Easy Spicy Shrimp Tacos Recipe with Wasabi Mayo Sauce

I love tacos. Whether it’s steak tacos, baja fish tacos, or tacos piled with chili and cheese, I’m saying yes to taco night every single time. And today’s Easy Spicy Shrimp Tacos Recipe with Wasabi Mayo Sauce is no exception to that rule. This recipe brings heat, flavor, and blissful simplicity in equal measure.

We’re using only simple ingredients, ingredients you can readily find at your local grocery store, and I promise there are no complicated cooking techniques ahead. Instead, this no-fuss recipe is perfect for relaxed spring get-togethers and summer cookouts while also being easy enough to serve as a weekend treat without spending hours in the kitchen.

With the intro out of the way, read on for a complete recipe overview, an ingredient checklist to make sure you’ve got everything you need, and some tips for customizing this recipe to your heart’s content.

Now, without delay, let’s make some tacos.

Spicy Shrimp Tacos – What to Expect

In my opinion, the best shrimp tacos are the ones that are easiest to prepare without skimping on flavor, and that’s exactly where today’s Easy Spicy Shrimp Tacos Recipe with Wasabi Mayo Sauce comes in. Whether served on crispy tacos or in warm tortillas, this recipe is sure to become your new go-to.

With that in mind, here’s exactly what you can expect from today’s spicy shrimp taco recipe:

Taste and Texture:

• Taste: We aim for a bold and spicy flavor with this recipe. I’m using a spicy Shin Ramyun seasoning, which works to give the shrimp a rich, umami-packed heat, but you can easily replicate this with a bit of cayenne and chili powder – more details on that below.
• Texture: The Wasabi Mayo Sauce is the star of today’s show, being creamy and zesty, with a nice kick from the wasabi, which we balance with the smoky goodness of the crispy bacon.
• Finishing Touch: While you can certainly just fold the shrimp into a taco shell and drizzle it with some sauce, I do suggest adding some finishing touches. No need to get fancy, as some crunchy cabbage or lettuce will provide all of the refreshing contrast you need, or maybe some pickles and red onion for added color and complexity.

Difficulty Level: Easy.

• Beginner-Friendly: As I mentioned in my opening, this recipe is sublimely simple to pull together. Whether we’re talking about boiling shrimp, pan-frying the shrimp for seasoning, mixing the wasabi mayo sauce, or assembling tacos, every step is as simple as could be. This is a great recipe for those who are just starting out their kitchen adventures.

Preparation Process: Super Simple.

• Boil the Shrimp – Naturally, this recipe starts with boiling the shrimp. This shouldn’t take more than a few minutes, because we’re going to be finishing them by sautéing them in the pan with the seasonings.
• Season and Sauté – From there, we coat the shrimp with our spicy shrimp seasoning mix and then sauté over medium heat, letting the shrimp cook until they have a spicy, savory glaze.
• Assemble Tacos – We mix the wasabi mayo sauce, prep our toppings, and assemble the tacos with the cooked shrimp. Simple. Delicious.

Pairings: Here’s what to serve with Spicy Shrimp Tacos.

• Drinks: My go-to would be either a chilled lager or light Mexican beer, either of which would complement the tacos’ spicy flavors. You might also opt for a margarita or paloma if you’re looking for more of a sweet-citrusy balance.
• Sides: All the usual taco sides apply here. My go-to would be Mexican street corn (elote), a nice cabbage slaw, Moroccan tomato salad, fresh mango salsa, a cold pasta salad, or a pickled salad would all be delicious.
• Toppings: All your favorite toppings apply here. My go-to would probably be a fresh pico de gallo, some crumbled cotija cheese, or a plain sour cream sauce. For fresh toppings, opt for something like a nice cilantro sauce, a crunchy slaw, fresh avocado slices, an avocado salsa, or shredded red cabbage. These would all be great. Then, of course, don’t forget about fresh herb toppings, like fresh cilantro or green onions. And I went a little long here, but I need to mention that you can forget everything I just said and call it a day with a finishing squeeze of lime juice or lemon juice.
• Dessert: My advice is to keep it light. Think spring or summer desserts. A simple fruit sorbet would be delicious, as would homemade vanilla bean ice cream or fruit bowls drizzled with a sweet wine syrup.

Ingredient Checklist – Everything You’ll Need

While I was coming up with this recipe, I had one thing in mind: “an easy shrimp taco recipe.” I wanted this to be a super approachable, super simple shrimp taco recipe that doesn’t skimp on heat or flavor and that you can dress up to be as fancy as possible.

So, I focused on using only simple ingredients, ingredients that should be regularly and affordably available at your local grocery store.

