A fast, fresh, and fun twist on taco night! Taco Tuesday just got tastier with these healthy Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos seasoned with Low Sodium Taco Seasoning and topped with a crisp, simple slaw and jalapeno cream sauce.
An easy recipe made with simple ingredients; air-fried shrimp tacos are a healthy option for busy weeknights. Hungry for more easy dinners? Try Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole next!
This air fryer shrimp taco recipe is a different way to enjoy fish tacos. It’s a delicious recipe full of great flavors. Try this recipe with other seafood to make tilapia, Chilean sea bass, or mahi mahi tacos!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple air fryer recipe! Cooking shrimp in air fryer takes all the guesswork out. Don't worry about rubbery overcooked shrimp, air frying shrimp is one of the easiest ways to cook this shellfish.
- Quick and easy! Have an air fryer shrimp taco on your dinner table in less than 20 minutes.
- The shrimp taco slaw pulls these fried shrimp tacos together. It’s so tasty you’ll want to eat it with a spoon.
- Even picky eaters will enjoy this fish taco, although, you may want to dial down the heat in the jalapeno cream sauce.
- A great way to use up leftover shrimp.
Ingredients
Find exact measurements in the recipe card.
- Shrimp –fresh or frozen
- Cabbage (or coleslaw mix) - A fresh cabbage slaw tossed in a jalapeno cream sauce gives these air fried shrimp tacos a fresh crunch.
- Jalapeno Cream Sauce - a mixture of plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), olive oil, lime juice, jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro.
- Pico de Gallo - a combination of chopped tomato, onion, and serrano peppers, with salt, lime juice, and cilantro. For this recipe, I buy premade pico de gallo to save time.
- Taco Seasoning - a spice mixture of cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Tortillas – for soft tacos, use flour or corn tortillas. You can also use a crispy tortilla shell for extra crunch or lettuce wraps for a low carb option.
- Taco topping (optional): avocado slices or guacamole, cheese, black beans, pickled red onions, sautéed onions and peppers, etc.
Equipment
- Air Fryer - I've had this air fryer for years with no complaints!
- Small food processor - Make the creamy jalapeno salsa in no time with this small food processor that is easy to store and move around your kitchen.
How to Make Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos
These easy shrimp tacos with slaw are quick to prepare. Plus, cooking air fryer shrimp with no breading ensures an easy cleanup!
Step 1: Add all ingredients of the jalapeno cream sauce to a food processor and blend until smooth.
Step 2: To make the slaw for shrimp tacos, add as much of the jalapeno cream sauce as you want to the shredded cabbage and mix well. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
Step 3: Preheat air fryer to 400°. Pat the shrimp dry using paper towels. In a medium bowl, add shrimp, olive oil, and taco seasoning. Stir to mix well.
Step 4: Spray air fryer basket with a nonstick cooking spray then add shrimp in a single layer. Air fry shrimp for 6 minutes at 400° or until the internal temperature of the shrimp is 120°. Warm tortillas and prepare your favorite toppings while shrimp cook.
Step 5: Assemble tacos. Start with a warm tortilla and top it with air fried shrimp. Add cabbage slaw, pico de gallo, avocado slices, and any other additional toppings. Drizzle with more of the spicy sauce, if desired.
Pro Tips
- For this air fryer shrimp recipe, you can air fry frozen shrimp, but I prefer to thaw shrimp first. The seasoning will stick better to thawed shrimp. Thaw shrimp quickly by running cold water over them for a few minutes in a colander in the sink.
- Make the jalapeno cream sauce as spicy or as mild as you like based on how much of the jalapeno you add. When you cut a jalapeno open, the ribs and seeds are spiciest parts. For a spicy shrimp taco, leave the ribs and seeds in the jalapeno, or you may want to remove them for a milder flavor.
- To get crispy shrimp tacos, space shrimp out and do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. You may need to air fry shrimp in two batches.
FAQs
Each air fryer is different, but most will cook shrimp at 400° for about 6 minutes. You do not need to shake or flip the shrimp half way through.
Shrimp should be cooked to an internal temperature of 120° to remain plump and juicy. Be careful not to overcook shrimp or they will become tough and rubbery.
If your shrimp have already been cooked, you can reheat them quickly in the air fryer. Reheat shrimp at 350° for 2-3 minutes.
What to Serve with Shrimp Tacos?
The best side dishes for tacos are chips and guacamole with rice and refried beans. I love to cook this super easy low carb Cauliflower Spanish Rice recipe when making these tasty tacos.
Tacos and margaritas are a classic combination! I love to munch on air fried shrimp tacos with our famous family recipe, Frozen Minute Maid Limeade Margarita.
Storage
Cooked shrimp should be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Leftover shrimp can be reheated in the air fryer or microwave.
Store any leftover taco toppings and sauce in airtight containers in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Hungry for More?
If you try this recipe or any recipe from Happy Honey Kitchen, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos
Equipment
- Blender or Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 lb. shrimp peeled, deveined, and thawed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounce shredded cabbage
- avocado sliced
- pico de gallo
- tortillas
Low Sodium Taco Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Jalapeño Cream Sauce
- 1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- ¾ cup cilantro packed
- 1 jalapeño
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lime juiced
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°.
- Add all ingredients of the jalapeno cream sauce to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add as much of the salsa as you want to the shredded cabbage to make the creamy jalapeno slaw. Set aside.
- Pat dry the shrimp. In a medium sized bowl, add shrimp, olive oil, and taco seasoning. Stir to mix well.
- Spray air fryer basket with a nonstick cooking spray then add shrimp. Space shrimp out and do not overcrowd the air fryer basket - you may need to air fry the shrimp in two batches. Air fry shrimp for 6 minutes at 400° or until the internal temperature of the shrimp is 120°.
- Assemble tacos. Start with a warm tortilla and top it with air fried shrimp. Add cabbage slaw, pico de gallo, avocado slices, and any other additional toppings. Drizzle with more of the spicy sauce, if desired.
Notes
- Shrimp should be cooked to an internal temperature of 120°.
- You can cook frozen shrimp in air fryer, but I prefer to quick thaw shrimp first. Thaw shrimp quickly by running cold water over it for a few minutes. Taco seasoning sticks to thawed shrimp better.
- Make the sauce as spicy or as mild as you would like based on how much jalapeno you add. The ribs and seeds of the jalapeno are spiciest parts, so you may want to remove those for a more mild salsa for the cabbage slaw.
Rachael
These look so amazing. I love that they use the air fryer. Makes things so simple!
Mina
I love shrimps! I need to try this recipe 🙂
Nathalie
I love tacos and I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Kelly
This looks delicious! I'll have to make this for my boyfriend. Shrimp tacos are his absolute fave!