Baja Shrimp Tacos feature tender, seasoned shrimp on a bed of slaw with homemade baja sauce and then topped with cotija cheese and a squeeze of lime juice for the perfect fresh bite. These tacos only take a few minutes to make, but are truly so satisfying and full of flavor.
Tacos of all kinds are delicious. Especially when I want a quick dinner that has protein, fresh vegetables, and lots of flavor- I'm reaching for a taco recipe. I love venison tacos and Smash Burger Tacos. These Baja Shrimp Tacos have only a few minutes of prep time, and very little chopping!
Originating from Baja California, Mexico, the method of baja style food has come to mean anything fresh, mexican, and full of flavor. Seafood is common, but I have seen chicken dishes labelled "baja" as well. It has become somewhat of a blanket term.
When a taco is "baja" it generally refers to fish tacos. The tacos are often fried and then garnished with cabbage and a white sauce.
I did a slight variation on fish tacos here by using shrimp, but they are still topped with cabbage for freshness and crunch. If you have never added cabbage to your tacos before, I highly recommend it. It has become one of our household's go to toppings!
Ingredients
- Shrimp: Raw shrimp with their tails off work best for this recipe and require no prep work aside from thawing.
- Oil: A neutral, high heat oil like avocado oil.
- Spices: A blend of garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Lime: Fresh Lime juice is used in both the baja sauce and as a final garnish.
- Coleslaw Mix: Or shredded cabbage.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro for adding to the slaw and on top.
- Mayonnaise: This helps create the baja sauce which is used on both the slaw and on top.
- Greek yogurt: I like to use whole milk greek yogurt in all of my recipes.
- Adobo: The liquid from chilis in adobo sauce, it has a bit of heat but isn’t overly spicy. You can also substitute your favorite hot sauce.
- Cotija Cheese: This is a crumbly, mexican cheese. You can use feta cheese as a substitute.
- Tortillas: Either corn tortillas or flour tortillas.
How to make Baja Shrimp Tacos
Step 1. In a mixing bowl, combine shrimp with oil and spices.
Step 2. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Step 3. In a small bowl, combine mayo, yogurt, spices, lime juice, and adobo sauce.
Step 4. To a separate bowl, add cabbage, chopped cilantro, and half of the prepared baja sauce.
Step 5. Place a skillet over high heat, and add shrimp. Cook for around 2 minutes per side, until shrimp go from grey to pink. Shrimp cook quickly so keep an eye on them.
Warm tortillas on the stove or in the microwave.
Step 6. Assemble tacos by topping each tortilla with finished slaw, cooked shrimp, cotija cheese, cilantro, a drizzle of the prepared baja sauce, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Recipe Tips
- Heat up the tortillas right on the stove top grates for an authentic warm tortilla with a little bit of char to it! If you don't have a gas stove, a few seconds in the broiler will do the job, but you will want to watch the tortillas very carefully so they don't burn!
- If using cooked shrimp instead of raw, still warm them on the stove to allow all of the flavors to develop.
- If you want to make this dish low carb, you can omit the tortillas and use more cabbage or salad mix and simply top that with the seasoned shrimp. A baja shrimp salad would be delish, similar to this Bang Bang Shrimp Salad.
Storage
Store any leftover shrimp in the fridge for 2-3 days. Keep the shrimp separate from the toppings and tortilla shells so that everything stays fresh and just reheat when ready.
More Mexican Food Favorites
Did you enjoy these Baja Shrimp Tacos? I would love for you to let me know by leaving a comment and star rating. I can't wait to hear from you.
Baja Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
Shrimp tacos
- 16 oz. raw shrimp tail off, thawed
- 1 tbsp. avocado oil
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- ½ tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ cup cotija cheese
- 8 tortillas flour or corn
Baja Sauce
- 2 limes 1 for sauce, one for garnish
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp. adobo sauce or your favorite hot sauce
- ½ tsp. salt
Cabbage Slaw
- ½ cup cilantro plus more for topping tacos
- 2 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- ½ cup prepared baja sauce
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine shrimp with oil and spices. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine mayo, yogurt, juice from one lime, and adobo sauce.
- To a separate bowl, add cabbage, chopped cilantro, and half of the prepared baja sauce.
- Place a skillet over high heat, and add shrimp. Cook for around 2 minutes per side, until shrimp go from grey to pink. Shrimp cook quickly so keep an eye on them.
- Warm tortillas on the stove or in the microwave.
- Assemble tacos by topping each tortilla with finished slaw, cooked shrimp, cotija cheese, cilantro, a drizzle of the prepared baja sauce, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
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