That viral video I saw of a restaurant in Los Angeles making dirty steak tacos really stuck with me. So, welcome to my next version of this recipe: dirty shrimp tacos! Shrimp is a perfect protein for summer tacos, so I just had to try out this method. These are hands down the best shrimp tacos of the season. So freakin’ delicious, so much flavor, and so worth the hype for your next taco night!
Why You’ll Love Dirty Shrimp Tacos
I love making shrimp tacos for so many reasons. Shrimp cooks insanely fast, so you can go from sitting on your couch to dinner DONE in a matter of minutes. Plus, the mild flavor of shrimp lets you go wild with your favorite toppings. Guacamole and pineapple are two of my go-tos with seafood tacos, so they make an appearance here. I made a pineapple salsa, but you could use another tropical fruit (like a mango salsa) if that’s what you have!
Basically, you have lots of options with any spicy shrimp tacos recipe. All you have to do to make it next level (and put the dirty into dirty shrimp tacos) is throw the tortillas back on the coals for literally 30 seconds. Keep an eye on them, though, since they can burn quickly! Thirty seconds goes fast over live fire. Have your tongs ready and take ‘em out the moment you see the edges start to char. A little char makes for a great tortilla, but the window between crispy and burnt is short. And if you want, you can totally skip adding the tacos back to the coals. Just serve these easy shrimp tacos as is. They’ll be a huge hit with friends, family or whoever follows the delicious smells from your grill into your backyard.
Looking for more shrimp tacos recipes? Check out Chipotle Shrimp Tacos, Shrimp “Al Pastor” Tacos, Shrimp Tostadas and Grilled Shrimp Tacos.
Dirty Shrimp Tacos Ingredients
- Shrimp: We’ll make these dirty shrimp tacos with peeled and deveined shrimp, my new Cowboy Campfire Smoky SPG Seasoning, canola oil and some hot sauce.
- Guacamole: My favorite guac recipe! You’ll need ripe avocados, red onions, fresh cilantro, lime juice and kosher salt to taste.
- Pineapple Salsa: This salsa is so freakin’ delicious with shrimp. I’m making it with diced charred pineapple, red onions, more fresh cilantro, more lime juice and diced jalapeño.
- Tacos: I’m going with corn tortillas here since they have an earthier, firmer texture than flour tortillas. Then, we’ll garnish with chopped cilantro and chopped red onion.
Shrimp Size 101
Walk down the aisles of your grocery store and you’ll probably see every size in the book. Shrimp come in mini, medium, large, jumbo and colossal. SO MANY SHRIMP! All these sizes also have a number on them, which details how many shrimp you get per pound. For example, jumbo shrimp would be 21-25 per pound, while smaller shrimp like a mini could be 61-70 (or even 90!) per pound.
For these dirty shrimp tacos, you want shrimp that are big enough that they don’t get lost in the tortilla, but not so big that you can’t eat it in one bite with all the other ingredients. I’d say medium shrimp or large shrimp are the best, which gets you 35 to 41 shrimp per pound.
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How to Make Dirty Shrimp Tacos
First, preheat your grill for a medium-high heat fire (about 350 degrees Fahrenheit). Then, slather your 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp in 1 tablespoon of canola oil and 2 tablespoons Cowboy Campfire.
Place a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over the fire. Add your seasoned shrimp to the skillet in a single layer, then cook shrimp for 1-2 mins per side. Pull off once done and toss with your favorite hot sauce.
Next, let’s make then guacamole. In a large bowl, mix together your ingredients: 5-6 ripe avocados, 1/2 cup finely diced red onions, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, juice from 3-4 medium limes and kosher salt to taste. Set to the side.
Now, time for the other freakin’ delicious topping: the pineapple salsa!
Mix together the 1/2 cup diced charred pineapple salsa, 1/4 diced red onions, 1/8 cup chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 1 diced jalapeño in a small bowl. Set that to the side as well.
Assemble the taco with a tortilla, handful of shrimp, guacamole, red onion and cilantro, and pineapple salsa on top. You’ll use 10-12 corn tortillas total for this recipe.
Here’s your optional dirty shrimp tacos step! Add your tacos back to the coals, laying flat to get the tortilla slightly crispy on the open flame. Pull the warm tortillas off after 30 seconds and enjoy!
What to Serve with Dirty Shrimp Tacos
These dirty shrimp tacos would be so freakin’ delicious with some grilled bell peppers or blistered shishito peppers, a tangy slaw with lots of scallions and lime juice, Mexican street corn salad, Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice with beans, and, of course, a cold beer. If you’re craving other toppings, you could try out sour cream, shredded cabbage, or even some cotija cheese. You could even make this homemade chipotle crema from my chipotle shrimp tacos recipe if you’re feeling ambitious!
Leftovers and Reheating
If you’ve got leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. The shrimp will keep for about 2-3 days. When you’re ready to reheat, toss the shrimp in a skillet over medium heat with a little butter to keep everything nice and moist. Avoid the microwave if possible, since it can make the shrimp rubbery. Store the guac and pineapple salsa in separate airtight containers in the fridge too. No need to reheat these!
Tacos Tacos Tacos
FAQs
I usually say it’s taster’s choice, but for this recipe, go with corn tortillas. They’re firmer and have an earthier flavor than the softer, sweeter flour tortillas. For those reasons, they hold up much better in the optional step where you place the tortilla back on the coals, and the flames really pull out the earthy corn flavor.
Honestly, the shrimp comes together so fast, you don’t really need to worry about saving too much time here. Guacamole also tastes best fresh, so I’d assemble that as close to when you’re eating as possible. You can definitely make the pineapple salsa ahead of time, since the flavors will have more time to meld that way.
I’m always reaching for Cowboy Charcoal in all my grill recipes. Since the dirty shrimp tacos involve putting the tortillas directly on the coals, using a clean-burning fuel is even more important. You can find it at stores near you or online.
Dirty Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
Shrimp:
- 1 lb Shrimp peeled & de-veined
- 2 tbsp Cowboy Campfire Rub
- 1 tbsp Canola Oil
- Hot Sauce to finish
Guacamole:
- 5-6 Ripe Avocados removed from shell
- ½ cup Red Onions finely diced
- ½ cup Chopped Cilantro
- 3-4 medium Limes juiced
- Kosher Salt to taste
Pineapple Salsa:
- ½ cup Diced Pineapple charred
- ¼ cup Diced Red Onions
- ⅛ cup Chopped Cilantro
- 2 tbsp Lime Juice
- 1 Jalapeno diced
Tacos:
- 10-12 Corn Tortillas
- Chopped Cilantro garnish
- Chopped Red Onion garnish
Instructions
- Preheat a medium high heat fire (about 350F).
- Slather your shrimp in oil and cowboy campfire rub.
- Add a cast iron skillet over the fire. Add your shrimp to cook for 1-2 mins per side. Pull off once done and toss in the hot sauce.
- In a bowl, mix together the guacamole and set to the side.
- In a bowl, mix together the pineapple salsa and set to the side.
- Serve the taco with a tortilla, handful of shrimp, guacamole, red onion + cilantro, and pineapple salsa on top.
- (Optional): Add your tacos back to the coals laying flat to get the tortilla slightly crispy. Pull off after 30 seconds and enjoy!
