Delicious Fried Shrimp Tacos loaded with Cajun panko fried shrimp, lettuce, purple cabbage, cilantro, pickled red onions and fresh avocado crema.

If you love tacos and are looking to switch up your dinner menu, continue reading for all the deets on how to put together these perfectly crispy and crunchy shrimp taco. It all starts with these Easy Cajun Panko Fried Shrimp that makes for the most amazing tacos. Oh and the texture... well, you'll have to see for yourself.
Let's talk about the sauce for these fried shrimp tacos. I hope you agree that you can never have enough sauce to dollop or drizzle over the top. If you haven't had it before, now is the time to introduce you to avocado crema. I promise you will not be disappointed.
It's made with avocado, plain Greek yogurt, cilantro, fresh lime juice and salt to taste and then whisked in a bowl until smooth and creamy. It's so good. In fact, I tend to make enough to add to my salads for a fresh creamy healthy dressing.
You can drizzle it over the top or add a couple of dollops for creaminess and added freshness.
Jump to:
Toppings
Shrimp tacos are amazing with so many different kinds of toppings. You can top with ingredients as simple as chopped onions and cilantro to just lettuce and tomatoes.
You can get even more creative and add black beans and a creamy sauce such as sour cream or avocado crema. You can refer to the recipe card below for details on the toppings used for this recipe.
Ingredient Notes
The star of this recipe is definitely the crispy coated pan fried shrimp. With that being said, it's important that the shrimp are seasoned, coated and cooked perfectly.
My favorite seasonings to use for this recipe are Cajun, kosher salt and black pepper. Cajun seasoning whether it's store bought or homemade adds such incredible flavor. As with many recipes, kosher salt is a must and shrimp are no different.
In addition to all purpose flour, panko crumbs are used to get that beautiful golden brown crispy outer coating. They have so much texture. As soon as you bite into one, you immediately hear the crunch. The outer coating is really that crunchy.
Let's get into taco shells. What's your favorite? Do you prefer hard taco shells...? Yellow corn? White corn? Flour? A flour and corn blend? Tell me in the comment section below.
For this recipe, I've used flour tortillas and also a blend of flour and yellow corn. They're both delicious and is based on your individual preference.
How to make shrimp tacos
- Defrost, de-vein, rinse, and allow shrimp to dry thoroughly on top of baking sheet layered paper towels.
- Season shrimp then coat in flour, egg wash, and panko then pan fry in cast iron skillet or other skillet. Alternatively, you can omit the coating and simply sear the shrimp in a little oil for a few minutes on both sides.
- Lay fried shrimp on a baking sheet that has been layered with clean paper towels to drain any excess oil.
- Warm soft tortillas over an opened flame on stove top.
- Assemble by filling warmed tortilla shell with all the toppings and the panko fried shrimp.
- Add a dollop or 2 of avocado crema and enjoy.
For this recipe, I do not recommend using standard hard taco shells. The most obvious reason is due to the fact that the shrimp are too large to fill the shell.
However, if you prefer hard shells over soft. Check out the shells I used for making Crispy Ground Turkey Tacos. I love the shape of those shells and they're perfect for a taco themed party. Otherwise, go with your favorite soft tortilla.
When it comes to warming soft tortillas, you have 3 options: 1) Follow the instructions on the packaging 2) Warm in a hot skillet or 3) Warm the tortilla directly over an opened flame on the stove top. My favorite way is option number 3.
The advantages of warming a soft tortilla directly over an opened flame on the stove top are:
- They warm really fast and become slightly charred and more tasty (pay close attention though as they only require a few seconds on both sides)
- They're ready in seconds
- No need to pull out an extra skillet or pan
- You can warm several in just a couple of minutes
Tips
- Shrimp should be defrosted, de-veined, and completely dry before coating and pan frying.
- Aim for large or extra large shrimp opposed to smaller shrimp.
- Flour or corn tortillas are both great options (whichever you prefer).
- If using a soft flour or corn tortilla, heat over an opened flame on the stove-top to get a nice quick char.
- Prep your toppings ahead of time and set aside before pan frying the shrimp.
- If making avocado crema, make sure your avocado is ripe enough to whip with a whisk.
Why this recipe works
- It's delicious
- So easy to whip up
- Very versatile (you can add so many different toppings)
- Perfect dinner idea for a busy weeknight
- Requires minimal ingredients
- Creative dinner idea for serving a crowd
Other taco recipes
Store and Reheat
To store: Place leftover toppings into separate ziploc bags or an airtight container with a lid and store in fridge. Avocado crema can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days. Shrimp can also be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To reheat: Place shrimp on baking sheet lined with foil and place in a 375 degree preheated oven until shrimp are warm then assemble shrimp taco.