Ingredients for the Shrimp

• 1 pound of raw shrimp (boiled as directed, drained)
  • Tip: Use medium or large shrimp for the best texture. Jumbo shrimp, I find, are simply too big for this purpose – but that’s just my preference.
  • Substitution: This recipe works with both fresh shrimp and frozen shrimp. I’m using frozen, but feel free to use fresh if preferred.
• 1 packet of Spicy Shin Ramyun seasoning
  • Note: I had leftover spicy ramen packets, and they worked great for the seasoning. However, if you don’t have Spicy Shin Ramyun seasoning on hand (and you probably don’t), below are a few quick substitutions that will also work just fine.
  • Substitution 1 (The Easiest): A mix of cayenne pepper and chili powder. Simple. Almost the same taste and is almost as easy.
  • Substitution 2 (Fancier): On the flipside, you might also consider using a creamy sriracha, particularly if you’re feeling fancy, which works as a nice add-on to (or replacement for) the wasabi mayo sauce. Basically, Combine sriracha with mayo, a squeeze of lemon, grated garlic or garlic powder, and some minced onion.
  • Substitution 3 (A Compromise): Finally, and this would be ‘my’ go-to substitution, mix chili powder, red pepper flakes, garlic or onion powder, and soy sauce, and rub that over the shrimp.
• 1 tablespoon butter
  • Tip: Butter and oil are the base for sautéing the shrimp and are key to achieving richness.
  • Substitution: Though I strongly suggest using plain, unsalted butter, your preferred butter substitute will likely get the job done just fine.
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Tip 1: A basic olive oil is all you need here; this isn’t an instance for using a fancy olive oil.
  • Tip 2: Make sure the entire bottom of the pan is well coated, so don’t be afraid to use a little more than suggested.
  • Substitution: Any flavor-neutral cooking oil. Corn oil or avocado oil will both get the job done.

Ingredients to Build the Tacos

• Crisp bacon slices
  • Tip: Cook the bacon until nice and crispy; we don’t want mushy bacon for this recipe.
  • Substitution: I would probably opt for something like a firm salami, something with a bit of smoky flavor and a bit of a bite.
• Romaine lettuce leaves (or preferred salad greens)
  • Tip: I’m using Romaine simply because I think it melds nicely with the wasabi mayo, but this is just my preference.
  • Substitution: Shredded cabbage or a green cabbage coleslaw mix is a great choice for extra crunch.
• Red onion (thinly sliced)
  • Tip: I’m using red onions for a bit of color, but feel free to use your preferred type of onion.
  • Substitution: Opt for sweet onions if you don’t want any onion bite. White onion or pickled onions both work. It’s just a matter of preference, as I’m only using red onion for a little bit of color.
• Bread and butter pickles
  • Tip: Sweet and tangy contrast for the spicy shrimp.
  • Substitution: Your preferred type of pickles will get the job done. Also, a cilantro lime slaw would probably be my go-to pickle substitute.
• Taco shells
  • Tip: I’m using homemade warm flour tortillas since I find it melds nicely with the shrimp. This does come with a big caveat, the caveat being I would only opt for using warm flour tortillas if you’re using homemade. Otherwise, stick to shells.
  • Substitution: Hard taco shells are probably the crowd pleaser option.

Ingredients for the Taco Spread

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • Tip: I strongly suggest using plain, full-fat mayonnaise. We want that rich, thick mayo-goodness for the sauce – it’s key to the texture.
  • Substitution: If you absolutely must substitute the mayo, I’d try using full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream.
• 2 teaspoons Wasabi Sauce
  • Tip: Use just enough to bring a nice kick, and then adjust for your spice preference. Remember, taste as you go.
  • Substitution: Sriracha would be my go-to, but it will result in a much different flavor profile overall.

Making This Recipe Your Own

I’m of the opinion that the most delicious tacos are the ones you’ve built to your heart’s content, and today’s juicy shrimp tacos are no different. To get the most out of this recipe, I wholeheartedly recommend that you make it your own. Go nuts with customizations, and get as creative as you can.

That said, here are some tips to help make sure you get the best results out of today’s spicy shrimp tacos.

1. Start with a Fresh Base: I recommend starting this recipe off with something fresh. That means serving your shrimp tacos over something like a bed of cilantro lime rice or a nice arugula salad. You want those bright and refreshing salad notes to balance out the heavier, spicier side of the recipe.
2. Experiment with the Seasonings: Taste as you go. That means tasting the seasoning mix as you mix it. Adjust the heat level, and adjust the umami and savory levels. An easy way to do this is with a little bit of ground cumin. Add a pinch to the seasoning mix if you want an earthier base, or sprinkle it directly over the shrimp as they’re cooking.
3. Guacamole: If you want to bring down the heat level significantly, swap out the wasabi mayo for a homemade avocado sauce (basically a very creamy guacamole). This is as simple as taking a basic guac recipe and making it creamy smooth. Combine ripe avocado with Greek yogurt or sour cream, with a squeeze of lime juice, some minced garlic, and a pinch of salt, and blend that in the food processor until smooth.
4. And Garnish: I always loved the saying “we eat first with our eyes.” And that’s true of tacos. That means don’t skimp on the garnish. Sprinkle with some cilantro leaves or a few sprigs of curly-leaf parsley. For added color, garnish the platter with some lemon and lime wedges. If you want your garnish to bring some extra heat, sprinkle it with chopped jalapeno or other spicy chilis. You could also add some pickled peppers if you really want to turn up the heat.

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And those are our spicy shrimp tacos. If you enjoyed this recipe, or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below, we always love hearing from you.

Happy Cooking!

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