Shrimp Baja Tacos

These shrimp Baja tacos are a fast and fresh weeknight dinner that go from start to finish in just 20 minutes! They’re minimal but perfect.

Complex, time-intensive recipes can sometimes be great. I do yearn for the days when I could put on a podcast and thoughtfully chop vegetables or stand over the stove and just stir for what seemed like forever.

But those days are no more. Now I still want satisfying, big-flavor dishes but without the unnecessary, high-maintenance steps.

These shrimp “baja- style” tacos are exactly that and let me tell you, they might just be your go-to taco from now on. This is my version of a simple, reminiscent of California taco. They remind me of my honeymoon when I ate fish tacos for just about every meal. The kind you get at one of those cute little shacks right on the water.

These have just the right amount of freshness from cilantro and lime, plus a light cream sauce to bring it all together. You’ll want to drizzle it on everything.

Ingredients for Shrimp Baja Tacos

There isn’t anything crazy going on with these! Just simple, fresh ingredients.

• shrimp – buy it raw if possible so you can let it marinate
• tortillas (I prefer corn for these)
• cilantro
• limes
• sour cream
• green cabbage, which I like to shred super thin using a mandoline
• tomatoes
• avocado
• jalapeño (thinly sliced)

Marinating the Shrimp

The first step in this recipe is marinating the shrimp. It’s as simple as adding the shrimp to a bowl along with cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Mix it up and let it stand for 10 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

Marinating is key for adding flavor to the shrimp and cilantro/lime are basically the perfect pairing.

Note: a longer marinade isn’t always better, especially with shrimp since the acid in the lime juice can actually start to cook the shrimp so resist the urge to let it sit for too long.

As you can see I like to cook the shrimp on a grill pan if possible because it gives them a little extra char. You can also cook them in a single layer in your largest skillet or on your outside grill too.

This meal is simple and fun. Once the ingredients are prepped you can serve everything in separate dishes and let everyone customize their own. They’re super fresh and colorful so it looks great on the table.

Add some chips, salsa, margaritas (or margarita mocktails!) and make it a party.

What to serve with tacos:

• Mango Black Bean Salsa
• Pineapple Cilantro Margaritas
• Shrimp Ceviche with Avocado

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This post was originally published in July 2019. Photos, recipe and content were all updated in February 2022.