Shrimp tacos will be your new favorite taco for Taco Tuesday. They are done in less than 30 minutes, from start to finish, and they are a flavor bomb for your mouth.
If shrimp are not peeled or deveined, clean the shrimp. You must use a sharp paring knife to devein them if you purchase shrimp that hasn’t been deveined. Locate the black vein that runs along the middle of the back. Cut a slit in the shell to expose the vein. Pull out that vein using the tip of the knife or your finger.
1 Pound shrimp
If you purchase head-on shrimp, gently twist the head section off. Grab the top of the shell closest to the head and pull the shell off while you grab the tail section of the shell. Twist the shell at the tail section to keep the tail on the shrimp. To remove the shell from the tail end, just twist all of the flesh away from the tail end.
Mix all of the remaining ingredients, except tortillas, together in a medium bowl. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
Arrange the shrimp in your air fryer basket. A large air fryer should hold about one pound.
Preheat the air fryer for 3-4 minutes. Air fry small shrimp for about 5 minutes. There is no need to flip them. Jumbo shrimp should be fried for 3-4 minutes, flipped, and air-fried for 3-4 more.
Pan Frying
Heat oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp. Fry for 3-4 minutes for small shrimp. When the tail turns pink and the meat is translucent that shrimp is done. Jumbo shrimp will take about five minutes.
Flip each shrimp. A pigtail flipper works well for this task. Fry them for an additional 2-3 minutes until pink throughout.
Assemble tacos
Heat the tortillas in your preferred method. Add some shrimp to the taco. Top with suggested toppings or coleslaw in the notes below.
10 Corn or Flour Tortillas
Notes
Calories are calculated with no toppings or slaw.Heat your tortillas with your favorite method. Here are eight to choose from.Toppings
Peppers: Fresh sliced jalapeño peppers or pickled or candied jalapenos are delicious on shrimp tacos.
Onions: Thinly sliced red or pickled onions add a great flavor to the tacos.
Cilantro or Parsley: Chop cilantro to garnish the tacos. If you don’t like cilantro, use Italian parsley instead.
Lime Wedges: Serve the tacos with lime wedges on the side so that people can squeeze some lime juice on the tacos. You can also use lime zest to spice up the tacos.
Salsa: Choose your favorite salsa or make a pico de gallo.
Avocado: Thinly slice avocado or make a quick guacamole.
Sour Cream or Mexican creme: These will add a creamy texture.
Chipotle Aioli: Aioli makes a delicious shrimp taco sauce to drizzle on your tacos.
Side Dishes to Serve with the Tacos
Refried Beans: Homemade or store-bought, canned frijoles or refried beans taste delicious with tacos.
Mexican Rice: Homemade or packaged Mexican rice is a delicious side.
Cilantro Lime Rice: This zesty recipe is excellent with Mexican foods.
Sopapillas: Sopapillas are fried dough that is puffy and delicious with Mexican foods.
Mexican Street Corn: This corn is a fun, delicious twist on corn on the cob. It is sprinkled with paprika and cayenne pepper and topped with cotija cheese.