Learn how to make the best Low Calorie Shrimp Tacos. Perfectly spiced shrimp, sautéed broccoli slaw, and a creamy, citrus-spiced dressing packed into tortillas in 15 minutes or less.
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Check out my Low Calorie Enchiladas and my Low Calorie Chicken Chimichangas for more delicious meal ideas!
Upgrade your Taco Tuesdays with shrimp tacos -specifically, these low calorie shrimp tacos with cilantro lime sauce! Perfectly spiced shrimp and crisp tender broccoli slaw topped with homemade cilantro lime sauce in 15 minutes or less? Yes, please.
Juicy shrimp coated in a blackening blend of spices certainly brings the heat. However, the cool, creamy cilantro lime sauce helps settle the kick a bit, making perfect shrimp tacos.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These are healthy shrimp tacos!
- It's a 15 minute taco recipe.
- It's super simple and easy to customize.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Spices: The blend of spices is savory with the perfect amount of heat. You'll need onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Feel free to add more or less red pepper flakes to modify how spicy your shrimp tacos are.
- Shrimp: Peeled and deveined medium-size shrimp is perfect. You can use fresh or frozen shrimp. If your shrimp is frozen, defrost them in the fridge overnight or leave them under cool running water to thaw. Feel free to use small or large shrimp instead.
- Avocado Oil: You'll need avocado oil to sauté the shrimp and broccoli slaw. You can also use olive oil here.
- Broccoli Slaw: Grab a bag of broccoli slaw from your local produce department. Feel free to use a bag of regular cabbage coleslaw mix instead.
- Tortillas: This recipe yields enough filling for six tacos. I used white corn tortillas, but please use regular corn tortillas or flour tortillas instead, if you prefer.
- Cilantro Lime Dressing: This dairy-free shrimp taco sauce is what sets these shrimp tacos apart from the rest. You'll need avocado, lime, cilantro, sea salt, ground pepper, avocado oil, and water.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Season shrimp. Mix the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss to coat in the seasonings.
Step 2: Cook shrimp. Heat avocado oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Step 3: Saute broccoli slaw. Add the broccoli slaw to the same skillet and saute until softened. Remove from skillet.
Step 4: Make cilantro lime sauce. Add avocado, lime juice, cilantro, salt, ground pepper, avocado oil, and water to a food processor or high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
Step 5: Assemble. After warming the tortillas (see tips), divide the broccoli slaw and shrimp between them. Finish each taco with a drizzle of cilantro lime sauce and serve.
NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!
Expert Tips
- To make things easier on yourself, use shrimp that are peeled, deveined, and detailed.
- When shrimp are overcooked, they become rubbery and chewy, so it's important to remove them from the heat as soon as they're firm and pink.
- To warm corn tortillas, heat them for about 30 seconds per side on a hot, dry skillet (no oil needed).
Variations
Low carb: To cut back on the carb count, use your favorite" carb balance" or low carb tortilla and warm them according to the package instructions.
Fish tacos: Lean and flaky white fish filets are interchangeable with shrimp. Mahi-mahi, cod, grouper, tilapia, and halibut are good options.
Healthy Shrimp Taco Toppings
A few more toppings that go good with shrimp tacos:
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Pea guacamole
- Jalapeno
- Lime Juice
- Pico de Gallo
- Red Onion
- Low calorie salsa
Storing & Freezing
Storing: The shrimp, slaw, and sauce are best stored separately in airtight containers in the fridge and enjoyed within 3 to 4 days.
Freezing: To freeze cooked shrimp, allow it to cool, and then freeze in an airtight resealable bag for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in a skillet over medium heat with oil. The broccoli slaw and sauce are best made fresh.
Recipe FAQ‘s
It's truly a matter of preference. However, shrimp taco fillings are generally light enough for delicate corn tortillas. I like using corn tortillas, but flour tortillas work too, especially if you plan to go heavy on the fillings and toppings.
Yes! If your shrimp are small, I recommend skewering them beforehand so they stay in place - or you can use large to extra large shrimp, so they're wide enough not to fall through the grill grates.
If spicy foods aren't your thing, the seasoning mixture is easy to adjust. The heat comes from the cumin and red pepper flakes, so omit those completely and use sweet paprika instead of smoked.
More Tacos You'll Love
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Low Calorie Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
For Tacos
- ½ tablespoon avocado oil
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ pound raw medium shrimp frozen is okay, defrost first
- 1 cup broccoli slaw
- 6 white corn tortillas
For Sauce
- 1 small avocado peeled and pit removed
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Add avocado oil to skillet and heat over medium heat. While skillet is heating, mix seasonings together in a small bowl. Toss shrimp in seasoning.
- Place shrimp in heated skillet and cook until shrimp turns pink, about 4-5 minutes. Remove shrimp from skillet. Add broccoli slaw to skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Remove from skillet.
- Add all the sauce ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Place broccoli slaw on corn tortillas, then top with shrimp. Finish with cilantro lime sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- To make things easier on yourself, use shrimp that are peeled, deveined, and detailed.
- When shrimp are overcooked, they become rubbery and chewy, so it’s important to remove them from the heat as soon as they’re firm and pink.
- To warm corn tortillas, heat them for about 30 seconds per side on a hot, dry skillet (no oil needed).
- Storing: The shrimp, slaw, and sauce are best stored separately in airtight containers in the fridge and enjoyed within 3 to 4 days.
- Freezing: To freeze cooked shrimp, allow it to cool, and then freeze in an airtight resealable bag for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in a skillet over medium heat with oil. The broccoli slaw and sauce are best made fresh.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Jennifer Ferguson
These are delicious!
Laura
What is the recipe for the broccoli slaw?
Erika
Hi Laura, I bought the broccoli slaw prepackaged from the store.
Scarlet
I love shrimp but I have never tried them in a taco. Great idea. Thanks for the taco recipe and that cilantro lime sauce sounds amazing!
Swathi
This looks perfect meal, I love this shrimp tacos with cilanto lime sauce, perfect treat as family at home. your recipe sounds so easy and flavor full.
Leslie
Recipes like this are the best! So easy, delicious, and low calories! Perfect recipe in my opinion!
jen
heck yes that broccoli slaw! Yum.
Paula Montenegro
I love tacos and these look wonderful. But I'm dying to make that sauce! So easy and I have all the ingredients. A jar in the fridge and I might as well use it on everything!
Beth
We just love shrimp tacos and I love the cilantro and lime sauce! Yum!
Kait | Slumber & Scones
I love tacos, so this looks absolutely amazing! I am really intrigued by that cilantro lime sauce. I can't wait to try. I bet it's divine!
Marie-Charlotte Chatelain
Shrimp Tacos are my favorites and that lime sauce is just what I am craving for right now! Zingy and mood lifting!
Nart | Cooking with Nart
Look so good and only 113 calories per taco, wow!