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Ready in 10 minutes! Treat yourself to delightful Shrimp Tacos For One. This easy-to-follow recipe including juicy shrimp with a homemade creamy avocado sauce, nestled inside a soft tortilla for a deliciously satisfying meal. It’s a perfect blend of convenience and flavor for those times when you’re craving something fresh, fast, and utterly delectable.
The creamy avocado sauce is what takes these shrimp tacos to a whole new level! Shrimp are seasoned perfectly and piled high on two tortillas. The avocado puree is our favorite taco sauce to use and it comes together quickly. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a little leftover sauce to dip tortilla chips in – heavenly!
If you love shrimp, you should check out Shrimp Scampi, Pad Thai, BBQ Shrimp, and Shrimp And Grits. Also, check out more 10-minute lunch ideas.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Tacos Recipe
- Ingredients
- The Best Tortillas For Shrimp Tacos
- Choosing The Perfect Avocado For Creamy Shrimp Taco Sauce
- Buying Shrimp: Frozen vs. Fresh And How To Choose The Best
- How To Make Shrimp Tacos For One Person
- Expert Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
- Shrimp Tacos For One Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Tacos Recipe
- Quick and Easy: With just a few fresh ingredients, you can whip up these tasty shrimp tacos in less than 20 minutes.
- Flexible Shrimp Options: Fresh shrimp is fantastic, but don’t worry if it’s not available. Frozen shrimp are a convenient alternative. I often keep a bag of frozen shrimp in my freezer, ready for quick meals. This flexibility means you can enjoy these shrimp tacos, as well as dishes like Zucchini Noodles with Garlic and Shrimp, Baked Shrimp, or Shrimp Creole anytime.
- Delicious Avocado Sauce: The avocado sauce for shrimp tacos is a standout feature, offering the perfect complement to the dish. Its simplicity and no-cook preparation add a delightful touch to the tacos, enhancing their flavor effortlessly.
RELATED: 20 Single Serving Meatless Recipes
Ingredients
To make shrimp tacos for one person, you will need:
- Shrimp: Use medium to large shrimp in this shrimp tacos recipe. I like to buy shrimp when it’s on sale. Another idea is to use frozen. When you cook for one, it’s a good idea to keep a bag of frozen shrimp in your freezer. It makes meal prep easy. If you’ve got extra shrimp, consider using them in Shrimp and Grits, Shrimp Fried Rice, or Shrimp Fettuccine.
- Seasonings: Use either our small batch homemade Creole seasoning or use a brand like Tony Chachere’s to season the shrimp.
- Butter: I use salted butter.
- Garlic: Use 1 garlic clove.
- Tortillas: I like using flour tortillas but you can use corn tortillas instead.
For the avocado sauce
- Avocado: Use 1/2 of a medium avocado or 1 small avocado. If you’ve got an extra avocado, consider using it on a Breakfast Sandwich or on Chicken Enchiladas.
- Yogurt: Use plain low-fat yogurt, Greek yogurt, or sour cream.
- Lime juice: Either use fresh or bottled lime juice.
- Spinach: 1 cup of fresh spinach is the perfect amount. Leftover spinach can be used in Tuscan Chicken and Pork Stir Fry.
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil in this avocado puree recipe as well as in every other recipe on One Dish Kitchen that calls for olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed form of olive oil. It is an unrefined oil and the highest-quality olive oil you can buy. Because of the way extra virgin olive oil is made, it retains a more true olive taste. It also contains more of the vitamins and minerals found in olives. It’s my favorite type of olive oil to use but you may use light olive oil instead.
- Seasonings: Use creole seasoning and ground cumin.
The Best Tortillas For Shrimp Tacos
I prefer using flour tortillas for shrimp tacos, although corn tortillas are the traditional choice. When making tacos, we often use our small batch flour tortillas recipe.
