Spiced Shrimp Tacos with Pico De Gallo and Hot Sauce Crema

There’s nothing quite like a plate of shrimp tacos to make dinner feel special. These tacos are loaded with tender, Southwest-spiced shrimp, sautéed green peppers and onions, a bright homemade pico de gallo and a creamy hot sauce drizzle. Every bite is a perfect balance of savory, tangy and spicy.

This recipe comes together quickly, making it ideal for busy weeknights when you want something delicious without spending hours in the kitchen. Warm flour tortillas hold all the goodness together for a meal that’s as fun to eat as it is to make.

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Ingredients

1 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

20 ounce ShrimpView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Long Green PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon CremaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Zest the lime and cut it into quarters. Peel and halve the red onion, then thinly slice it. Mince a few slices until you have 2 tablespoons (4 tablespoons for 4 servings). Finely dice the tomato. Halve the green pepper, remove the seeds and slice into ¼-inch-thick strips.
2. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the Southwest Spice Blend and a squeeze of lime juice. Set aside to marinate.
3. In a second medium bowl, combine the minced onion, diced tomato, half the lime zest, ¼ teaspoon sugar (½ teaspoon for 4 servings) and a squeeze of lime juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside as pico de gallo.
4. In a small bowl, mix the crema with as much hot sauce as you like. Season with salt. Set aside.
5. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the green pepper strips, sliced onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 6-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add another drizzle of oil to the pan and add the shrimp. Cook until opaque and cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the remaining lime zest and juice from the remaining lime wedges. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, about 30 seconds. Divide the tortillas among plates and fill with the shrimp and vegetable mixture. Top with the pico de gallo and crema. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, just thaw them completely under cold running water and pat dry before seasoning.

What can I use instead of crema?

Sour cream or Greek yogurt thinned with a little lime juice works well as a substitute.

How do I store leftovers?

Store the shrimp, veggies, pico and crema separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the shrimp and veggies in a pan before assembling.