Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Crunchy Slaw

Blackened Shrimp Tacos with a crunchy coleslaw are the BEST meal to make for dinner tonight or at a tailgate (or an at-home tailgate party)! These Blackened Shrimp Tacos, seasoned with homemade blackening seasoning, are topped with a sweet-crunchy slaw and are easy to make on the go if you want to serve them at a tailgate. Makes 10 tacos, but the recipe is easily doubled or tripled.

Love tacos? Don’t miss Ground Beef Tacos, Skirt Steak Tacos and Soy Seared Cod Tacos with Spicy Slaw.

Last week, I miiiiiiiight have taught our daughter the LSU fight song, and we miiiiiiiight have danced around the house singing it for the rest of the day.

We’re a little bit excited about football season and all that comes with it–and that includes the Saints, too!

I want to talk tailgating today, what with the season about to begin.

As a football fan whose teams hail from South Louisiana, I wanted to make a rendition of one of my favorite dishes that I always eat when I visit New Orleans: the Blackened Shrimp Poboy.

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I took that favorite dish, did my food blogger thing and transformed it into a taco.

This is a fun twist on a classic recipe found in Creole and Cajun cuisine. The spicy shrimp pair beautifully with the slightly sweet slaw.

Why are tacos great for tailgating?

These Blackened Shrimp Tacos are not something you would see at a traditional tailgate… but I like to think they still belong on the tailgate scene, too!

I’ve eaten my fair share of tacos at tailgates, and I adore them. Also, tacos might be my love language, and I’m totally OK with that.

• Tacos are portable.
• They’re also delicious.
• Added bonus: They’re super easy to make for a crowd.
• You can put literally anything on them, and they’re good to go. (I’m sure some combinations are ill-advised, but I’m not gonna lead y’all astray right here.)

Why I love this recipe:

These are the BEST blackened shrimp tacos because they are simple but jam-packed with flavor.

We use a combination of herbs and spices to make homemade blackening seasoning, which is essentially Cajun seasoning, and then season the shrimp and cook them to perfection.

We make an easy coleslaw to pair with the bold flavors of the cooked shrimp and serve it all on a soft tortilla.

This makes for a quick weeknight dinner that also doubles as a delicious tailgating main dish.

More recipes with Cajun flavors: Cajun Shrimp and Grits | Cajun Chicken Alfredo | Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya | Cajun Dipping Sauce

What you’ll need to make this recipe

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• Cast iron grill/griddle (or an actual grill for the tailgate!). You could also use a cast iron skillet or a nonstick skillet to cook the shrimp on if you prefer.
• Stainless steel portable container (for the coleslaw!)
• 8 oz. mason jar (for the slaw dressing.)

Here’s what you need to get from the local grocery store to make these juicy shrimp tacos:

• Shrimp — we love Gulf shrimp, but purchase what’s available to you. I like to use larger shrimp for a recipe like this. Before you bring your fresh shrimp to the tailgate, peel and devein them. Nobody wants to do that at the actual tailgate.
• Homemade blackening seasoning — we use a blend of spices including sweet paprika (or smoked paprika), chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, cayenne pepper and medium grain kosher salt for this recipe. You could add a sprinkling of onion powder to the mix, too. In a pinch, use store-bought Cajun or Creole seasoning. Salt-Free Tony’s is our favorite. In a pinch, use store-bought Cajun or Creole seasoning. Salt-Free Tony’s is our favorite.
• Fresh tortillas — you may use corn tortillas or flour tortillas with this recipe.
• Green cabbage — this is the base for our homemade coleslaw. You can shred your cabbage with a knife or in the food processor if it has the attachment.
• Almonds — toasted and roughly chopped, please and thank you.
• Ramen noodles — yes, the pack you’d get at the store. These are adding some crunch to our slaw! We will toast them with some butter. Just don’t add the flavor packet to them because that’ll muddle the taste of the slaw.
• Extra virgin olive oil — or any other unflavored oil, like avocado oil. We use this with the shrimp, as well as in the slaw dressing.
• Apple cider vinegar — this adds the tartness to our coleslaw dressing. I love apple cider vinegar with slaw and do not recommend making a substitution.
• Honey — this gives a little hint of sweetness to the slaw dressing. There is no substitute.

Variations:

Instead of tacos, make lettuce wraps.

Transform these tacos into rice bowls using the same ingredients.

How to make Blackened Shrimp Tacos

Make the Crunchy Coleslaw

Prep the ingredients. Slice the cabbage thin. Toast the almonds. Toast the ramen noodles.

Make the dressing. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, honey, pepper and salt in a mason jar. Shake until well mixed, then set aside.

