Spicy Southwest Shrimp Tacos with Pico De Gallo and Crema

There’s something special about shrimp for dinner-it feels like a treat, yet it’s quick enough for a weeknight. These Southwest shrimp tacos are hearty, filling and absolutely delicious. Tender bites of seared shrimp coated in a smoky spice blend are piled into warm flour tortillas alongside sautéed green peppers and onions, a bright pico de gallo and a tangy hot sauce crema.

Every bite is a balance of textures and flavors: the juicy shrimp, the crisp-tender veggies, the fresh tomato and onion salsa and the creamy, spicy crema. These tacos are sure to become a regular in your dinner rotation. Let’s get cooking!

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Ingredients

1 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 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

0.25 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Zest the lime, then cut it into quarters. Halve the red onion, peel it and thinly slice it. Mince a few slices until you have about 2 tablespoons (4 tablespoons for 4 servings). Finely dice the tomato. Halve the long 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 briefly.
3. In another 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 (save some lime for step 5). Season with salt and black pepper. This is your pico de gallo.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the crema and hot sauce. Add 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, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are browned and tender, about 6-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
6. Add another drizzle of oil to the same pan. Add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook until opaque and cooked through, 3-4 minutes, turning once. Stir in the remaining lime zest and a squeeze of lime juice from the remaining wedges. Season with salt and pepper.
7. While the shrimp cooks, wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, about 30 seconds. Divide the tortillas among plates. Fill with the sautéed vegetables and shrimp. Top with the pico de gallo and drizzle with the hot sauce crema. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?

Yes, corn tortillas work well. Warm them in a dry skillet or microwave until pliable.

What can I substitute for crema?

Sour cream or Greek yogurt mixed with a little lime juice makes a good substitute.

How do I know when the shrimp is cooked?

Shrimp turns pink and opaque and curls into a ‘C’ shape. It usually takes 3-4 minutes per side over medium-high heat.