These grilled shrimp tacos will be your new favorite Taco Tuesday dinner! Juicy shrimp are marinated with lime juice, garlic, and spices, then grilled to perfection and tucked into soft tortillas with a creamy sauce.
Shrimp is a quick-cooking protein, so they’re perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something fast. And when it comes to seafood, shrimp is the option most likely to win over picky eaters! Even kids who turn up their noses at fish are likely to devour these grilled shrimp tacos.
The marinade for these shrimp is super flavorful, and it also helps to keep the shrimp juicy as they grill. You can customize these tacos however you like—pile on all your favorite toppings, or keep it simple. It’s up to you!
We have lots of options for Taco Tuesday, from Quick & Easy 20-Minute Tacos to Fish Tacos and even Chicken Nugget Soft Tacos, but when you’re looking for a lighter taco dinner, you can’t beat these grilled shrimp tacos!
Easy Grilled Shrimp Tacos Recipe
The combination of juicy, succulent shrimp with a slightly charred flavor from the grill, and the creamy sauce is out-of-this-world delicious! Plus, these tacos are really easy to make—the marinade only takes minutes to throw together, and then it’s just a matter of grilling the shrimp.
Serve grilled shrimp tacos with a side of Mexican Corn or Roasted Asparagus for a complete meal.
Ingredients
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
For the grilled shrimp:
- Large or extra-large shrimp
- Garlic
- Lime juice – Use fresh lime juice and save any extra wedges for serving with your tacos!
- Ground cayenne – You can use more or less, depending on your taste preferences.
- Smoked paprika
- Ground cumin
- Butter – This is optional, but it adds so much flavor to the shrimp!
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
For the Sauce:
- Mayonnaise
- Greek yogurt – Use plain Greek yogurt; it can be whole or low-fat. Sour cream can be substituted.
- Hot sauce – Such as Frank’s or Valentina.
- Onion powder
Optional items for serving:
- Slaw or shredded cabbage
- Cotija cheese or feta crumbles
- Lime wedges
- Radish
- Red onion
- Flour tortillas or corn tortillas
- Fresh cilantro
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Avocado or guacamole
How to Make Grilled Shrimp Tacos
1. Marinate the Shrimp
Rinse and pat the shrimp dry. Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and add the shrimp, tossing to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the shrimp marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.
2. Make the Sauce
Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
3. Grill the Shrimp
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and thread the marinated shrimp onto wooden skewers. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp turns pink.
Tip: If you don’t have a grill, you can use a nonstick grill pan or skillet and cook the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side over medium-high heat. Or, try these Shrimp Tacos instead, which aren’t grilled.
4. Assemble
Remove the shrimp tails and place the shrimp on the tortillas, then top with cabbage or coleslaw, radish, red onion, cilantro, cheese, and spicy mayo.
How to Store Leftover Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Leftover shrimp tacos will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Store the shrimp and sauce separately from the tortillas and toppings. Reheat the shrimp in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, then assemble the tacos as desired.
FAQs
There are lots of options for sides with shrimp tacos! We like to serve them with a simple veggie side, or tortilla chips and Black Bean and Corn Salsa.
It only takes a few minutes to grill shrimp! Depending on the size of your shrimp, they will likely only need 2 to 3 minutes per side. Keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook.
The key to grilling shrimp so it is juicy and not dry is to not overcook it. Shrimp only need a few minutes on the grill, just until they’re pink. You can also use a marinade or baste them with butter while they are grilling to help keep them moist.
Yes, you can grill previously frozen shrimp, and that’s what I used for this recipe. Just be sure to thaw them completely before marinating and grilling.
More Easy Tex-Mex Dinners
- Easy White Chicken Enchiladas
- Sheet Pan Quesadillas
- 4-Ingredient Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
For shrimp
- 1 pound large or extra large shrimp I used 31/40, frozen and thawed
Shrimp Marinade
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- salt
- black pepper to taste
Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoon greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce such as Frank’s or Valentina
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Optional items for serving
- coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
- cotija or feta cheese crumbles
- lime wedges
- radish
- red onion
- corn or wheat taco size tortillas
- cilantro
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the shrimp. I used with tails on and removed them after cooking.
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Toss the shrimp until coated. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Prepare the spicy mayonnaise sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. For better flavor, place the sauce in the fridge for 15-30 minutes for flavors to blend.
- Preheat the grill to medium high heat.
- Thread the shrimp on the wooden skewers. Grill for 2-3 minutes per each side. Or use a nonstick pan and cook for 1-2 minutes per side over medium high heat.
- Remove the tails before serving.
- Assemble the tacos with some cabbage or coleslaw, radish, red onion, cilantro, cheese, 3-4 shrimp and drizzle spicy mayo on top.
I made the shrimp tacos for a 18 year old teen age girl who is a very finicky eater, and a 14 year old boy who would rather have a taco made of beef or pork. Well, they both asked for more. Since I am trying to watch calories, I had to settle for one and I do mean settle. The favor of the shrimp was so good.