Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos

Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos

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Once marinated, these Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos can be prepared in under 15 minutes and are the perfect quick lunch or dinner for all seafood lovers.

Who doesn’t love tacos? Layers of delicious flavour, all wrapped up in a soft tortilla shell: perfection! Love of tacos seems to be a universal truth, and with so many different filling options it’s easy to find the perfect dish for every palate. These Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos were inspired by a barbequed shrimp dish that I’ve been making for years. Normally I’d make these with a bed of rice and a side salad, but I decided to try something different with these delicious tacos instead.

These delicious Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos combine two of my favourite things: shrimp and avocado. In my opinion, these are the best shrimp tacos around! The tequila lime shrimp is juicy and flavourful. The pickled coleslaw adds a beautiful tart crunch, while the avocado sauce adds creaminess and yet another layer of flavour to this delicious meal. These sumptuous tacos are a satisfying meal that will satisfy any pescatarian or meat lover.

TOTAL TIME

  • Preparation Time – 10 minutes
  • Cooking Time – 3 minutes, plus two hours marinating time
  • Total Time – 2 hours 13 minutes

INGREDIENTS FOR TEQUILA LIME SHRIMP TACOS

All the ingredients for these tacos are easy to source from any local grocer.

Tequila Lime Shrimp

  • 1/2 cup Tequila
  • 3 Limes, juiced
  • 1 Lime, zested
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1/8 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Chili
  • 1/8 tsp Cumin
  • 600 grams Shrimp, shells removed

Pickled Coleslaw

  • 1/4 Red Cabbage
  • 1/2 Vidalia Onion
  • 1 Carrot, shredded
  • 3 Lemons
  • 1 tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 pinch Kosher Salt

Avocado Sauce

  • 1 Avocado
  • 2 Lemons, juiced
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Chli
  • 1/8 tsp Chili Flakes
  • 1/8 tsp Cumin
  • 8 Soft Shell Tacos
shrimp skewers on a plate

CAN I MAKE THIS WITHOUT ALCOHOL?

The tequila adds a delicious tartness to the shrimp, however if you would like to leave it out you could use both lemon and lime juice in the shrimp marinade instead. The taste will not be the exact same but it will still be tasty.

CAN I MAKE THIS LESS SPICY?

If you’d like, you can reduce the amount of chili powder and leave out the chili flakes.

ARE TACOS AND BURRITOS THE SAME THING?

Tacos are smaller tortillas that are filled, folded in half, and served in multiples in one serving. Burritos are larger, normally contain rice, and are rolled into a cylinder that is closed on both ends. Because of their larger heartier size, burritos are normally served one per meal.

WHAT KIND OF TEQUILA SHOULD I USE?

I’m far from a liquor connoisseur, but I would suggest using whatever brand you enjoy drinking.

CAN I INCREASE THIS RECIPE?

Absolutely. You can easily double, or even triple this recipe (they’d be fantastic at a party!). Just make sure you spread your shrimp out on the barbeque so they can grill evenly.

CAN I MAKE THIS WITHOUT THE BARBEQUE?

If you don’t have access to a barbeque, a cast iron grill on medium high would work for the shrimp. It wouldn’t have the char of an open flame, but would still be very good.

Top down view of tequila lime shrimp tacos

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS FOR TEQUILA LIME SHRIMP TACOS

CAN I SUBSTITUTE ANOTHER SEAFOOD FOR SHRIMP

I haven’t tried using another seafood in this recipe, but I imagine that both lobster and calamari would be tasty as well.

CAN I USE A HARD SHELL TACO INSTEAD?

You can certainly use a hard shell taco instead of soft if you’d prefer.

CAN I USE PACKAGED LEMON AND LIME JUICE INSTEAD OF FRESH CITRUS?

Prepackaged lemon and lime juice won’t ruin this recipe, but they would definitely detract from the taste. These delicious cauliflower tacos rely heavily on the fresh lemon and lime flavour so I would suggest using them if at all possible.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT ALCOHOL?

If you don’t have tequila, rum would work as a substitute in this recipe.

CAN I USE PRECOOKED SHRIMP TO SAVE TIME?

Absolutely not. This will not save any time. You’ll still need to marinate the shrimp and then barbeque them. The result will be an overcooked, rubbery mess. Use raw shrimp only.

