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These Baja Shrimp Tacos are packed with flavor! Each bite is filled with juicy, seasoned shrimp tucked into warm tortillas with crunchy slaw and a dreamy avocado crema on top. Zesty, creamy, and just the right amount of spicy!
If you love seafood tacos, make my cajun shrimp tacos and blackened mahi mahi tacos next!
Taco tuesday just got an upgrade and let me tell you about these Baja shrimp tacos—they’re so good. They basically taste like sunshine in a tortilla. The shrimp are seasoned and pan-seared until they’re juicy and golden, with just the right amount of kick.
Then comes the tangy slaw—super crisp, slightly zippy, and the perfect crunchy contrast to the warm shrimp.
But the real star? That avocado crema. It’s creamy, cool, and has a little lime to tie everything together. You pile it all onto a toasty tortilla, and boom—flavor explosion. This is a great recipe for an easy weeknight dinner, but definitely fancy enough for a fancy taco tuesday spread too.
This baja shrimp taco recipe is one that you need to save immediately!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for the Best Baja Shrimp Tacos
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Large shrimp are perfect for shrimp tacos because they’re meaty, juicy, and hold up well to high heat without overcooking. Be sure to buy peeled and deveined
- For seasonings, we’ll need cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and of course, kosher salt and black pepper. This in combination with a squeeze of lime juice make these tacos super flavorful!
- Store Bought Coleslaw Mix is used for the crunchy slaw. You’ll also need mayo, garlic, sour cream, lime juice, and a dash of hot sauce for that tangy flavor.
- The avocado crema calls for avocado, sour cream, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and hot sauce – together they make a flavorful packed topping that takes these tacos to the next level.
- For toppings, keep it simple and fresh. I like to go with diced red onion, fresh cilantro, cotija cheese but you can add whatever you’d like!
- As for the tortillas, you can use whatever you prefer. I personally LOVE corn tortillas but if you like flour tortillas, use that!
Recipe Variations
- If you prefer fried crispy shrimp, go ahead and fry them up! Follow my bang bang shrimp recipe and just make the sauce below!
- Add a mango salsa or pineapple pico de gallo on top for a fruity twist.
- Some baja shrimp tacos recipes are served with a chipotle mayo! If this is your preference, try making a homemade chipotle mayo instead of the avocado crema.
- For spicy shrimp tacos, add in some red peppers or cayenne pepper.
- Use a grill or grill pan if you like grilled shrimp tacos! The grill adds so much flavor to this recipe.
How to make Baja Shrimp Tacos
Step 1: Pat dry with a paper towel, then place into a large bowl. Add ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat, ensuring all of the shrimp are covered in the seasonings. Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook on 2 minutes per side, until the pink is slightly curled and pink in color. Remove from the skillet and place onto a paper towel-lined plate.
Step 2: Now make the coleslaw mix by adding mayo, minced garlic, sour cream, lime juice, hot sauce, and a pinch of salt to a separate bowl. Mix together, then add the coleslaw mix and toss to coat.
Step 3: Now make the baja sauce – add an avocado, sour cream garlic cloves, cilantro, lime juice, and hot sauce to a food processor. Blend until smooth, about 20-30 seconds.
Optional but recommended – lightly toast the corn tortillas (or flour tortillas if that’s what you prefer) on the stove top over medium heat until lightly charred on the edges.
Assemble the tacos. Add the slaw mixture to a warm tortilla, add shrimp on top, then drizzle the creamy sauce on top. Garnish with diced red onion, fresh cilantro, cotija cheese, and served with lime wedges on the side.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the shrimp – shrimp cook fast! Sauté or grill them until just opaque and pink, usually 1-2 minutes per side.
- Assemble just before serving – this keeps the tortillas from getting soggy and everything tasting fresh.
- Taste and tweak as you go – a little extra lime or pinch of salt can make a big difference at the end. Also, fresh ingredients are key!
- Toast your tortillas – warming them up in a dry skillet or directly over a flame adds flavor and keeps them from falling apart.
- Use fresh shrimp – whether you’re using large or medium, make sure they’re deveined and peeled. Pat them dry before seasoning so they get a nice sear.
How to Serve
Baja shrimp tacos pair perfectly with a side of Mexican street corn pasta salad and a mango mojito! You could also serve the tacos with cilantro lime rice or a fresh mango shrimp salad for a little sweetness.
A side of black beans or refried beans adds some heartiness to round out the meal. And don’t forget the chips and guacamole —because it’s basically a requirement, right?
However you enjoy the these tacos, they’re sure to be delicious!
Recipe FAQs
No, they’re more zesty and flavorful. You can certainly add some heat with additional hot sauce or jalapenos etc.
To store leftover Baja shrimp tacos, keep the components separate—store the cooked shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, and keep the slaw and crema chilled separately. Reheat the shrimp in a skillet over medium heat just until warmed through, so they don’t get rubbery. Then assemble fresh tacos when you’re ready to eat!
You can prep the components of shrimp tacos ahead of time—like marinating the shrimp, mixing the slaw, and making the sauce. Just cook the shrimp and warm the tortillas right before serving for the best flavor and texture. Assembled tacos don’t store well, so keep everything separate until you’re ready to eat.
More Taco Recipes
Main Course
Cajun Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Lime Ranch
Main Course
Baked Chicken Tacos
Main Course
Taco Stuffed Shells with Cream Cheese
Main Course
Crispy Chipotle Shredded Beef Tacos
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Baja Shrimp Tacos
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb Large Shrimp, (peeled and deveined)
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 8 Corn Tortillas, (or flour tortillas, per perference)
Tangy Coleslaw
- 2 cups Coleslaw Mix
- 1/4 cup Mayo
- 2 cloves Garlic , (minced)
- 2 tbsp Sour Cream
- 1 tbsp Lime Juice
- 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
- Kosher Salt, , to taste
Avocado Crema
- 1 Avocado
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro
- 2 tbsp Lime Juice
- 3 tbsp Hot Sauce
Optional Toppings (recommended)
- Diced Red Onion
- Lime Wedges, (on the side)
- Cotija Cheese
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Pat dry with a paper towel, then place into a large bowl. Add ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat, ensuring all of the shrimp are covered in the seasonings. Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook on 2 minutes per side, until the pink is slightly curled and pink in color. Remove from the skillet and place onto a paper towel-lined plate.
- Now make the coleslaw mix by adding mayo, minced garlic, sour cream, lime juice, hot sauce, and a pinch of salt to a separate bowl. Mix together, then add the coleslaw mix and toss to coat.
- Now make the baja sauce – add an avocado, sour cream garlic cloves, cilantro, lime juice, and hot sauce to a food processor. Blend until smooth, about 20-30 seconds.
- Optional but recommended – lightly toast the corn tortillas (or flour tortillas if that's what you prefer) on the stove top over medium heat until lightly charred on the edges.
- Assemble the tacos. Add the slaw mixture to a warm tortilla, add shrimp on top, then drizzle the creamy sauce on top. Garnish with diced red onion, fresh cilantro, cotija cheese, and served with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love the sound of this recipe! Making it for my family tonight. I think you might be missing the bag of coleslaw from the recipe list, but I figured you meant a whole bag.
Yes I did! Thanks for pointing that out, I’ll update this when I get home but it’s 2 cups of coleslaw mix, not the whole bag! Enjoy!