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Blackened Shrimp Tacos

Blackened shrimp tacos with a dark, charred spice crust and quick pan-seared shrimp. Finished with cooling shredded cabbage and a zesty lime crema for a Cajun-Mexican fusion bite.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Blackened shrimp
  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined Pat dry before coating so the spice crust forms.
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp butter Use unsalted if you prefer to control salt.
Tacos toppings
  • 8 flour or corn tortillas Warm just until pliable so they don’t tear.
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
  • 0.5 cup lime crema (1/4 cup crema mixed with 2 tbsp lime juice) Stir crema with lime juice to loosen and brighten.
  • Fresh cilantro Use as a garnish right before serving.
  • lime wedges Serve on the side for extra juice.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and coat the shrimp
  1. Combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt on a plate. Pat shrimp dry and coat generously on both sides with the spice mixture, pressing so it adheres.
Char and cook the shrimp
  1. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet over high heat until just smoking. Working in batches if needed, cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side until blackened and cooked through.
Warm tortillas and assemble
  1. Warm tortillas in a dry skillet until soft and lightly toasted. Fill each tortilla with blackened shrimp and top with shredded cabbage and a drizzle of lime crema.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges. Add extra lime juice to taste just before eating.

Notes

For the darkest crust, keep the skillet truly hot (butter should look like it’s just smoking) and avoid overcrowding—cook in batches if needed. Store assembled tacos in the fridge up to 1 day (best with shrimp re-warmed); keep lime crema and cabbage separately for freshness. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. Dietary swap: for a milder taco, reduce cayenne pepper to 1/2 tsp while keeping the black pepper and spices the same.