There are few foods we love more than good tacos. Bonus if they come from a truck! We tried a new taco truck in Seattle (actually, Renton) this weekend and it was one of the best we’ve had in the area. But I think my recently posted fish tacos and these shrimp tacos are better!

Notes:

Make the slaw and sauce and prep the other ingredients ahead of time. The shrimp cook really quickly so you need everything else ready to go.

I like to buy shrimp on the smaller size (I think these were 51/60 per lb. or something like that) so you can eat them in one bite.

The blackening seasoning has just the right amount of spice to make these interesting; combined with the creamy sauce and avocado it’s not too hot.

Smoked paprika is an amazing spice. You CAN NOT substitute regular paprika and get the same result. Also, make sure it’s not hot paprika because that would make these way too spicy!

The slaw is delicious on it’s own. (I had a hard time not eating it all from the bowl while I prepped the rest of the tacos!)

Corn tortillas are traditional but we prefer flour and that’s what I usually have on hand so that’s what I used.

Blackened Shrimp Tacos

INGREDIENTS

Coleslaw:
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I used half mayo and half plain Greek yogurt)
1/2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1/2 bag coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
3 green onions, sliced
~2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Smoky Garlic Lime Sauce:
1/3 cup mayonnaise (once again, I used half mayo and half plain Greek yogurt)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp. lime juice

Blackening Seasoning:
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Tacos:
1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
1 Tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
corn or flour tortillas (this recipe has a method for making crispy tortillas in the oven that would be great here!)
green onions, sliced
fresh cilantro, chopped
sliced avocado
lime wedges

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the coleslaw dressing, mix together the mayonnaise, honey, Dijon, red wine vinegar, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper in a bowl. Place the coleslaw mix and sliced green onions (and cilantro, if using) in a bowl and add about 3/4 of the dressing. Stir until everything is coated in dressing, then add more dressing if desired. Refrigerate the slaw until ready to serve.
2. To prepare the smoky garlic lime sauce, stir together the mayonnaise, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and lime juice in a small bowl. Save the other half of the lime to serve as wedges with the finished tacos.
3. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, toast the tortillas on each side until browned on the edges. Place the toasted tortillas on stacked on a plate and covered with a towel until ready to serve.
4. Prepare the blackening seasoning by stirring together the smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and freshly cracked pepper in a bowl. Pour the seasoning over the shrimp and stir until the shrimp are coated.
5. Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat for about one minute, or until the garlic is fragrant and slightly softened. Add the seasoned shrimp and sauté just until the shrimp is firm (about 3-5 minutes). Remove the skillet from the heat to prevent over cooking the shrimp.
6. To serve the tacos, place some coleslaw in each tortilla, top with shrimp, a drizzle of the smoky garlic lime sauce, avocado, and garnish with green onion and cilantro. Squeeze a wedge of fresh lime over top.

Serves 3-4.

Adapted from Budget Bytes