Did you make this recipe?
If so, let me know how it went. Leave a 'Star Rating' within the recipe card down below and/or TAG @cookingwithbliss on Instagram. I can't wait to see how it turned out.
📖 Recipe
Fried Shrimp Tacos
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- paring knife (for de-veining shrimp)
- Cutting board
- baking sheet (to lay shrimp on to dry)
- foil paper (used to line baking sheet for easy cleanup)
- paper towels (used to line baking sheet to absorb excess water from shrimp)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs raw shrimp (large size)
- 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1-½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 eggs (3 beaten eggs)
- 1-½ cups panko
- ½ cup grape-seed oil (½ cup to ¾ cup of oil depending on size and depth of skillet. another way is to have between 2 to 3 inches of cooking oil in the skillet.)
- 8 flour soft tortillas (use either corn tortillas or a blend of flour and corn tortillas. Buy the amount that you would need to serve. )
- 2 cups lettuce (shredded)
- ½ cup cilantro
Red Pickled Onions
- 1 small red onion (slice thinly using a sharp chef's knife or a mandoline. Making sure slices are approximately the same size. )
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoon honey
- 1-½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Avocado Crema
- ½ cup avocado (Avocado should be ripe enough to mash. )
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- juice of half a lime
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
- 2 cups purple cabbage (shredded)
Instructions
Pickled Red Onions
- To a small mason jar, add thinly sliced red onions. Set aside.
- To a small pot, add water, distilled white vinegar, honey, seasoning and bring to a gently simmer over medium heat. Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes.
- Pour the mixture into the mason jar covering the sliced red onions then place the airtight lid onto the mason jar.
- Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour for pickling before eating.
Avocado Crema
- In a small mixing bowl, add half avocado and plain Greek yogurt and begin to mash avocado then use a whisk to combine until smooth.
- Squeeze lime juice, add salt and chopped cilantro continue to whisk until combined and smooth.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or an airtight container with a lid and place in the fridge until ready to use.
The tacos
- Prepare a baking sheet by first lining with foil paper (for easy cleanup) then add a couple layers of paper towels on top of foil. Set aside.
- Shred lettuce and purple cabbage and prepare other toppings. Set aside.
- Create an assembly line: Place all purpose flour into bowl #1, Place eggs and whisk them in bowl #2, and Place panko into bowl #3. Set aside.
- Defrost shrimp if necessary. Once defrosted, de-vein each shrimp by using a paring knife to remove the black digestive tract. This is done by cutting a small slit along the top of the shrimp and its underbelly. Then remove the digestive tract and discard. (Once you get a rhythm going this step goes fast).
- After each shrimp has been de-veined, rinse under cold water and place on the prepared baking sheet so the paper towels could absorb all the liquid and moisture. Also, use extra paper towels to gently press the top of the shrimp to remove any excess moisture.
- Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Using your assembly line: coat each shrimp in flour, then into the beaten egg mixture, then into panko crumbs in that order. (Make sure shrimp are well coated use your hands to gently press the panko crumbs onto the shrimp). Then place each coated shrimp onto a different baking sheet. In other words, make sure all the shrimp are well coated before pan frying.
- Add grape-seed oil to cast iron skillet and place over medium high heat. When oil begins to shimmer it's hot enough. If unsure, feel free to place a cooking thermometer into the oil and when it reaches 350 degrees. It's ready.
- Place coated shrimp into the skillet and DO NOT OVERCROWD the skillet. Work in batches. Pan fry one side for 3 minutes. Flip and pan fry the other side for 2 minutes. Remove shrimp and place shrimp on a baking sheet lined with clean paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Repeat until all shrimp have been pan fried.
- Place tortillas over an open-flame on the stove-top and warm for a few seconds on both sides at which point the tortilla may become slightly charred. Set aside. Be careful that the tortillas are not kept over the open-flame for too long as they can become overly charred and taste bitter and burnt.
- Assemble taco, top with all the topping don't forget the pickled onions and the avocado crema.
- and... Enjoy.
Notes
- Shrimp should be defrosted, de-veined, and completely dry before coating and pan frying.
- Aim for large or extra large shrimp opposed to smaller shrimp.
- Flour or corn tortillas are both great options (whichever you prefer).
- If using a soft flour or corn tortilla, heat over an opened flame on the stove-top to get a nice quick char.
- Prep your toppings ahead of time and set aside before pan frying the shrimp.
- If making avocado crema, make sure your avocado is ripe enough to whip with a whisk.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For the most accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information using the specific ingredients and brands you use.
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