These shrimp tacos with mango salsa are a quick and easy dinner option that features tender shrimp, sweet and tangy mango salsa, and creamy cilantro lime sauce, all inside warm corn tortillas.
This is the ultimate way to do taco night! The fresh mango salsa is the perfect counterpart to the spiced shrimp and creamy sauce. Not a mango fan? Try pineapple salsa instead!
If I ask the girls what they want for dinner the answer is always tacos. They are on a major taco kick right now which I don’t mind because it’s a quick and easy meal to make. I too love tacos and I was looking for something a little more grown up than the ground turkey/cheese/hard shell tacos that the kids love. Enter these shrimp tacos with mango salsa – chile seasoned shrimp, crunchy cabbage, sweet and tangy mango salsa and creamy cilantro lime sauce makes for an awesome flavor combination that everyone will love.
How do you make shrimp tacos?
This recipe starts with shrimp which get coated in chili powder and are seared until golden brown. While the shrimp are cooking, I dice up the ingredients for the mango salsa and make my creamy sauce. The final step is to assemble your tacos with corn tortillas, shredded cabbage, shrimp, mango salsa and cilantro sauce.
HOW TO PEEL SHRIMP
This recipe calls for raw shrimp which are cooked in a sizzling hot pan. I typically buy my raw shrimp with just the tail attached, but many shrimp also come still in the shell. If your shrimp have shells on them, you can easily remove them by pulling the main part of the shell off with your fingers, then removing the tail end of the shell. You may also need to devein your shrimp. If you see a dark line running across the top of the the shrimp, you can remove it by using a paring knife to cut a slit along the top of the shrimp, then use a knife or wooden skewer to remove the vein.
Tips for shrimp tacos
- I like to use larger shrimp, I go for the 21-25 jumbo size. You can make this with smaller shrimp too and have great results.
- You can leave the tails on your shrimp for a nicer presentation, or remove them before cooking. While it looks prettier to have the tails, it’s a bit more difficult to eat, so it’s totally up to you!
- The mango salsa and cilantro lime sauce can both be made up to 8 hours in advance.
- I typically use corn tortillas for these tacos, but flour tortillas are also a great choice.
- I use a mandoline to get finely shredded cabbage, if you’re short on time, you can but a bag of pre-shredded cabbage.
How do you make mango salsa?
This fruit salsa features fresh mango, red bell pepper, lime juice and chopped cilantro. The mango salsa includes a little bit of fresh jalapeno for a kick – if you’re sensitive to spicy foods, make sure to take the ribs and seeds out of the pepper to considerably tone the spice level down. Use ripe mangoes for the best results!
Shrimp taco variations
I typically make this recipe as written, but sometimes I switch things up a bit depending on the ingredients I have on hand.
- Protein: Instead of shrimp try a different type of seafood. I’ve used tilapia and salmon for a fun twist.
- Salsa: No mango on hand? You can use another fruit such as peaches, pineapple, papaya or even kiwi. Another great option is to add a diced avocado to the salsa.
- Toppings: Add some different toppings such as jalapeno slices, grated cotija cheese or pickled red onion.
The whole meal can be made in about 25 minutes, not too bad for such a delicious end result. The next time the girls ask for tacos, I’m making them their usual favorite and throwing together these shrimp tacos with mango salsa for the adults in the house. Don’t forget to make my mexican rice and cantina beans to serve on the side!
More taco recipes you’ll love
Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
Ingredients
For the shrimp
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 pounds shrimp peeled, deveined and tails removed
- chili powder and salt to taste
For the mango salsa
- 1 cup mango finely diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper finely diced
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper minced (remove seeds and ribs to make it milder)
- juice of 1 lime
- ½ cup cilantro leaves finely chopped
For the creamy cilantro lime sauce
- 1 cup sour cream (can use light)
- ½ cup cilantro leaves roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ cup prepared green salsa
- salt and pepper to taste
For assembly
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
- 8 corn or flour tortillas
Instructions
- For the shrimp: Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large pan. Season both sides of the shrimp with chili powder and salt to taste. Place the shrimp in a single layer in the pan and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, until shrimp are pink and cooked through.
- For the mango salsa: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, add salt to taste. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, up to 4 hours.
- For the creamy cilantro sauce: Place all ingredients in the food processor; process until sauce is smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve: Warm the tortillas. Add a spoonful of sauce, a handful of cabbage and place the shrimp on top of the cabbage. Top with mango salsa and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on August 25, 2015 and was updated June 2, 2019 with new content.
My kids and I have the wonderful gene where cilantro tastes like soap. Is there a substitute for all the cilantro and the sauce we can use instead?
You could use half the amount of green onion, but it will be a different end result!
We added cotija queso crumbles and red onion to the salsa and a little extra to the taco, it was perfect that way!
Amazing Recipe! Thanks… Used yogurt in place of sour cream. Putting this is the KEEPER file!