Choosing The Perfect Avocado For Creamy Shrimp Taco Sauce
Selecting the right avocado is crucial for making the best avocado sauce for your shrimp tacos. Start by checking the avocado’s skin color. Generally, avocados with darker skin are more likely to be ripe compared to those with lighter skin. However, this isn’t a strict rule as some avocado types stay light green even when ripe.
Next, assess the avocado’s ripeness through a gentle squeeze. If it’s firm and doesn’t give under light pressure, it’s not ready yet but will ripen in a few days. On the other hand, if the avocado is slightly soft but still firm, it may need another day or so to reach optimal ripeness. These avocados can still be used but might be less easy to mash.
A ripe avocado ideal for your sauce will yield to firm, gentle pressure. It should feel soft but not mushy, often accompanied by a darker skin tone.
Pro Tip: To speed up ripening, place your avocado in a brown paper bag for a day or two with a banana or apple. These fruits release ethylene gas, which aids in the ripening process.
By following these simple tips, you’ll be able to select the perfect avocado and elevate your shrimp tacos to a whole new level!
Buying Shrimp: Frozen vs. Fresh And How To Choose The Best
When shopping for shrimp, especially if cooking for one, I recommend buying individually frozen, head-off, peel-on shrimp. These are commonly available in the freezer section of most grocery stores and offer a cost-effective solution for single-serving recipes.
It’s important to know that most “fresh” shrimp available at supermarkets have been previously frozen. They are often caught and frozen at sea, then delivered to stores. The shrimp displayed at the fish counter, although labeled as “fresh,” are typically the same as those in the freezer aisle, just thawed for display. However, it can be difficult to determine how long they’ve been defrosted.
Since shrimp are highly perishable, it’s crucial to check their freshness if you do choose “fresh” shrimp. A key indicator is smell – avoid any shrimp that has an ammonia-like odor as this suggests spoilage. Also, steer clear of shrimp that appear limp, slimy, or are disintegrating, as these are signs of decay.
How To Make Shrimp Tacos For One Person
These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make a single serving of shrimp tacos. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Cook the shrimp: Place the shrimp in a medium-sized bowl. Add the creole seasoning and toss to coat.
- Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring frequently for 30 seconds.
- Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. With a fork, flip the shrimp over and cook the other side for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and opaque. Transfer to a bowl.
- Make the avocado taco sauce: Scoop the avocado flesh into a small food processor or blender. Add the yogurt, lime juice, spinach, olive oil, creole seasoning, cumin, and salt. Puree until smooth.
- Assemble the tacos: Divide the shrimp and garlic between the two tortillas. Spoon the avocado sauce over the shrimp. Top with fresh chopped cilantro, if desired and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Gather your ingredients before beginning. These tacos come together quickly so it’s a good idea to have everything you need out and ready to use.
- How much shrimp do you need for one person?: This shrimp tacos recipe calls for using 4 ounces of peeled and deveined shrimp. This amount is approximately the same as:
- Jumbo: 5-6 shrimp
- Large: 8-9 shrimp
- Medium: 10-11 shrimp
- Small: 12-15 shrimp
- You might consider keeping frozen shrimp in your freezer for convenience. Use them in recipes as needed.
Serving Suggestions
Although shrimp tacos are great on their own, you might like to consider serving them with any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
Cucumber Salsa
Small Batch Tortilla Chips
Taco Salad
Frequently Asked Questions
The best way to thaw frozen shrimp is to place it in the refrigerator the night before.
If you forget to do this, you can still thaw shrimp rather quickly. One way is to take the unopened bag of shrimp and place it in a big bowl of cold water. This process will take about 30 minutes.
If 30 minutes sounds like an eternity, no worries. Open up the bag of shrimp and dump the shrimp directly into a bowl of cold water. This process will take anywhere between 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp.
After the shrimp has thawed, place them on a paper towel-lined plate and pat the shrimp dry to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
Pull off the legs.
* Using your fingers, crack open the underside of the shell and peel it off.
