Crispy, spicy, and packed with flavor, these Cajun Shrimp Tacos are sure to be a family favorite! Juicy shrimp are coated in Cajun seasoning, breaded with panko, and fried for the ultimate crunch. Wrapped in soft tortillas with fresh veggies and a creamy, zesty sauce; they are the perfect balance of spice and crunch!
These hearty shrimp tacos work great for lunch, dinner or taco night. Pair them with my smashed potatoes for a complete meal.
You also swap the shrimp for chicken, add your favorite veggies, and use any dip you like—but my Avocado Crema is a must-try! And if you love tacos, do check out my blackened fish tacos!
What You'll Need
Here are the components for making this crispy Cajun Shrimp Tacos recipe as well as the main ingredients you'll require. See recipe card for quantities.
Crispy Cajun Shrimp
- Shrimp - Use peeled and deveined shrimp, frozen or fresh, both are fine.
- Cajun Seasoning - You can use ready-made cajun seasoning or make your own at home.
- Sriracha Sauce - Adds a spicy kick. Replace with any hot sauce.
- Panko Crumbs - It gives a light, crispy coating for extra crunch. I highly recommend them over normal breadcrumbs.
- Oregano & Black Pepper - for flavoring breadcrumbs.
Cajun Dressing
- Cajun Seasoning
- Mayonnaise - Creamy base for the sauce.
- Mustard Sauce
- Ketchup - balances the spice.
- Vinegar - Use white vinegar.
Assembly
- Tortillas - You can use corn, flour or glute-free tortillas.
- Red Onion - Adds crunch and sharpness
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Cilantro - just for garnish, can omit if you don't like fresh coriander.
Have some extra Cajun seasoning? Make my Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta.
How To Make Cajun Shrimp Tacos
- Clean the shrimp, pat dry and then marinate with cajun seasoning and leave aside for a couple of minutes.
- Dredge the shrimp in the seasoned panko breadcrumbs. The panko breadcrumbs add a better texture and crunch but you can also use regular breadcrumbs.
- Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the shrimp. For a healthier version, bake or air fry them. They still taste as good.
- Assemble by taking a piece of warmed tortilla, add the sliced veggies, put on some cooked shrimp and then finally drizzle the prepared dressing. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- For a healthier version, you can grill or air fry the breaded shrimp.
- Swap up flour tortillas with low-carb, gluten-free or corn tortillas.
- You can also replace the shrimp with chicken or salmon. Or use my crunchy fish nuggets instead.
- Use a different seasoning mix like fajita, taco or blackened seasoning.
- Play with different vegetables. Some options to consider are cabbage, jalapeno, avocado and sweet corn.
- Use another sauce in this shrimp taco recipe. Spicy chipotle, honey mustard, avocado crema, and cilantro lime sauce, go quite well with these.
- Add some shredded cheddar or cotija cheese.
What To Serve With Cajun Shrimp Tacos
Here are some great pairing ideas for these delicious cajun tacos:
- Sides: Greek-style potato wedges, corn on the cob, parmesan potatoes, mango salsa, coleslaw, black beans, or jalapeno popper salad.
- Drinks: Mango iced tea, mango mojito mocktail, or strawberry basil lemonade.
More Shrimp Recipes
If you loved my cajun shrimp tacos, then you might also like these:
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Cajun Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) shrimp frozen or fresh
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- salt see note 2
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon water
- ⅓ cup cooking oil for frying
Coating
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Sauce
- 3-4 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon mustard sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon cajun seasoning
Assembly
- 2 tortillas
- ½ red onion sliced
- ½ tomato sliced
- 3-4 lettuce leaves sliced
- fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Marinate the shrimp with Cajun seasoning and sriracha sauce for at least 15 minutes.
- Add all-purpose flour and water to the shrimp to create a light batter.
- In a separate bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, crushed black pepper, and dried oregano.
- Coat the shrimp evenly with the seasoned breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat oil in a pan for shallow frying, then fry the shrimp on medium-high heat, 2-3 minutes each sides until golden and crispy.
- Remove the shrimp and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
- Prepare the sauce by mixing mayonnaise, mustard sauce, garlic ketchup, Cajun seasoning, and vinegar.
- Toast the tortillas on both sides until lightly charred.
- Assemble the tacos by adding the fried shrimp, red onion, tomato, lettuce, and cilantro to the tortillas.
- Drizzle with the prepared dipping sauce and serve immediately with lime wedges.
Notes
- You can use either frozen, pre-blanched or fresh shrimp. If using fresh make sure to clean and devein them.
- Some Cajun seasonings already have salt, so I recommend adding extra cautiously.
Nutrition
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