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If you like tequila, shrimp, and tacos, you’re going to LOVE these! I can’t say that this is an “authentic” recipe, but the Mexican flavors are definitely there.
Shrimp tacos were one of the first things I ever cooked for my husband. To this day, he says this is still on his top 5 of all my recipes so far.
I am definitely a tequila drinker- it is my liquor of choice and I actually enjoy the way it tastes. That being said, I don’t want you to think that your shrimp will taste like tequila! The alcohol will cook out and produce amazing flavor, but you will not taste or get a buzz from the alcohol.
If you have any dietary or religious restrictions from alcohol, you can simply leave it out or substitute with a little chicken stock or whatever type of stock you prefer. It will not impart the same flavor as the tequila, but it will help.
How to flambe safely
Flambe is a french word that means “to flame.” It is a cooking technique that ignites food with alcohol added to it. It is done to develop and impart some of the rich flavor from the alcohol into the food.
I love cooking with alcohol- it adds so much depth of flavor when combined with food over heat. Some of my favorite things to make with alcohol are these shrimp tacos (tequila), pasta (white wine or vodka), and pan roast (cognac or pernod).
If you aren’t comfortable working with open flames, you can just skip this part. If you’ve never done it before and want to try, I cannot stress enough how important it is to review the following instructions and safety tips for flambeeing.
- DO NOT pour liquor directly from the bottle, especially over an open flame. Pour the tequila into a small container first, then pour into the pan. This is SO important- the flame can follow the stream of alcohol into the bottle and cause it to explode.
- ALWAYS remove the pan from the heat source when pouring in alcohol. You can do this either by physically removing the pan from the stove, or temporarily turning the stove off for this part.
- Ignite using a long matchstick or lighter.
- Ignite the alcohol immediately after pouring it in so that the food doesn’t absorb too much of the raw, harsh flavors.
- DO NOT hover over the pan when igniting it. Make sure that no part of your body is hovering over the open flame- either keep an arm’s length distance from the pan or tilt it away from you.
Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp , peeled & deveined
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 oz tequila
- 1/4 head of cabbage
- 1 roma tomato
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/4 red onion
- 2 limes
- cotija cheese
Jalapeno Crema
- 1 jalapeno
- 1/2 ripe avocado
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 lime
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 garlic clove
Instructions
- To make the jalapeno crema, blend all the ingredients together except for the sour cream. Once fully blended, add the sour cream and shake until combined.
- Chop your cabbage, tomato, onion, and cilantro and mix together with the juice from 1 lime. Set aside
- Season the shrimp with salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and black pepper
- Heat a pan with 1 T each canola & olive oil. Add the shrimp and keep it on medium-high heat
- After 1 minute, add the soy sauce, Worcestershire, and crushed red pepper. Cook for 1 minute
- Turn off the heat then pour in the tequila from a container (NOT straight from the bottle). Use a long reach lighter to ignite the flames, tilting the pan away from you or making sure no part of your body is hovering over it. Then let the alcohol cook off and turn the heat back on when the flames go out* If you are not comfortable doing this step or not sure how to do it safely, just skip it
- Add the minced garlic and juice from 1 lime. Reduce the heat to low and cook for a couple more minutes
- Heat up some tortillas and assemble the tacos. Add the slaw, avocados, cotija cheese, jalapeno crema, and your favorite salsa.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love shrimp and always looking for new ways to flavor my favorite. This recipe is *chef’s kiss* and so easy to follow for someone like me who is still learning my way around the kitchen. Thank you Stella!
This one is my go to for shrimp tacos!
Just made these tacos tonight they were delicious! In your recipe though for the jalepeno crema, it just says 1 lime for it. Was it supposed to be the juice of 1 lime?
Yes it is the juice of 1 lime 🙂 I’m so glad you liked them!
Just made this with Wimpy Jalapeño Crema (No Jalapeños) aka Cilantro Lime Crema…made crispy corn tortilla shells…added Garlic Powder, Comino and Onion Powder to the slaw. It was AMAZING ?
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for leaving a comment 🙂 Happy holidays!