Garlic Butter Shrimp Tacos 🌮🧄🧈🍤 Juicy, Buttery, and Bright With Garlicky Heat, Fresh Slaw, and Creamy Sauce Wrapped in a Warm Tortilla

These tacos are fast, fiery, and loaded with texture — garlic butter-seared shrimp with a hit of chili, layered into toasted tortillas with crisp slaw and a drizzle of lime crema or chipotle mayo. They’re the taco night upgrade you didn’t know you needed.

Great for weeknight dinners, dinner parties, or building your own taco bar.

Ingredients (Makes 6–8 tacos)

For the shrimp

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes or Cajun seasoning (optional)
• Juice of ½ lime

Taco build

• 6–8 small tortillas (corn or flour), warmed or toasted
• 2 cups shredded cabbage or slaw mix
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro or green onion
• 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
• Lime wedges, for serving

For the crema (optional but recommended)

• ⅓ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Juice of ½ lime
• Salt to taste
• Optional: 1 tsp chipotle hot sauce or adobo

Instructions

Step 1: Prep the crema
Mix sour cream, lime juice, salt, and hot sauce (if using) in a bowl. Chill until ready to use.

Step 2: Cook the shrimp
Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Sear shrimp 1–2 minutes per side until just opaque. Remove and set aside.

Step 3: Make garlic butter sauce
Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and garlic to the pan. Cook 1–2 minutes until garlic is fragrant but not browned. Stir in red pepper flakes and lime juice.

Step 4: Toss and coat
Return shrimp to the pan and toss in garlic butter for 30–60 seconds until glossy and well coated.

Step 5: Build the tacos
Layer slaw, shrimp, avocado, and herbs in warm tortillas. Drizzle with crema or sauce of choice. Serve with lime wedges.

Flavor Variations

• Add pickled onions or jalapeños for acid and crunch
• Use mango salsa or pineapple slaw for sweet-spicy contrast
• Sub chipotle mayo for crema if you want extra heat
• Add crumbled cotija or feta for a salty finish
• Use grilled shrimp instead of skillet-seared for a smokier version

Pro Tips

• Don’t overcook the shrimp — they should be pink, opaque, and slightly springy
• Toast tortillas in a dry skillet for best flavor and texture
• Make extra garlic butter to drizzle over the slaw or rice sides
• Assemble tacos just before serving to keep tortillas from getting soggy
• Shrimp can be prepped ahead and reheated gently in garlic butter

Final Thoughts

Garlic Butter Shrimp Tacos are a killer combo of heat, crunch, butter, and citrus — everything you want wrapped in a warm tortilla. Bold enough for a party, easy enough for Tuesday.

Sear it. Sauce it. Wrap it up. 🌮🧄🧈🍤🔥

🦐 More Coastal Seafood Recipes

From cozy casseroles to zesty grilled fish and elegant seafood pastas, this collection of Seafood Recipes covers every ocean-inspired craving — whether you’re planning a dinner party or a quick weeknight win.

• 🐟 Classic Seafood Dish Recipes – Think pan-seared salmon with lemon dill and timeless coastal favorites.
• 🦞 Delicious Seafood Boil Recipes – Spicy, saucy boils packed with crab, shrimp, and corn. The ultimate feast.
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• 🐟 Salmon Recipes – Baking & grilling to bowls, pastas, and more — healthy, flavorful, and easy to make/
• 🦞 Seafood Casseroles – Bubbly, Buttery & Oven-Ready. Comfort food meets coastal flavor.
• 🥣 Flavorful Seafood Soups – Rich chowders, bisques, and broth-based favorites.
• 🍽️ Easy Seafood Dinner Recipes – Quick, delicious, easy recipes bring bold flavor with minimal prep and cleanup
• 🥗 Healthy Seafood Recipes – Light, fresh & packed with protein and omega-3s with bright, satisfying flavor
• 🍚 Risotto Recipes with Seafood – Creamy, silky rice dishes meet the richness of the sea.
• 🌊 Seafood Stews – Mediterranean, Latin to classic American, hearty stews with satisfying depth in your bowl.
• 🍝🧀 Seafood Lasagna – Lasagna meets the sea in these rich and satisfying delicious twist classic bakes.