Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Updated Mar 19, 2026
Grilled shrimp taco recipe made with quick marinated shrimp and an easy red cabbage slaw. The shrimp cook in 10 minutes on the grill then make your tacos!
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These Grilled Shrimp Tacos Are so good!
I make these grilled shrimp tacos when I don’t feel like cooking inside but still want something really good for dinner. I love the smoky flavor the grill adds to the shrimp, especially with the chili and lime in the marinade. While the shrimp are marinating, I throw the slaw together.
The mango is technically optional, but I think it makes it. It adds just enough sweetness, and the crunch from the cabbage pulls the shrimp tacos together. I usually warm the tortillas right on the grill and load everything up with avocado slices before serving.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
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Grilled Shrimp Taco Ingredients
- For the shrimp: It’s best to use large, raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails off and marinade it with olive oil, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, grated garlic, and a little salt.
- For the Slaw: Use finely shredded purple or white cabbage. You can buy it already shredded to make it even faster. You’ll also need a ripe mango along with lime juice, diced jalapeño, chopped cilantro, and salt. If you want to make it creamy try adding ¼ cup of Greek yogurt to the mix.
- For serving: Warm up some corn or flour tortillas on the grill or a dry skillet, and because of the cabbage slaw, you don’t really need other toppings, but avocado is always a good idea when it comes to shrimp tacos!
How to Make Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Grilled Shrimp Taco Recipe
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- 1 pound large raw shrimp peeled and deveined, tails removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lime zested
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 garlic clove grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 to 6 wooden skewers soaked in water for at least 10 minutes
- avocado oil as needed, for grill grates
For the Slaw
- 3 cups purple cabbage finely shredded
- 1 lime juiced
- ½ mango julienned
- ½ jalapeño diced
- 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
To Assemble
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 avocado sliced
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp very well and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, garlic and salt and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate shrimp for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the slaw. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, lime juice, mango, jalapeño, cilantro and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Once the shrimp have marinated, thread them onto the prepared skewers. Set aside while you preheat the grill. If using a grill pan, grease lightly with a high-heat oil, then preheat for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until cooked through. If using a gas grill, preheat to medium, then grill the shrimp skewers for 2 to 3 minutes per side with the lid open.
- Warm the tortillas on the grill pan or gas grill for 10 seconds per side. To serve, place 3 shrimp into each tortilla. Top with a generous mound of slaw and a few slices of avocado and serve.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Have fun with toppings. You can dress these shrimp tacos up however you want. A little cotija cheese or try a light drizzle of cilantro yogurt sauce. You can add pickled onions, corn salsa, or pico de gallo.
- Use lettuce wraps. Instead of traditional corn or flour tortillas, use lettuce. Be sure to use a lettuce variety with a large surface area, such as butter lettuce (Bibb) or red or green leaf lettuce.
- Swap red cabbage for green. Both of these cabbage varieties can be used in this recipe, but green cabbage has a milder and slightly sweeter taste than red cabbage.
- Use for pre-shredded cabbage. Pre-shredded cabbage can be a convenient option when you’re short on time or don’t want to go through the hassle of shredding a whole head of cabbage.
Recipe Tips
- Skewer shrimp properly. Skewering shrimp makes them easier to handle on the grill and eliminates the need to flip individual shrimp. It also reduces the risk of them falling through the grates and ensures even cooking. If using wooden skewers, soak them first in water for about 10 minutes to help prevent them from burning or splintering during threading.
- Zest first, then juice the lime. Capture the bright and aromatic oils in the lime zest first, then proceed to juicing it. It’s nearly impossible to zest a lime after it has been squeezed so do that step first.
- If using a grill pan: grease lightly with a high-heat oil like avocado or canola oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking. Preheat for a few minutes over medium heat, then add the shrimp.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. Depending on the size of the shrimp, time may vary slightly but shrimp, like most seafood, cooks fast. So keep your eye on it and as soon as it’s opaque pink, take it off the heat.
Serving Ideas
- More protein on the side: If you want a fuller meal, try adding some homemade refried beans,
- Sides salads for tacos: Instead of the cabbage slaw, or in addition to it, you can try street corn salad, fish taco slaw or mexican chopped salad.
- Taco toppings: For more shrimp taco ideas, try guacamole dip with corn, black bean salsa or avocado crema
FAQs
Shrimp cook quickly and are done when they turn opaque with a pinkish hue and firm to the touch with a slight bounce. Another visual cue is the shape of the shrimp. When cooked, the shrimp will naturally curl into a C-shape. This may be harder to spot when the shrimp is skewered, but you’ll still be able to notice the change in shape.
It’s best to use raw shrimp, so they take on the flavor of the marinade. Cooking the raw shrimp allows them to soak up the flavors and spices, resulting in a flavorful and delicious dish. If you season pre-cooked shrimp and then heat them, the texture will become rubbery and taste lackluster.
Comments
does the calories mean per serving or for the whole recipe so 4 tacos??
The nutrition is based on 1 serving, which would be 2 tacos. Hope you enjoy!