Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa
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Fire up the grill for these easy shrimp tacos, packed with succulent grilled shrimp and spicy avocado salsaāperfect for any casual summer gathering.
Filled with succulent grilled shrimp and spicy avocado salsa, these shrimp tacos are one of my go-to summer shrimp recipes. They are perfect for a laid-back weeknight dinner or a casual cookouts with friends. Not only do they deliver great flavor, but they are also healthy and fun. Although you can prepare most of the recipe ahead of time, it comes together so effortlessly that there’s really no need to. Just fire up the grill and arrange all the fixings, then let everyone assemble their own tacos. And since you’re eating with your hands already, complete the meal with some freshly boiled corn on the cob or grilled Mexican street corn.
What You’ll Need To Make Grilled Shrimp Tacos
- As with all of my shrimp recipes, I recommend buying frozen shrimp labeled āshell split and deveined.ā Most shrimp are cleaned and flash-frozen shortly after being caught, so the āfreshā shrimp you see in the seafood case at the supermarket is typically thawed frozen shrimp. Who knows how long itās been sitting there, so you’re better off buying frozen and defrosting it yourself.
- Some brands of corn tortillas can be dry. For store-bought, I recommend Mission Super-Soft Corn Tortillas. If youād like to make your own (itās really easy!), check out my recipe for homemade corn tortillas.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the avocado salsa. For the jalapeƱo pepper, I cut the flesh off of the seeds, ribs, and stem, leaving the spiciest part of the pepper behind. If you like more heat, throw in some of the seeds. (When working with jalapeƱos, avoid touching your eyes and wash your hands well afterwards.) Combine the jalapeƱo pepper with the shallot and garlic in a food processor.
Process until finely minced.
Add the mixture to a bowl along with the avocado, tomato, salt, lime juice and chopped cilantro.
Stir to combine. When you taste it, you might worry that it’s too spicy but, rest assured, it’ll be perfect combined with the shrimp and fixins in the tacos. It’s not intended to be eaten on its own like guacamole.
Next, prepare the shrimp by combining it with the olive oil, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper.
Toss until evenly combined.
Grill the shrimp over medium heat. The reason I use large shrimp for this recipe is so that they don’t fall through the grates. If you’re worried your shrimp will slip through, you can always thread them on skewers or just cook them indoors in a skillet. Either way, be careful not to overcook them — they only need a minute or two per side. You’ll know they’re done when they look opaque and start to curl into a more-closed āCā shape.
Finally, heat the tortillas on the grill or in the microwave, and assemble the tacos with all the fixings.
You May Also Like
- Street Style Shrimp Tacos with Corn & Bacon
- Grilled Chicken Fajitas
- Tex-Mex Beef Tacos
- Best Carne Asada
- Margaritas
- Baja Fish Tacos
Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa
Fire up the grill for these easy shrimp tacos, packed with succulent grilled shrimp and spicy avocado salsaāperfect for any casual summer gathering.
Ingredients
For the Salsa
- 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeƱo pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 tomato, seeded and diced
- 1 avocado, pitted and diced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from half a lime
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
For the Shrimp
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Scant ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1½ pounds large (31/35) or extra large (26/30) shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and tail removed, thawed if frozen
For Assembling
- 8 to 10 six-inch corn or flour tortillas
- 2 cups chopped red cabbage, for serving
- 2 limes, cut into wedges, for serving
- 1 cup sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Make the Salsa: Put the shallot, jalapeƱo pepper, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until finely chopped (a mini food processor is best, but large will work too) Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the chopped tomatoes, avocado, salt, lime juice, and cilantro to the bowl and stir to combine. Set aside. (If not using right away, see the make-ahead instructions below.)
- Make the Shrimp: Heat the grill to medium. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the olive oil, chili powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and shrimp. Mix until the shrimp are evenly coated with seasoning. Grease the grill with a wad of paper towels dipped in vegetable oil or non-flammable cooking spray. Place the shrimp on the grill and cook, covered, until just opaque, 1½ to 2 minutes per side. Place the shrimp on a serving platter and cover to keep warm. (I use large shrimp for this recipe so that they donāt fall through the grates. If youāre worried your shrimp will slip through, you can always thread them on skewers or cook them indoors in a skillet on medium heat.)
- Grill the tortillas until warm and slightly charred, about 20 seconds per side. (Alternatively, heat the tortillas in the microwave according to the package instructions.)
- Fill each tortilla with a spoonful of the avocado salsa, 3 shrimp, and some red cabbage; pass the lime wedges and sour cream at the table. Alternatively, set the warm tortillas, grilled shrimp, avocado salsa, and fixings on the table for everyone to assemble their own tacos.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The avocado salsa can be made up to 8 hours ahead of time; place a piece of saran wrap inside the bowl and directly over the mixture to prevent discoloration and refrigerate. The shrimp can be tossed with the oil and seasoning, covered, and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead of time.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 517
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Sugar: 7g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 30g
- Sodium: 1075mg
- Cholesterol: 244mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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The most delicious shrimp tacos! I served this dish at a family gathering and everyone was asking for the recipe.
