baja shrimp tacos — Makes: *12 Servings*
Per Serving: 7g Protein | 75 Cal

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If you’ve been around for a while, you already know how much I love a good taco. Tacos are quick, delicious, and such a good way to pack tons of nutritious ingredients into one easy meal. These shrimp tacos are packed with protein, low in calories, and the perfect mix of spicy, sweet, and crunchy. Make them for meal prep, a quick dinner on busy weeknights, or to have a few healthy components on hand for easy mix-and-match meals (serve the shrimp and salsa over salad, pile the slaw into a wrap, the options are endless!).

This tasty taco recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, bursting with flavor, and packed with protein and fiber. It’s basically a dream meal, especially when you’re craving something light and refreshing!

Let’s get into it:

Why You’ll Love This Spicy Baja Shrimp Taco Recipe

Lower Cal: Each taco only has 75 calories, but 7g of protein.
Light and Refreshing: This taco recipe uses jicama wraps instead of traditional tortillas, making the meal light, yet satisfying, with an extra bit of a crunch from the jicama.
Great for Meal Prep: This recipe is a meal prep dream! Just store the components of the meal separately and then assemble for quick and easy meals.
Packed with So Much Flavor: Between the spicy shrimp, the sweet pineapple salsa, and the tangy, crunchy slaw, these tacos are beyond flavorful with a great mix of textures.
Healthier Option: Many Baja fish tacos and shrimp tacos call for dredging your seafood in a beer batter before deep frying. Put away the deep fryer and lean into the flavors of the best Baja shrimp tacos with this easy recipe.

Ingredients

For the Spicy Shrimp:

1 bag of large cooked frozen shrimp, thawed
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons pineapple salsa (Trader Joe’s has a delicious jarred pineapple salsa, or you can use a fresh version from another grocery store, or make your own.)

For the Tangy Cabbage Slaw:

1 bag of shredded cabbage (or coleslaw mix)
1/4 cup light mayonnaise - you can also use plain Greek yogurt if you don’t like mayo
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon agave syrup

For the Tacos:

2 - 3 packages of jicama wraps (6 wraps per package) - I like to double the wraps up for each taco so 1 package gets you 3 tacos or 6 tacos depending on if you’re doubling up!
1 tablespoon avocado per taco (1-2 avocado for the entire recipe)
1 tablespoon pineapple salsa per taco
Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

Make the spicy shrimp: In a large mixing bowl, mix the thawed, cooked shrimp with lime juice, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Toss until the shrimp is evenly coated. Add 2 tablespoons of pineapple salsa and toss until coated. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. If you'd like, you can quickly warm the shrimp in a cast-iron skillet before building your tacos and topping with fresh ingredients.
Make the cabbage slaw: In a separate medium bowl, add the mayo (or Greek yogurt), cilantro, apple cider vinegar, and agave. Whisk until smooth. Add the shredded cabbage and toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Build your tacos: Layer 2 jicama wraps to create a thicker wrap. Add some spicy shrimp, then the cabbage mixture. Top with avocado and extra pineapple salsa or any other fresh toppings you like. Repeat with the rest of the jicama wraps. If you're using tortillas instead of jicama or lettuce wraps, warm the tortillas in a dry pan on the stove top for 2-3 minutes (or wrap them in damp paper towels and gently warm in the microwave) before assembling your tacos.

Nutrition Information (Per taco - Makes about 12 tacos)

Calories: 75
Protein: 7g
Carbs: 9g
Fat: 1g

Swaps and Substitutions

Shrimp: Instead of shrimp, try using cooked chicken or sautéed tofu.
Pineapple Salsa: If you can’t find pineapple salsa—or are just looking to change things up a bit—try using a mango salsa or another fruit-based salsa.
Mayonnaise: If you don’t like mayo, you can use non-fat Greek yogurt or a plant-based yogurt instead.
Jicama Wraps: If you don’t like or can’t find jicama wraps, you can use lettuce wraps, corn tortillas, or low-carb tortillas. You can also serve this shrimp, salsa, and slaw over a bed of cauliflower rice, regular rice, or greens.
Toppings: Want to switch up the toppings? Try a sprinkle of red onion, a little fresh cilantro, sour cream, chipotle mayo, cotija cheese, or a squeeze of lime juice.

The Best Storage & Meal Prep Tips for These Baja Shrimp Tacos

Store things separately: Keep the cooked shrimp and cabbage slaw in separate airtight containers to keep the components as fresh and delicious as possible.
Make the tacos right before eating: Don’t assemble your tacos in advance. Make sure you build your tacos right before eating so that nothing gets too soggy.
They won’t last all week: The shrimp will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2-3 days, while the slaw will stay fresh for up to 4.

FAQs

Rather than using cooked shrimp, try using grilled or sautéed chicken, salmon, or tofu in these tacos. You could also use black beans, pinto beans, or even chickpeas if you’d like.
Instead of jicama wraps—which you can find at Trader Joe’s, if there’s one near you!—you can use lettuce cups, corn tortillas, grain-free tortillas, low-carb flour tortillas, or even cauliflower rice or greens as a base for these Baja shrimp tacos.
Yes! If you want to make these tacos spicier, bump up the cayenne pepper, add a drizzle of hot sauce, or top the tacos with jalapeño slices. If you want to tone down the heat, cut back on the amount of cayenne pepper or leave it out entirely.
This recipe is dairy-free, unless you decide to use Greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise. If mayo isn’t an option, but you want a dairy-free version, simply sub in a plant-based yogurt for the dairy yogurt.

These Baja shrimp tacos couldn’t be easier to make. Plus, they’re packed with tons of flavor and good-for-you ingredients, making them a perfect choice if you’re on a healthy eating journey. Super versatile and ready in minutes, they’ll quickly become a taco night favorite, especially if you're a seafood lover.