* Pinch the tail where it meets the body of the shrimp and pull off.
* Gently run a paring knife along the back of the shrimp.
*Look for the vein. It will look like a long, dark, gritty string. Using the tip of your knife, pull it out.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page. For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried these shrimp tacos or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Shrimp Tacos For One
Equipment
Ingredients
For the shrimp tacos
- 4 ounces shrimp , peeled and deveined
- ¼ teaspoon creole seasoning
- ½ tablespoon salted butter
- 1 clove garlic , minced
For the avocado sauce
- ½ medium avocado , halved and pitted
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- ½ tablespoon lime juice
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon creole seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
For serving
- 2 flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
Instructions
Cook the shrimp
- Place the shrimp in a medium-sized bowl. Add the creole seasoning and toss to coat.
- Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring frequently for 30 seconds.
- Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. With a fork, flip the shrimp over and cook the other side for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and opaque. Transfer to a bowl.
Make the avocado sauce
- Scoop the avocado flesh into a small food processor or blender. Add the yogurt, lime juice, spinach, olive oil, creole seasoning, cumin, and salt. Puree until smooth.
Assemble
- Divide the shrimp and garlic between the two tortillas. Spoon the avocado sauce over the shrimp. Top with fresh chopped cilantro, if desired and enjoy!
Notes
- Gather your ingredients before beginning.
- This shrimp tacos recipe calls for using 4-ounces of peeled and deveined shrimp. This amount is approximately the same as:
- Jumbo: 5-6 shrimp
- Large: 8-9 shrimp
- Medium: 10-11 shrimp
- Small: 12-15 shrimp
- You might consider keeping frozen shrimp in your freezer for convenience. Use them in recipes as needed.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
So delicious! Shrimp Tacos! I have always cooked from scratch, but now the kids are on their own & my husband is deceased, I find myself missing cooking, but most recipes are for a family. This is a much needed & appreciated place where solo people can still cook for themselves without waste. Thank You
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes! Cooking for one can be an adjustment, but it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on great homemade meals. I’m happy this site has been helpful to you, and I hope you continue to find recipes you love. Thank you for your kind words!
I enjoy this quick and tasty shrimp dish. I have also used Mexican Menudo seasoning for a different twist on the dish.
Love, love your recipes for one as I am usually just cooking for myself. The fact that it is all from scratch FOR ONE makes me very happy. All the recipes I have tried have been wonderful and this shrimp taco recipe was as well! So good. The avocado/spinach puree was just wonderful and I added a small amount of Sriracha Mayo to give it a little bite. Will definitely be making this again soon! Used frozen shrimp which I keep in my freezer at all times. Thawed it out and cooked it. Was good!
Very tasty! Shrimp and avocado is a hard combo to beat. It did end up making a lot of sauce, but I’m looking forward to dipping chips in it once I’m not so full from all the shrimp. I agree that adding some cabbage for a little extra crunch would be a great choice!
I also wanted to say thank you for adding extra information to your recipe page. I always struggle to find things to do with extra ingredients, so seeing a list of ideas is super helpful. I also appreciate the information on how many shrimp are in 4 oz. These extra thoughtful touches tell me that you really care about your readers, and they make the recipes feel more accessible. Thank you! 🙂
Delicious and super easy, from cutting to serving took all of 15 minutes. I used a gas stove top to heat the tortillas. Low flame and using tongs turn it over as it gets a lil charred, but be careful not to over cook. I followed the recipe word for word. It made a lot of sauce but very tasty, great for chips or raw veggies tomorrow to dip in. I only gave it 4 stars as it was missing something, like a crunch, maybe shred some red cabbage, or pickle a lil slivered onion to go on top, might help.
Love that it is a dish for one!!
These shrimp tacos are so easy and full of flavor! Delicious!
These are so good!
Looks delicious! Nothing better than shrimp tacos! 🙂