These Coconut & Lime Grilled Shrimp Tacos have been a family favorite for years. I first perfected the recipe about a decade ago after trying some marinated shrimp tacos in Newport Beach, CA. I’m a big fan of marinades for their ability to add amazing flavor to dishes, and shrimp takes to marinating very well. This marinade uses a coconut milk base that also coats the shrimp in bold flavors. One of my favorite parts of this recipe is the sauce for the topping, it’s super easy to make and adds a ton of depth to the dish. You can also mix it up with some shredded cabbage to make a slaw to put on top. I hope you love this recipe as much as we have over the years!
Coconut & Lime Grilled Shrimp Tacos
2-3 lbs uncooked, medium shrimp peeled and tails removed (you can usually find this style of shrimp frozen, just thaw by placing the shrimp in a colander and rinsing it in cold water for 5-10 minutes)
Marinade:
- 1 1/3 cups coconut milk
- 3 limes zested and juiced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce (found near the teriyaki sauce in your grocery store)
- 3 tbsp ancho chili powder (ancho chili powder has a more mild and smoky flavor than generic chili powder)
- Sriracha sauce to taste
Creamy Taco Sauce:
- 2 tbsp Sour Cream
- 2 tsp lime Juice
- 1 tbsp salsa or hot sauce of choice (I use this one)
- 2 tsp Chili Lime Adobo Seasoning (can be found at Smith’s)
Taco Ingredients:
- Corn Tortillas for tacos
- 1/4 head of red cabbage, shredded
- Pico De Gallo salsa and/or any other salsa that you prefer
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- Anything else you love on tacos!
How to make:
Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade into a blender and blend until smooth. Place the thawed shrimp in a large mixing bowl and pour marinade over the top. Mix the marinade into the shrimp to be sure it’s fully covered, then cover the bowl and place it in the fridge to marinate for 3-4 hours.
To make the creamy taco sauce, stir all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. You can adjust the proportions to fit your taste.
Before grilling the shrimp, heat a small amount of cooking oil on a griddle and cook the tortillas on medium for a few minutes on each side, but don’t let them get crispy. Add more oil with each tortilla that you remove. This makes them a little more durable than just straight out of the bag, and it adds some nice flavor.
Preheat your grill on medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Place the shrimp on skewers and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Taco Assembly:
Assemble your tacos any way you like! I like to layer the shrimp on top of some cabbage and top with pico de gallo, some spicy red or green salsa, and then the creamy taco sauce on top. You can garnish with cilantro, a squeeze of lime, or cotija cheese, and you can also double-up the recipe for the creamy taco sauce and mix it into the shredded cabbage to make a tasty slaw topping.