Baja Shrimp Tacos

Looking for a quick and delicious dinner option? Try this easy Baja shrimp tacos recipe. Soft tortilla shells stuffed with seasoned shrimp, a delicious homemade sauce, coleslaw and you favorite toppings. Perfect for a weeknight meal!

If you’ve never had baja shrimp tacos, then RUN, don’t walk to try this recipe. These easy tacos are show-stopping delicious and incredibly simple to make. Seriously, you won’t believe how simple it is to throw this recipe together and how amazing they turn out. Every single element is made from scratch, but it’s also super quick to put together.

I love easy taco recipes, which is why I turn to shrimp tacos and fish stick tacos often. I also love my ground beef taco meat for a quick dinner. But man, I think of all of my taco recipes, these shrimp tacos are taking first place. Give them a try and you’ll definitely see why we love them so much!

Why You’ll Love these Easy Shrimp Tacos

• The flavor in this baja shrimp tacos recipe is out of this world! There’s just the right amount of spice, combined with zesty lime and warm spices.
• These are restaurant-quality tacos — and you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home for them!
• Believe it or not, you can complete this recipe in a half hour. Even with three separate parts and a lot of ingredients, everything comes together really quickly.

Ingredients for Baja Shrimp Tacos

There are three different elements to these delicious tacos. Yes, it requires a lot of ingredients, but the steps are so simple that your baja shrimp tacos will still be ready to serve before you know it. Here’s everything that you will need:

Shrimp Ingredients

• Large shrimp – I highly recommend purchasing peeled and deveined shrimp, otherwise you’ll create quite a bit of extra work on your end!
• Seasonings – This seasoning blend truly makes for the most incredible shrimp. These are the spices you’ll need:
  • chili powder
  • cumin
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • garlic powder
  • chipotle powder

Chipotle Sauce

• Sour cream – Make the most creamy chipotle sauce with sour cream as the base ingredient. Feel free to use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.
• Mayonnaise – Give this a try, even you’re not a fan of mayo! It adds the perfect creamy texture and tangy flavor to this sauce.
• Adobo chipotle sauce – This is key to making the BEST chipotle mayo sauce.
• Fresh lime juice – Add a bit of fresh lime juice for a zesty addition to this deliciously creamy sauce.

Mexican Coleslaw

• Coleslaw mixture – Grab a bag of coleslaw mix at the grocery store. You’ll toss this with a few basic ingredients to make a yummy Mexican slaw.
• Mayonnaise – Use some mayo to make this shredded cabbage creamy.
• Lime juice – A simple squeeze of lime juice will add extra flavor to your coleslaw.
• Chopped cilantro – This is my FAVORITE herb to use in baja-style tacos — really in any tacos, for that matter!

Taco Ingredients

• Flour tortillas – I prefer to serve these tacos on flour tortillas, but corn tortillas will work too.
• Shredded cheese – Use whatever cheese you want. Shredded cheddar, Mexican blend, even cotija cheese.
• Diced tomatoes or pico de gallo – My homemade pico de gallo is pretty darn tasty on these tacos.
• Diced avocados – Slice or dice avocados for a simple and tasty topping on baja shrimp tacos.

How to Make Baja Shrimp Tacos

If you don’t have deveined shrimp with tails off, then remove the tails and devein them. Once shrimp are prepared, pat them dry with paper towels.

Mix the chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic powder and chipotle powder together in a large mixing bowl.

Add the shrimp in and mix to coat evenly, then set aside. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set it aside as well.

Lastly, mix all the slaw ingredients together and set aside. I like to store the slaw in the fridge while I prepare the shrimp so that it chills a bit.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then cook the seasoned shrimp in the oil for about 5-7 minutes, or until the seasoning coating begins to brown and the shrimp are evenly warm.

While the shrimp are cooking, heat the tortillas on a separate burner.

Then layer each tortilla with the slaw mixture, Baja shrimp, shredded cheese, some of the sauce, tomatoes, and avocados.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

How to Store Baja Shrimp Tacos

For best results, store leftover taco ingredients separately. I recommend allowing the shrimp to fully cool and then transferring to an airtight container. Store the sauce and slaw in separate containers.

FRIDGE: Store all ingredients for up to 3 days in the fridge. The sauce will likely last a little bit longer.

FREEZER: You can freeze leftovers shrimp and tortillas, but I do not recommend freezing slaw or sauce.

How to Reheat Shrimp

I do not recommend reheating shrimp in the microwave — it makes them really rubbery. For best results, reheat in a skillet on the stove top or in the air fryer. Reheat until warmed through!

Toppings for Baja Shrimp Tacos

This Mexican slaw and chipotle mayo are the go-to toppings for this style of tacos. But there are tons of other delicious topping ideas you can use too! I’ve listed a few in the recipe card, but here’s some more ideas:

• diced onions
• pickled onions
• salsa
• banana peppers
• lime juice
• guacamole
• sliced jalapeños

What to Serve with Baja Shrimp Tacos

Homemade baja shrimp tacos will pair beautifully with many of your favorite side dishes. Serve with chips and dip, like Mexican street corn dip or grilled corn salsa. Spanish rice and roasted vegetables are also delicious pairings.

Don’t forget the drinks! These tacos would pair wonderfully with a big pitcher of margaritas — especially spicy margaritas. It’s also great with non-alcoholic beverages like sparkling strawberry lemonade.

If you love these tacos, then be sure to check out my other shrimp tacos recipe. They are also AMAZING!

More Taco Recipes You’ll Love!

• Want a super easy way to serve up the tasty goodness of tacos? Then check out my recipe for Taco Casserole.
• These Chorizo Breakfast Tacos are a total game changer for breakfast time — so much flavor!
• Is it a pizza? Is it a taco? It’s both! This Taco Pizza is one of our family favorite recipes.
• If you need a kid-friendly dinner that everyone will enjoy, then check out Taco Spaghetti.