Oh my goshhhh, these zesty shrimp tacos with creamy purple slaw are lit. Ok I only wrote that sentence because my husband said I wouldn’t, BUT it doesn’t change the fact that these tacos are the best shrimp tacos you will ever have and they are so so easy to make. I have been working on this recipe for about a year honestly and every time we made them it was great but not perfect. I went to a place called the Tin Fish (sadly I think they have closed) about a year ago and they had the best shrimp tacos I have ever had in my life. So good! So I wanted something I could make at home that was equally as good. These are it my friend. And don’t skip the creamy purple coleslaw- it makes these tacos over the top yummy- my family won’t stop asking me to make them again.
Zesty Shrimp Tacos:
Start by taking the shrimp, we use raw de-tailed shrimp but I think anything you prefer or have on hand would work too, and mix it in with the spices and a bit of olive oil or coconut oil. Fry these up on medium heat and get the seasoning coated on nicely. I use my cast iron skillet for all of this type of cooking. It really helps to get a little bit of extra flavor and even some charring of the seasonings. If you don't have one at all I would highly recommend getting one. They are so amazing for almost every meal I cook including desserts. The extra flavor and the conduction of the heat makes these babies worth every penny. Basically, the more you use it- the more flavor the next meal will absorb. Super amazing!
Cook the shrimp for about 5 minutes or until cooked through if you’re using the raw ones. Feel free to adjust how much or how little cayenne pepper you want to use. It really just depends on your personal heat tolerance, my 3 year old can’t really tell with a dash or two for a kick and she’ll eat it up but she also has been eating spicier foods than most her whole life. Drizzle the lemon juice over the shrimp after taking them off the heat and toss it in thoroughly. Super simple and easy for the win! Once they are done set aside and mix the coleslaw up.
Creamy Purple Slaw:
Taking your purple/red cabbage, cut in half, remove the core and slice into thin pieces. I have tried just shredding the cabbage but it made it super watery and messy. Slicing it up thin was easy and quick and definitely made a better option. Toss that into a bowl with the shredded carrot and some thinly sliced red onion and add the rest of the ingredients to mix. The red pepper flakes are up to you just like the cayenne pepper. It just depends on how much spice you want to give this dish. Now, this slaw on top of the shrimp tacos is heaven in a tortilla. I like to add some avocado (also my kiddos favorite) and maybe some sriracha and fresh cilantro to my toppings.
You will never want anything else on your tacos again after eating this up. We took the coleslaw and put in on some spicy chicken tacos the next day (we eat tacos a lot sometimes) and it was so amazingly good. This slaw will keep for about a week to a week and a half in the fridge. It’s good on its own as well but mmm mmm just writing this post makes me want some more of these zesty shrimp tacos with creamy purple slaw. Eat up people!
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If you love these tacos, check out our Asian Chicken Tacos! YUM!
Zesty Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Purple Slaw
These are the BEST shrimp tacos ever. Pair that with this amazing creamy purple slaw and you have a party in your mouth for everyday of the week not just Tuesdays!
Ingredients
Zesty Shrimp Tacos:
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 tablespoon Seasoned Salt
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- Dash or 2 of Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 tablespoon Onion Salt
- 2 Cups Raw Shrimp
- Pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Creamy Purple Slaw:
- 2 Cups Purple/Red Cabbage, about half a cabbage head
- 1 shredded Carrot
- ½ Red Onion
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- Dash of Red Pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- Pepper and Salt to taste
Instructions
Zesty Shrimp Tacos:
- Place the shrimp with a little bit of olive oil or coconut oil in a pan with the spices.
- Cook on medium heat, tossing until they have a nice coating of seasoning evenly on all of them.
- Once pink and cooked through (about 5 min), take off the heat and drizzle with the lemon juice again tossing thoroughly.
- Set aside.
Creamy Purple Slaw:
- Slice up your cabbage into nice thin shredded slices.
- Place in a bowl with the shredded carrot and thinly sliced red onion and toss.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and combine thoroughly.
- In a tortilla place the shrimp, then the coleslaw, and any other toppings you want to add and eat up!
