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You are here: Home / Fish & Seafood / Garlic Shrimp Tacos

Garlic Shrimp Tacos

Douglas Cullen, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

Tacos de Camarones al Mojo de Ajo

These garlic shrimp tacos are a mashup of flavors which work really well together. Garlicky shrimp served on a bed of tangy vinegar slaw topped with a sharp arból chile salsa seasoned with a touch of Mexican oregano.

Garlic Shrimp Tacos Recipe

Great Tacos Deserve a Great Salsa

A nice sharp tomato and arból chile pepper salsa counterbalance the rich shrimp.

Arbol Chile Salsa for Garlic Shrimp

1. How to Make the Arból Chile Salsa

As we have prepared it, the salsa is very sharp and very hot from the number of chiles we have used. Reduce the number of chiles if you prefer a mild salsa. Try this salsa with our pan-fried fish tacos too.

Arbol Chile Salsa

Ingredients for the salsa: plum tomatoes, garlic, arból chile, and Mexican oregano.

Ingredients Arbol Chile Salsa

Let’s start – Quarter the tomatoes and peel the garlic cloves.

Heat a large dry frying pan to medium-hot. Add the quartered tomatoes, garlic, and árbol chiles to toast.

Tomatoes and Arbol Chiles in Pan

Toast the chiles for 30 seconds on each side and then remove from the pan.

Toasted Arbol Chiles

Toast the garlic for 2 more minutes then remove from the pan. Continue to toast the tomatoes until they blacken.

Charred Tomatoes and Garlic for Salsa

Add all of the ingredients except the oil to your blender and blend for 1 minute.

Blending Salsa Ingredients

In the same frying pan that you toasted the tomatoes, garlic and chiles heat the 2 tablespoons of oil to high heat. Pour the blended salsa into the hot oil.

Frying Arbol Chile Salsa

Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cook the salsa for 10 minutes.

Finished Arbol Chile Salsa

2. How to Prepare the Cabbage Slaw Garnish

Pour 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into the bowl with the cabbage.

Making Cabbage Slaw

Add 1 teaspoon of salt.

Salting Cabbage Slaw

Mix thoroughly so that all of the cabbage is coated with vinegar and salt. Set aside until you are ready to serve your tacos.

Mixing Cabbage Slaw

3. How to Prepare the Shrimp

If your shrimp come with the shells, remove the shells.

Garlic Shrimp Taco Ingredients

Devein the shrimp by making an incision lengthwise along the back of the shrimp and gently remove the black vein with the tip of a knife.

Deveining-Shrimp

Finely chop the garlic. Preheat a large frying pan to medium-hot. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute stirring 3 times so that the garlic doesn’t burn.

Sauteeing Garlic in Butter

Add the shrimp to the pan and stir to coat the shrimp with butter.

Frying Shrimp and Garlic for Shrimp Tacos

Cook the shrimp for about 6 minutes until just cooked through. Stir and turn the shrimp every minute. To check for doneness, cut a couple of shrimp in half. If the shrimp is a pinkish white throughout it is fully cooked. If there are still translucent spots the shrimp needs to be cooked more. Cook for 1 more minute and then check for doneness again.

Sauteeing Shrimp and Garlic

4. How to Assemble the Tacos

This is the easiest and most fun part. On each corn tortilla, layer a bed of cabbage slaw, 3 shrimps and then a dollop of salsa on each shrimp.

Garlic Shrimp Taco with Arbol Chile Salsa

Serve 3 tacos per person, and then enjoy!

Garlic Shrimp Taco Plate

Provecho!

Garlic Shrimp Tacos Recipe
Print Pin
5 from 2 votes

Garlic Shrimp Tacos Recipe

These garlic shrimp tacos are a mashup of flavors that work really well together. Buttery, garlicky shrimp served on a bed of tangy vinegar slaw topped with a sharp arból chile salsa with a touch of Mexican oregano.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Mexican food, Mexican recipe, seafood, shrimp, taco recipe, tacos
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 hours
Total Time 20 hours 20 minutes
Servings 12 tacos
Calories 301kcal
Author Douglas Cullen

Ingredients

Arbol Chile Salsa

  • 3 plum tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 to 4 árbol chiles
  • ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 4 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon oil

Vinegar Cabbage Slaw

  • 3 cups finely shredded cabbage
  • 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Garlic Shrimp

  • 1 ¼ lb. of medium-sized shrimp
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 3 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Other

  • 12 corn tortillas

Instructions

Arból Chile Salsa

  • Quarter the tomatoes.
  • Peel the garlic cloves.
  • Heat a large dry frying pan to medium-hot. Add the quartered tomatoes, garlic, and árbol chiles to toast.
  • Toast the chiles for 30 seconds on each side and then remove from the pan.
  • Toast the garlic for 2 more minutes then remove from the pan.
  • Continue to toast the tomatoes until they blacken.
  • Add all of the ingredients except the oil to your blender and blend for 1 minute.
  • In the same frying pan that you toasted the tomatoes, garlic and chiles heat the 2 tablespoons of oil to high heat.
  • Pour the blended salsa into the hot oil.
  • Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cook the salsa for 10 minutes.

Vinegar Cabbage Slaw

  • Pour 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into the bowl with the cabbage.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of salt.
  • Mix thoroughly so that all of the cabbage is coated with vinegar and salt.
  • Set aside until you are ready to serve your tacos. Stir just before serving.

Garlic Shrimp

  • If your shrimp come with the shells, remove the shells and discard.
  • Devein the shrimp by making an incision lengthwise along the back of the shrimp and gently remove the black vein with the tip of a knife.
  • Finely chop the garlic.
  • Preheat a large frying pan to medium-hot. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute stirring 3 times so that the garlic doesn't burn.
  • Add the shrimp to the pan and stir to coat the shrimp with butter.
  • Cook the shrimp for about 6 minutes until just cooked through. Stir and turn the shrimp every minute. To check for doneness, cut a couple of shrimp in half. If the shrimp is a pinkish white throughout it is fully cooked. If there are still translucent spots the shrimp needs to be cooked more. Cook for 1 more minute and then check for doneness again.

Assembling the Tacos

  • Warm the tortillas on a comal or griddle.
  • On each corn tortilla, layer a bed of cabbage slaw, 3 shrimps and then a dollop of salsa on each shrimp.
  • Serve 3 tacos per person.

Nutrition

Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 335mg | Sugar: 4g

More Mexican Fish and Seafood Recipes

  • Veracruz Style Whitefish
  • Curried Rice with Shrimp
  • Fried Fish Sandwich with Chipotle Mayo
  • Fish Tacos with Pico de Gallo
  • Caldo de Camarón – Shrimp Soup

More Fish & Seafood

  • Mexican Shrimp Skewers
  • Tuna Patties
  • Shrimp Ceviche Acapulco
  • Fish Tacos with Pico de Gallo

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ole Mission says

    March 29, 2018 at 1:04 am

    When making the Arbol Chile Salsa can you leave the seeds in the Arbol Chiles to add more heat or just add more chiles without the seeds? Thanks

    Reply

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D. Cullen Profile Picture

Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

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D. Cullen Profile Picture

Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

More about me →


Most Popular Recipes

  • Classic Salsa Verde
  • Restaurant Style Salsa
  • Traditional Sopa de Fideo
  • Red Pork Pozole
  • Chicken Tinga
  • Agua de Jamaica
  • Tres Leches Cake
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
  • Red Enchilada Sauce
  • Mole Poblano

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