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Seasoned to perfection and bursting with flavor, these Paleo Shrimp Tacos with Chile Lime Crema are perfect for the seafood lover in your life. Loaded with juicy shrimp, fresh guacamole, crunchy slaw and a creamy, spicy and tangy crema. You’d never guess these tacos are gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free!
What You Need for Paleo Shrimp Tacos
- Shrimp: You can use just about any size shrimp you like here. I prefer 16/20 because they are small enough to get around 4 shrimp per taco, but large enough that they won’t overcook before the outsides have a chance to brown.
- Spices: I like to keep things simple with a combination of paprika, chile powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. The flavours work well together and don’t overpower any of the other components in the taco. You can, of course, experiment with your favourite seasonings, spice rubs or even marinades. Just keep in mind that you will want to use something that compliments the flavours in the slaw and chile lime crema.
- Grain-Free Tortillas: I like Siete brand Cassava flour tortillas. They have a great flavour and hold together better than their almond flour tortillas. If you can’t get your hands on Siete tortillas, you can try serving these paleo shrimp tacos as lettuce wraps. You can also try making your own tortillas from scratch with a recipe in my cookbook.
- Guacamole: Ripe avocado, finely chopped onion, fresh cilantro, lime juice and a pinch of salt and pepper are all you need to make a delicious guacamole in a matter of minutes.
- Crunchy Slaw: For texture and flavour, I like to top the paleo shrimp tacos with a quick and easy crunchy cabbage slaw. It’s as easy as tossing together some thinly shredded green cabbage, some chopped cilantro, lime juice and a pinch of salt.
What You Need for the Chile Lime Crema
- Avocado Oil Mayonnaise: You can use store-bought or make a batch of my homemade 30-Mississippi Mayo with the recipe in my cookbook.
- Dairy-Free Sour Cream: Keep things dairy-free by using a sour cream alternative like this one from Kite Hill. It does have a small amount of rice flour, maltodextrin and chickpea protein, so it isn’t entirely paleo, but if you’re avoiding dairy, this one is excellent and honestly tastes very similar to regular sour cream.
If you want to keep this crema completely paleo-friendly, omit the sour cream and just use more avocado oil mayonnaise. - Cilantro: For colour and flavour, add a small handful of fresh cilantro to the crema. If you don’t like cilantro but still want a vibrant green colour, you can try substituting some fresh chives and a couple of spinach leaves.
- Lime Juice: This will add some tang and also loosen the crema a bit so that you can more easily drizzle it over the tacos.
- Jalapeño: If you want to make things more mild, remove the seeds from the jalapeño before adding it to the blender. You can also substitute serrano peppers or your favourite fresh chile. The variety you use will obviously impact the flavour and heat level.
Paleo Shrimp Tacos with Chile Lime Crema
Seasoned to perfection and bursting with flavor, these Paleo Shrimp Tacos with Chile Lime Crema are perfect for the seafood lover in your life.
Ingredients
For the Slaw:
- ½ head small green cabbage, thinly shredded
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
- Juice of 1 lime
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Guacamole:
- 2 ripe medium avocados
- ¼ medium white onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
- Juice of 1 lime, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
For the Chile Lime Crema:
- 6 ounces dairy-free sour cream, I like Kite Hill brand
- ¼ cup avocado oil mayonnaise, homemade or store-bought
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 jalapeño, roughly chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ avocado, optional
For the Shrimp:
- 1 pound 16-20 shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon chile powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 package Siete brand grain-free tortillas, I like the cassava flour tortillas
Instructions
For the Slaw:
- In a bowl, combine the cabbage, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Toss to combine and let sit for at least 5 minutes before tasting and adjusting with salt and lime juice as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Guacamole:
- In a bowl, combine the avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Using a fork, mash all of the ingredients together until combined. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper and lime juice as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Chile Lime Crema:
- In a blender, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper or lime juice as desired. If your crema is too runny, you can add ½ an avocado and blend until thickened. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Shrimp:
- Pat the shrimp very dry with a paper towel. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl along with the paprika, chile powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Toss well to combine.
- Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add the avocado oil and heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp and spread evenly into a single layer. Cook the shrimp until golden brown, around 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown and the flesh is no longer translucent, around 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- In the same pan, heat the tortillas for 10-15 seconds per side.
- To assemble the tacos, spread a layer of guacamole onto the tortilla. Top with the shrimp, slaw and a drizzle of chile lime crema. Serve with extra lime wedges for squeezing.
Video
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About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