Top down view of shrimp tacos

EQUIPMENT FOR TEQUILA LIME SHRIMP TACOS

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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make these delicious shrimp tacos:

  • Kitchen Knife – Zwilling J.A. Henkel Kitchen Knife a good kitchen knife is a necessary tool for any home cook. Quality and price point varies widely. This is what I use at home. It’s a perfectly decent knife, while still being very affordable.
  • Cutting Board
  • 3 Bowls
  • Barbeque
  • 8 Barbeque Skewers
  • Cheese Grater
  • Citrus Juicer
Vertical with 3 shrimp tacos

COOKING DIRECTIONS FOR TEQUILA LIME SHRIMP TACOS

These Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos are incredibly simple to prepare and delicious, provided you follow a few rules:

  1. Keep an eye on your shrimp: they cook extremely quick!
  2. Make your pickled coleslaw in advance so it has time to marinate
  3. Always use fresh lemons, limes, and cilantro
Side view of tequila lime tacos

MAKE AHEAD STORAGE

You can prepare your pickled coleslaw up to three days before you make this meal.

Shrimp can be stored for up to three days covered in the fridge, however they don’t taste quite as delicious when reheated so I’d strongly recommend serving them fresh.

Taking bite of shrimp tacos

FINISHED DISH

Enjoy these delicious Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos!

final tequila lime shrimp tacos

OTHER MEXICAN DISHES

Roasted Crispy Cauliflower Tacos

The Best Beef Soft Shell Taco

Black Bean Enchiladas with Saffron Rice

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment and rating below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cooking.with.carbs.

Pin the image below if you would like to make this recipe later!

tequila lime shrimp tacos pinterest pin
final tequila lime shrimp tacos

Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos

These delicious Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos combine two of my favourite things: shrimp and avocado. In my opinion, these are the best shrimp tacos around! The tequila lime shrimp is juicy and flavourful. The pickled coleslaw adds a beautiful tart crunch, while the cilantro avocado sauce adds creaminess and yet another layer of flavour to this delicious meal. These sumptuous tacos are a satisfying meal that will satisfy any pescatarian or meat lover.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: avocado, cabbage, coleslaw, lemon, lime, onion, pickled onion, shrimp, tacos
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Marinating time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 429kcal
Author: Anneke Silva

Equipment

  • Kitchen knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Barbeque
  • 3 Bowls
  • Cheese grater
  • Citrus juicer
  • 8 Barbeque skewers

Ingredients

Tequila Lime Shrimp

  • 1/2 cup Tequila
  • 3 Limes juiced
  • 1 Lime zested
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1/8 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Chili
  • 1/8 tsp Cumin
  • 600 grams Shrimp

Pickled Coleslaw

  • 1/4 Red Cabbage
  • 1/2 Vidalia Onion
  • 1 Carrot shredded
  • 3 Lemons
  • 1 tbsp Cilantro finely chopped
  • 1 pinch Kosher Salt

Avocado Sauce

  • 1 Avocado
  • 2 Lemons juiced
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Chli
  • 1/8 tsp Chili Flakes
  • 1/8 tsp Cumin

Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos

  • 8 Soft Shell Tacos

Instructions

Pickled Coleslaw

  • Shred the carrot, and thinly slice the cabbage and onion.
  • Juice the lemons, and mix it all together in a bowl. Toss in the cilantro and kosher salt.
  • Cover the bowl and leave it to marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
    Cover the bowl and leave it to marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge.

Tequila Lime Shrimp

  • Juice the limes and place them in a bowl with the tequila and lime zest.
  • Add the minced garlic, kosher salt, chill and cumin and mix.
  • Add the shrimp and mix together.
    Add the shrimp and mix together.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
  • Place the shrimp onto the skewers.
    Place the shrimp onto the skewers.
  • Barbeque at 400 F for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional minute.
    Barbeque at 400 F for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional minute.

Avocado Sauce

  • Mash the avocado and add the lemon juice and spices. Mix and set aside.
    Mash the avocado and add the lemon juice and spices. Mix and set aside.

Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos

  • Fill your tortilla with shrimp and coleslaw, then top with avocado sauce.
    Fill your tortilla with shrimp and coleslaw, then top with avocado sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 677mg | Potassium: 830mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 3298IU | Vitamin C: 130mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 4mg

These Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos turned out so flavorful and delicious. Did you try them? Let us know in the comments below!




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