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Spice up your taco night with this easy air fryer recipe for Blackened Shrimp Tacos! Shrimp are marinated in a delicious spicy seasoning then cooked to perfection and topped with a zesty homemade slaw. Great for a quick weeknight dinner!
These tacos are bursting with bold flavors in each bite with tender, spicy shrimp and a refreshing and crunchy slaw topping. The shrimp taco coleslaw adds a pop of vibrant colors that give this dish a picturesque presentation, perfect for a festive fiesta or a fun weeknight meal.
This recipe is incredibly versatile and makes a great light meal or goes well with a range of other side dishes if you want something more substantial. You can keep the taco toppings light or load up on your favorite garnishes for heartier tacos! For more shrimp dinner recipes, try these grilled shrimp kabobs, air fryer shrimp, or bacon wrapped shrimp.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Bold flavor. Blackened seasoning gives the shrimp a robust, spicy flavor and the tangy slaw adds a bright coolness. Each bite is packed with a delicious combination of flavors.
- Quick & Easy. This shrimp tacos with slaw recipe is ready in under 20 minutes, making it a great meal for weeknights or when you are short on time.
- Customizable. You can easily adjust the level of spice to suit your taste in this recipe and add your favorite toppings and garnishes to personalize each taco.
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the ingredients you will need to make shrimp tacos recipes at home. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the exact amounts for each ingredient.
- Shrimp: Use fresh shrimp for the best flavor, and be sure to peel and devein them. You can use frozen shrimp in a pinch, just thaw them first.
- Olive oil: Adds a rich flavor to the blackened shrimp and prevents it from sticking to the air fryer basket. Alternatively, you can use avocado oil or another neutral oil.
- Seasonings: A homemade savory blackened seasoning blend made with paprika, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, garlic salt, and black pepper. Always use spices with a good expiration date for the best flavor.
- Cabbage slaw: Use store-bought cabbage slaw mix for the easiest prep or make your own by mixing thinly sliced cabbage and carrots.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds a refreshing herbaceous flavor to the cajun shrimp tacos.
- Jalapeños: I recommend using pickled jalapeños to add a delicious tangy flavor to the coleslaw. Or you can use regular jalapeños if you prefer, just start with a lesser amount and add more as desired to control the heat.
- Mayonnaise: Use full-fat mayo to give the shrimp tacos with slaw the creamiest texture, or use a lower-fat option if you prefer.
- Lime juice: Fresh lime juice adds a bright zesty kick to the slaw. Use fresh lime wedges for additional garnish when serving this shrimp tacos recipe with slaw.
- Tortillas: Use your favorite six-inch tortillas – flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or a low-carb tortilla option.
How to Make Shrimp Tacos
Below are photos and recipe steps so you can easily make this spicy shrimp tacos recipe at home. You will also need an air fryer, a mixing bowl, and spoon.
Air fry the shrimp
Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Next, toss the shrimp with the oil and spices until well-coated. Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF for 3 minutes. Add the shrimp to the air fryer in a single layer. Fry the shrimp for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for 2-4 minutes longer. The cooking time will depend on how large your shrimp are.
Assemble
While the shrimp is cooking combine the slaw ingredients in a small bowl. Then set it aside until the shrimp is done. Once you’re finished cooking the shrimp, assemble the tacos by adding the shrimp to warm tortillas and topping with slaw.
Serve
Enjoy these tacos as a light meal for lunch or dinner or serve up a filling meal by plating them with some of our favorite recipes below.
Tips and Tricks
- Remove excess moisture from the shrimp by patting them dry with a paper towel before you add the seasonings. This will help the seasonings to stick better and to give the shrimp get a crispier texture when cooked.
- Warm the tortillas in a skillet on the stovetop or the air fryer before serving for the best shrimp taco recipe; toasted tortillas enhance the flavor and helps to strengthen the base of the tacos.
- Include additional toppings for shrimp tacos like avocado, cheese, pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or your favorite additions.
Blackened Shrimp Tacos FAQ
The shrimp is done cooking in the air fryer when it is no longer opaque and has reached an internal temperature of 120ºF with a meat thermometer. It is best to cook the shrimp in a single layer so the shrimp aren’t overcrowded and cook thoroughly and evenly. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook in batches.
Yes, you can prepare the slaw up to one day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also season the uncooked shrimp and store them for 24 hours in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them. Marinating the shrimp can also help enhance the flavor!
The amount of servings will depend on the size of your shrimp and how many you want in each taco. One pound of 30/40 count shrimp will be enough for about six tacos with 3 shrimp in each. Feel free to cook more shrimp if you want to load them up or double this recipe to serve more people.
More Shrimp Recipes
Blackened Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
Blackened Shrimp Ingredients
- 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Slaw Ingredients
- 3 cups cabbage slaw mix
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1-2 tablespoons pickled jalapenos, chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise, as needed
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Tacos
- 8-12 six-inch tortillas, flour, corn, or low carb
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Pat the thawed shrimp dry with a paper towel. Toss the shrimp with oil and spices until well coated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 3 minutes. Add the shrimp to the air fryer in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to do this in batches. Fry the shrimp for 4 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 2-4 minutes. The cooking time will depend on how large your shrimp are. The shrimp is done when it is no longer opaque and has reached an internal temperature of 120 degrees F
- While the shrimp is cooking combine the slaw ingredients, set aside.
- Assemble the tacos by adding the shrimp to warm tortillas and topping with slaw.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
