Cilantro Lime Shrimp
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Cilantro Lime Shrimp are amazingly flavorful, try it served as tacos with pineapple salsa and zesty slaw features tender, flavorful shrimp with toasty tortillas with a bright, fruity salsa and crunchy slaw on top! These tacos offer the perfect balance of tangy, savory, and fresh elements, making them the perfect tasty meal!
Try some of our other favorite shrimp recipes too, like this Cajun Shrimp and Rice Skillet, Baked Crispy Shrimp with Dynamite Sauce, classic Shrimp Tacos with Slaw, Shrimp Scampi with Pasta, and Hawaiian Shrimp Bowls with grilled pineapple!
Why This Recipe Works
Taco Tuesday Winner: Taco Tuesday is one of my favorite times to make a weeknight dinner fun and special! What better way to celebrate taco Tuesday than with some cilantro lime shrimp tacos, topped with a homemade pineapple salsa and zesty slaw?! Everything about these tacos screams flavor, and the balance of flavors is irresistible. The whole family will definitely love them!
Better-for-you Goodness: These tacos are a balanced and good-for-you option which is much needed, especially as we head out of winter! Shrimp are low in fat and high in protein. And the salsa and slaw that goes on here are both light and fresh and packed with highly nutritious ingredients!
Ingredients
- Shrimp: It is best to use frozen but raw shrimp. You will want to thaw them, which shouldn’t take too long, just a few hours in the fridge!
- Cilantro: Freshly chopped cilantro adds a zesty and bright flavor to the shrimp.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds a slightly savory flavor!
- Tortillas: You can use corn or flour tortillas, whichever you prefer!
- Pineapple: Fresh pineapple is best and it will really shine in this salsa!
- Red Onion: I used a small red onion. If you have a large one, just use half!
- Red Jalapeños: Red jalapeños are the riper version of green jalapeños and are generally a little bit spicier! If you prefer, you can use green jalapeños.
- Mayo: I used light mayo here, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
Here’s How to Make It
- Marinate the Shrimp: Drain the shrimp and pat dry with kitchen paper. Combine with the chopped cilantro, minced garlic, chili powder, salt, 1/2 tbsp of the oil, and the lime juice, and set aside to marinate. (photos 1-2)
- Make the Pineapple Salsa: To make the pineapple salsa, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with salt. (photos 5-6)
- Make the Slaw: For the slaw, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, and a generous pinch of salt in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the cabbage and toss to combine. Add more salt if needed. (photos 3-4)
- Prep Tortillas: Warm the tortillas, if desired, while you heat up a large cast iron skillet or non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. (not pictured)
- Cook Shrimp: Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and once it is shimmering, add the shrimp, removed from their marinade with a slotted spoon. Cook for about a minute on each side until just pink through. (photos 7-8)
- Serve: Serve with the tortillas, salsa and slaw and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the shrimp! Raw shrimp cooks very quickly, and can get over cooked quickly, too. Only cook until the shrimp just turn pink on both sides and they are done!
- Use fresh pineapple! Using canned pineapple won’t lend the same tangy flavor and crispy texture here.
- Replace the pineapple with mango! If you aren’t a fan of pineapple, this salsa would also be delicious with some fresh mango.
- To store any leftovers, store the components separately. I don’t recommend heating up the shrimp after they are cooked as they will become rubbery, but they are pretty good cold the next day!
Frequently Asked Questions
In order to safely defrost shrimp, the best way is to place the shrimp that you will be using from the freezer into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap in the fridge overnight. If you do not have enough time to thaw in the fridge, you can place the shrimp in a large bowl and add cold water to the bowl. Every 10-15 minutes, replace the water with more cold water. After about 40-45 minutes the shrimp should be thawed. Just don’t use warm water as that can cause bacteria to grow and the shrimp will also cook unevenly.
Shrimp tacos are best on the day they are made, however you can prep each of the components separately the day before! Store the slaw and salsa separately until ready to use, up to 1 day in advance. You can prep the marinade for the shrimp the day before, but only marinade the shrimp for up to 1 hour before cooking it!
More Easy Dinner Recipes to Try
- Easy Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooked Pulled Pork Tacos
- Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Beef & Rice Skillet
- Honey Walnut Shrimp
- Chicken Quesadillas
Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
For the Cilantro Lime Shrimp
- 16 oz frozen raw shrimp, thawed
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp oil, divided
- juice of 2 small limes
- 18 small corn or flour tortillas
For the Pineapple Salsa
- 8 oz fresh pineapple, chopped small
- 1 small red onion
- large handful cilantro
- juice of 1 small lime
- 2 red jalapeños, deseeded and finely diced
- salt, to taste
For the Zesty Slaw
- 5 oz shredded white cabbage, about 1/4 head
- 1 tbsp light mayonnaise
- zest and juice of 1/2 lime
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Drain the shrimp and pat dry with kitchen paper. Combine with the chopped cilantro, minced garlic, chili powder, salt, 1/2 tbsp of the oil and the lime juice, and set aside to marinate.
- To make the pineapple salsa, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with salt.
- For the slaw, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, and a generous pinch of salt in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the cabbage and toss to combine. Add more salt if needed.
- Warm the tortillas, if desired, while you heat up a large cast iron skillet or non-stick frying pan over a medium high heat.
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and once it is shimmering, add the shrimp, removed from their marinade with a slotted spoon. Cook for about a minute on each side until just pink through.
- Serve with the tortillas, salsa and slaw.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How much cilantro? 1/2 1/2 I think is a typo.
It is a typo. It’s 1/2 cup. So sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused! Thank you for bringing that to my attention. The recipe is updated 🙂
I made this shrimp and dipping sauce for dinner last night and it is an immediate favorite! The flavor the marinade adds to the shrimp is excellent by itself but the dipping sauce puts it over the top, I want it on everything I eat from now on!
This looks delicious and I am making it. However, unless you reuse the plastic bag, how about just putting the shrimp and marinade in a glass container with a top. Save more plastic from going into the landfill!