Simple and delicious! One of my favorite quick weeknight meals.
These are a favourite in our house…my husband will always suggest them if we are having a special gathering for a meal. The homemade corn tortillas make it even better. We are still working on perfecting the tortillas but it is always a fun event as it becomes quite the crew in the kitchen making the tortillas. Thank you for all your great recipes. You are always my first stop in menu planning and I am looking forward to your next cookbook!
These were awesome! I used candied jalapenos and it worked well.
I love the combination of flavors in this recipe. I made it exactly like the recipe and it turned out perfect! Definitely a keeper.
Super easy & flavorful recipe. The avocado salsa is phenomenal. This one has become a family favorite. Great with some corn on the cob.
This meal is one of our favorites to make in the summer! We love the avocado salsa so much that we make a double batch – some for the tacos, then extra to eat with chips. It is light, fresh, and the grilled shrimp are very flavorful.
One tip: not sure if it was just me, but I was confused when it said one shallot – was that one bulb or the entire shallot (which usually has two bulbs)? I would say one bulb is sufficient, otherwise the onion flavors are overpowering.
Overall, five star recipe! Good enough for company, but easy enough for a weeknight. Definitely make the extra avocado salsa – you won’t regret it!
This is a go to easy weeknight dinner. Sometimes I’ll cheat and buy store made pico and guacamole which keeps dinner prep very quick, but I never skip the shrimp spices as they come out perfect.
New family favorite! Such an easy and quick week night dinner with tons of flavor. We add your lime cream and absolutely love these tacos.
I have made this several times with the best results. I add a few red pepper flakes to kick up the heat. This recipe always pleases.
My family loves tacos and I usually make the more traditional beef tacos. But this was such a great addition to our family meal rotation. Even the kids that don’t like shrimp loved this taco. I love the spice and tanginess of the recipe. I’m not a huge fan of avocado but my family loves them. Even I was able to enjoy tacos with this delicious avocado salsa….it had so much flavour. Thank you again for such a great twist to tacos.
Delicious and healthy!
Healthy and Delicious! Bursting with flavors. I will definitely make this again.
You make me look like I know what Iām doing. This is such an excellent recipe – quick, easy, and absolutely delicious,
These tacos were amazing! We prepared the shrimp per the recipe but added a small amount of Bbq sauce during grilling for a touch of sweetness. That salsa is excellent! We forgot to use the cabbage but the tacos didn’t even need it. Can’t wait to make them again!
Thanks for sharing this delicious dish! It was so easy to grill the shrimp – I had no idea. The shrimp turned out super tasty! The avocado salsa was so exceptional that we finished it – with shrimp left over…so next time I will double the avocado salsa directions. Literally cannot wait to make this again; especially in the summer when the fresh vegetables are available.
They were delicious and easy. The avocado salsa is super flavourful. I doubled the salsa and there wasnāt any left. I also made a Chili, lime creama to serve instead of the sour cream as Iām not a huge fan of plain sour cream. Excellent!
I am going to make these tonight. Could I use arugula in place of the cabbage? My daughter can’t eat cabbage.
Arugula is not quite as sturdy as cabbage, but it should definitely work. Hope you enjoy! š
these were great!
This was da bomb! Thanks Jenn!
This was excellent! My husband gave it a 2 thumbs up. I’ll be making this again and again.
Made this the other night it was awesome, no leftovers. I had never made shells before and it wasn’t that hard but more practice is in order.
Soooo good! Great flavors. My family loved it. I used a whole jalapeno with all the seeds and ribs. It had the perfect amount of kick for my family. Will definitely be added to the dinner rotation. Thanks Jen!
Followed this recipe to a T with a few changes:
1) omitted jalapeno for my kids
2) I found that food processor is not needed, I just hand minced/diced the ingredients
3) I used Jen’s sauce recipe that she uses on her Baja fish tacos in addition to and in some of my tacos I used it in place of the sour cream
It was my first time making shrimp tacos and came out great! I will make again and add diced mangoes š
Thank you!
This recipe is fantastic! Perfect amount of spice, both the shrimp and the salsa. I made a watermelon, basil and balsamic vinegar salad on the side, added just a touch of coolness to the spice. Thank you!
Best Tacos I have ever had! Easy and love āthe make aheadādirections. I have served these to guests many times and shared the recipe. Lots of raves and ease allows me to enjoy my company.
We really enjoyed this. I thought I needed to bulk out this meal with a salad so made the black bean – chipotle salad but only one son ate that too. This meal was fast, nutritious, and delicious. A keeper!!
Another fabulous Jenn recipe! So easy to make and it really does feel like it’s from a high-end restaurant. Caught my wife (twice) eating the avocado salsa before I could even start making the shrimp for the tacos.
