimp a couple of weeks ago and the grandchildren gobbled them up like there was no tomorrow! Today we made them with chicken and added your pickled onions. Oh my, I thought we were in heaven. Thanks for these great recipes!

    Posting pic on Instagram5 stars

  14. This recipe was easy and a big hit with the whole family. Very flavorful. Used Trader Joe frozen red Argentianian shrimp and also Trader Joe Everything but the Elote seasoning blend as we like it a little less spicy. Will definitely make again – delicious! The bacon cabbage mix was yum.5 stars

  15. Is there a good substitute for the lime crema topping? My family is dairy free and also my kids don’t like anything too spicy. Thank you!