Toss together. In a large bowl, toss the coleslaw in the dressing. Sprinkle the toasted ramen noodles on top.

Make the Blackened Shrimp

Peel and devein the shrimp. This takes a bit of time and effort and will likely be the portion of this recipe that takes the longest. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel, too, and set aside.

Place the shrimp peels in a plastic bag and take them to an outdoor garbage can immediately once done.

Make the blackening seasoning. Combine the paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, oregano, basil, cayenne and salt in a small bowl to make the spice blend. Stir until mixed, then set aside.

If you don’t have the ingredients to make the blackening seasoning, consider using a store-bought Cajun or Creole seasoning. They should be very similar to this!

Season the shrimp. Place the raw shrimp in a bowl. Sprinkle on the homemade blackening seasoning. Toss gently using your hands or tongs until all shrimp are coated.

Please note that the seasoning will be thick. Don’t worry that this will be too much — it makes the shrimp delicious!

Cook the shrimp. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the hot pan, then place the seasoned shrimp in the pan in a single layer. If you can’t fit them all into the pan together, cook in batches.

Cook until pink, then flip. Cook until cooked through, about 1-2 minutes more. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Heat the tortillas. Use the same skillet (or your grill OR stovetop, if it’s gas) to heat the tortillas until warmed through.

Make the Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Slaw

Layer a helping of the prepared coleslaw into the warmed tortilla

Top with the blackened shrimp. Serve with lime wedges.

Enjoy immediately!

How to make Blackened Shrimp Tacos at a tailgate

Prep the shrimp taco ingredients. This means deveining and peeling the shrimp, as well as making the homemade blackening seasoning. Place the seasoning in a small to-go container so it can easily be brought along. Store the shrimp in a storage container in the fridge, and make sure it stays cold during transport.

Prep and make the coleslaw ingredients. Shred the cabbage. Toast the almonds and ramen noodles. Make the dressing.

• Package the cabbage and almonds together in a to-go container.
• Store the ramen noodles in a separate container or bag.
• Bring the dressing in the mason jar.

Plan to mix the ingredients just before serving.

How to cook shrimp at a tailgate: Cook the shrimp directly onto the grill, similar to these Grilled Shrimp Skewers. If your shrimp are too small, bring along a skillet and cook them in the skillet on the grill to prevent them from falling through the grates!

If you want to add lime juice, give the shrimp a spritz of it before making the tacos so guests don’t have to worry about lime wedges.

Warm the tortillas directly on the grill.

Serve the shrimp tacos. Layer on the slaw, then top with the shrimp. Wrap in foil or parchment paper so guests can bring the tacos on-the-go or serve on small appetizer plates so they are easily held in hand.

How to store:

Store the shrimp in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Reheat the shrimp in the microwave until warmed through.

Store the slaw separately in another airtight container. This is best consumed within a day of making.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tips and Tricks for Making the BEST Easy Blackened Shrimp Tacos

• Follow the directions of the recipe below!
• Make the coleslaw at home and keep it on ice until it’s time to eat.
• Make the homemade blackening seasoning at your house, then bring it along to the tailgate. (This is easier than toting all the spices with you.)
• Cook the shrimp in a skillet or on the grill at the tailgate.
• Warm the corn or flour tortillas when it’s time to eat in the skillet or on the grill.

Love all kinds of tacos?

I recommend trying out these Andouille Sausage Breakfast Tacos and Mashed Potato Chorizo Breakfast Tacos.

More football foods to try:

Need some finger foods? Blackberry BBQ Sticky Wings, Sausage, Onion and Peppers Pigs in a Blanket and Roasted Garlic BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe would all be excellent. So would Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots and Old Bay Trail Mix.

If you love appetizers, you should try Cajun Red Beans and Andouille Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms and Loaded Tailgate Tots. German Potato Skins are a great addition to any party. Cincinnati Nachos and Mini Bell Pepper Nachos are both easy to share, too!

Love dips? Skillet Sausage Dip, Salsa Verde, Loaded Guacamole and Hot Bacon Dip are all fun to share with a group of friends.

Firing up the grill? Grill some Grilled Jalapeno Poppers and Grilled Sauerkraut Stuffed Brats.

Looking for a main dish? Make Cuban Sandwich Quesadillas and Chicken Spinach & Artichoke Dip French Bread are easy to share. This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad  and Bacon-Wrapped Cheeseburger Bites would also make excellent entrees.

Want to make dessert? Black Bottom Maple Pecan Pie Bars are decadent and delicious!

Need a sipper to serve? Look no farther than Bottled Tailgate Cocktails. If it’s a morning game, you could Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar.

Just wanna make these tacos?

Scroll on down to learn how you can make Blackened Shrimp Tacos for your next tailgate… or dinner!