Crispy Shrimp Tacos
These crispy shrimp tacos are so simple and quick – perfect for any weeknight!
Last week I was craving fish tacos, so I asked you guys if you’d prefer a flaky white fish or shrimp… and I’m SO glad the majority of you voted the way you did because these crispy shrimp tacos turned out incredible. If I do say so myself ?
When I was trying to figure out how I wanted to cook the shrimp, I remembered that I bought tapioca flour from Thrive Market a while ago that I’ve barely used. I got it because I read that it’s a great alternative to cornstarch, especially if you want to get a crispy exterior on tofu. So I thought: if it gets tofu crispy, I bet it would work on shrimp, right? RIGHT!
These little cuties crisped up and cooked through in just 4 minutes and then I tossed them in a sweet chili sauce for extra flavor. (I get mine at Trader Joe’s, but most grocery stores have a sauce like this!) We added cabbage for crunch and a lime yogurt sauce for a tangy kick. So simple, so fast, and SO delicious!
Crispy Shrimp Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
1 lb shrimp, peel and deveined
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
5-6oz greek yogurt, unsweetened
2 limes, juiced
1.5 tbsp chopped cilantro
Small corn tortillas (or whichever kind you prefer!)
Green/Red Cabbage Mix
Cotija Cheese
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and remove the tails.
- On a separate plate, add tapioca flour and salt.
- Coat each shrimp in the flour mixture.
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil or avocado oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add shrimp in an even layer to the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes.
- Flip them over and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Remove shrimp from the pan, leaving any excess oil behind.
- In a bowl, add shrimp and sweet chili sauce. Toss to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add greek yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro. Stir to combine.
- To serve, put 2 small tortillas on a plate. Plan the cabbage down first, then the shrimp on top. Spoon the yogurt lime sauce over the top and finish with crumbled cotija cheese and extra cilantro.
Substitutions
I have not tried this with any other flours so I can’t speak to how those would work. That being said, tapioca flour is very similar to cornstarch, which I’ve used to coat tofu before to get it crispy. If you’re going to make any substitution on the flour, that’s the only one I would attempt using this method!
Also, if you don’t like dry cabbage, you could toss the cabbage mixture in the yogurt lime sauce. We wanted to keep them separate so that the slaw wouldn’t be soggy for leftovers… but if you’re eating them all in one sitting, that’s a nonissue! Toss it up!
Crispy Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp, peel and deveined
- 1/3 cup tapioca flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 5-6oz greek yogurt, unsweetened
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1.5 tbsp chopped cilantro
- Small corn tortillas (or whichever kind you prefer!)
- Green/Red Cabbage Mix
- Cotija Cheese
Instructions
1. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and remove the tails.
2. On a separate plate, add tapioca flour and salt.
3. Coat each shrimp in the flour mixture.
4. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil or avocado oil in a pan over medium heat.
5. Add shrimp in an even layer to the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Flip them over and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
7. Remove shrimp from the pan, leaving any excess oil behind.
8. In a bowl, add shrimp and sweet chili sauce. Toss to combine.
9. In a separate bowl, add greek yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro. Stir to combine.
10. To serve, put 2 small tortillas on a plate. Plan the cabbage down first, then the shrimp on top. Spoon the yogurt lime sauce over the top and finish with crumbled cotija cheese and extra cilantro.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 442Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 251mgSodium: 1475mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 2gSugar: 13gProtein: 49g
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PS. You might also like Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos, How To Cook Salmon On A Salt Block, and Asian Inspired Quinoa Salad.