Made these tonight, as like all of Jenās recipes this was awesome! My husband asked for it to be put on the ārotationā lol. Thanks Jen! Oh btw I didnāt have a shallot, just used some diced red onion.
Jenn . . . Could I substitute pickled red onions for the red cabbage or would the pickling not work well with the salsa?? Thank you!
Hi Edie, I think it’d be delicious.
Hi Jenn could I use this recipe but in fish? My husband wants fish tacos for Fatherās Day but doesnāt want them fried he wants them grilled? Thanks so much
Sure, Melissa – that should work!
This was tasty! If I make it again I’ll omit the garlic because I felt it overpowered the salsa; the shallots have enough of a hint of garlic on their own. I’d also put the cabbage into the tortilla first to act as a barrier between the salsa and tortilla. Our tortillas had a tendency to fall apart from the moisture in the salsa. Just a couple of tweaks would make this a little better in my opinion.
I followed your advice on the cabbage bed, perfect!
Hi I got recipe I’m going to make it this evening
Absolutely delicious. Perfect in every way. Paired with Corona & Lime along with some Hank Williams Jr. Great way to forget about what’s going on and enjoy the beautiful weather.
Thanks for sharing this!!!
This was the first recipe I made from your site. It was simple and super delicious! Iām a novice cook and can get frustrated when I spend a lot of time making dishes that turn out subpar. Now that Iāve found your site, Iām looking forward to trying more recipes and hopefully becoming a better and happier cook! Thanks for such clear, step by step instructions – theyāre much appreciated. š
Glad you enjoyed these — happy to have you as part of the Once Upon a Chef community! š
Bought a tortilla press because of this recipe. WINNER!
An easy recipe that tastes & looks like something youād get in a high end restaurant! I toasted the tortillas in a skillet to give it a bit more texture. Delicious!!
I just have to say that everything that I’ve made up to this point has been amazing! I just made the shrimp tacos and will have to go back to the store to get more ingredients to make again. I followed it to a T and it was awesome! Mmmmm!
This recipe was so easy and delicious! I followed the exact recipe and my family loved itš
Superb!!!!
So wonderful!! The flavors are so fresh and perfect!
I give this a 5 star plus!!!!!!!!
You must try this……..perfection!!
Iāve made theses tacos several times now, and they are, unquestionably, the best. Like others have said, restaurants have a pretty high bar to meet to equal the quality of this dish. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Itās a crowd pleaser.
Huge hit with my family! I didn’t have a jalapeno so used a yellow bell pepper and the salsa was still delicious. I will make this again- it’s been a long time since my family gave such great compliments on a meal.
These are SO delicious! Came together so quickly with wonderful flavors. My avocados were not ripe so I subbed in extra tomatoes and it worked nicely. Will definitely make again. Another meal with thumbs up from my kids, husband and me!
These are by far the best shrimp tacos weāve ever eaten! The recipe came together quickly and was perfect as written. I didnāt change a thing. Even the kids loved them! I will definitely be adding these to our regular menu rotation. Thanks Jenn!
We made these tonight!! A group effort by myself and my 3 young chef sons – ages 7, 9 and 10. My oldest boy works a chef knife like a pro. They are such foodies and love your recipes!! These tacos were absolutely perfect. We didn’t have cabbage so used arugula, and we added fresh sliced corn left over from last night’s dinner. Dinner is always a hit when we use a recipe from your site. Thank you so much
Man oh man your recipes are awesome Jenn!!! You make me look like a superstar. This was a hit in our household. Made exactly as written. So easy & so tasty!!! Will be a regular in our household. Thank you!!!
Big hit with the whole family! Added a bit of homemade regular salsa too. Was out of chili powder, so I used cumin, garlic powder and paprika on the shrimp. Love the addition of the red cabbage – adds a nice crunch.
Delicious and easy, even without the sour cream (dairy free). Made a double batch of the salsa for chips later.
Is this recipe spicy?
Hi Ash, the salsa, on it’s own, has a little heat, itāll be perfect combined with the shrimp and fixins in the tortilla. (Itās not intended to be eaten on its own like guacamole.) Hope that helps!
Once you make these you will Not want to eat out again for shrimp tacos. Sadly and happily, I made this mistake. I now only cook from Jennās blog and her cookbook. There isnāt another resource that I can trust this much for fantastic food every time. Thanks Jenn! Keep these recipes coming! Iām already looking forward to more cookbooks!
This is what I said tonight after we demolished every last bite! I said there’s no restaurant that can make them better than we just did!
I decided this year to have all the kids together for one big birthday party along with the grand babies. I am doing a Mexican buffet, and can’t wait to try this. Love Jenn’s recipes. They are always great.
This was SUCH a yummy and easy meal to throw together quickly. This was incredibly “Weight Watchers” friendly but sure didn’t taste like it! I have to admit I sauteed the shrimp since it’s still winter but the seasonings, salsa, and cabbage were a great combination. I know it will be even better on the grill this spring! The whole family loved it and I think I had it made in under 20 mins including thawing the shrimp!