These Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw are what I want to eat on every single Taco Tuesday! The shrimp is boldly seasoned with simple pantry spices, and served over a bright and tangy cilantro lime slaw. Made in the air fryer in under 25 minutes, this is the perfect easy and healthy weeknight dinner.
Okay, if you’ve been following me on Instagram for a few years, you may remember that I went through an era of eating (and posting) tacos religiously. But one of my very first taco recipes was actually these Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw!
It’s a full-circle moment to finally have the recipe for these posted to my blog. Every time I make them, I’m just in awe at how simple yet flavorful and satisfying they are.
You only need to cook one thing (the shrimp) and the rest is just a matter of chopping, tossing and assembling. Therefore, you pretty much have no excuse not to make these for dinner!
Lastly, let me just tell ya…Kyle used to request that I double the cilantro lime slaw recipe so that he could have leftovers to eat by the forkful. It’s just that good.
Why You’ll Love these Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
- These tacos are a quick and easy dinner, done in under 25 minutes!
- The shrimp are heavily seasoned and air fried to perfection.
- Cilantro lime slaw is the tastiest way to get your veggies in.
- The perfect recipe for Taco Tuesday!
- These Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos are healthy, dairy free & gluten free friendly.
What You Need to Make these Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
For the Shrimp:
- Large Raw Shrimp: I typically use frozen for convenience and then thaw them under cold water. Make sure to use peeled, de-veined & tail-off shrimp (you can take them off yourself after thawing if need be).
- Olive Oil: Just a bit to air fry the shrimp in!
- Chili Powder, Cumin, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cayenne & Salt: This simple seasoning mixture is my go-to for all sorts of tacos. Cayenne is optional to make it a little spicier.
For the Cilantro Lime Slaw:
- Red Cabbage: I usually get a head of cabbage and thinly slice it, but you can also buy a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix to make this easier.
- Cilantro: Load up on cilantro! It adds so much flavor to this slaw.
- Shallot: You can either use shallot or red onion. Red onion is a bit more pungent, but you can tone it down by rinsing the chopped red union under water before using.
- Mayo: To bing the slaw together. If mayo gives you the ick, you can also substitute full-fat plain greek yogurt.
- Sriracha: This sounds weird but sriracha adds a boost of spicy flavor to the slaw! Feel free to omit it if you’d like.
- Lime Juice: Fresh squeezed is best.
- Salt: Season to taste with kosher salt.
For the Tacos:
- Small Tortillas: I prefer mini tortillas here. Flour or almond flour tortillas are both great options!
- Avocado: Choose whatever toppings your heart desires but sliced or smashed avocado is always a good idea.
- Cilantro: Extra chopped cilantro for topping.
- Lime: Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime.
How To Make these Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
Coat Shrimp in Seasoning Mixture, then Air Fry:
First, mix together all of the seasonings (chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne & salt) in a small bowl. Then, add shrimp to a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle seasoning mixture over top. Toss to evenly coat each shrimp.
Next, add seasoned shrimp to an air fryer tray or basket. Air fry at 390F for about 7 minutes, or until done through.
Prepare the Cilantro Lime Slaw:
Meanwhile, add all of the cilantro lime slaw ingredients (red cabbage, cilantro, shallot, mayo, sriracha, lime juice & salt) to a large bowl and toss until incorporated.
Warm up the Tortillas:
Then, warm up your tortillas whatever way you prefer – either directly on a gas stove, in a small skillet or in the microwave. If your air fryer has a broil setting, you can also pop them in there for a few minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them as they can burn easily.
Assemble your Tacos & Enjoy:
Finally, assemble your tacos, starting with some cilantro lime slaw, several pieces of shrimp and topping them off with avocado, more cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Enjoy!
What Air Fryer do you Recommend?
I think the air fryer is the best gadget ever invented. It makes cooking easy & quick!
I own the Ninja Combi which is technically more than just an air fryer. It has a ton of different cooking settings, which I love because it replaces several different appliances. Of course, for this recipe I use the classic air fryer function
Which Tortillas Should I Use?
Mini ones are best so you can get that perfect ratio of slaw to shrimp to tortilla hehe 🙂 My all-time favorite are the almond flour tortillas from Maria & Ricardo’s which are both gluten free and grain free. However, normal flour tortillas also work.
I generally love corn tortillas but I think they overpower the flavors here, so they’re not my top choice.
Should I use Fresh or Frozen Shrimp?
Either works! Just make sure to thaw your frozen shrimp before proceeding with this recipe. Also, take the tails off after thawing if that hasn’t already been done for you.
I don’t recommend using the frozen shrimp that already come pre-cooked because then you’ll just end up with over-cooked, rubbery shrimp when you air fry them!
Substitutes:
- Red Cabbage: If you can’t find this, you can also use green cabbage or even a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix.
- Mayo: You can certainly swap in full-fat plain greek yogurt!
- Shallot: Use red onion instead. To cut the pungency, rinse the chopped red onion under water first.
- Sriracha: Substitute with another hot sauce like Cholula or simply use a chipotle mayo instead of normal and then omit the sriracha altogether.
Expert Tips:
- Remove the tail from your shrimp: It can be tricky to find raw shrimp without the tail, so you can always take it off yourself right after thawing them (if frozen).
- Chop all of the slaw ingredients before air frying the shrimp: The shrimp will cook quickly so you want to have all your slaw ingredients prepped so that you can simply toss it together while the shrimp is in the air fryer.
- Warm up or char the tortillas: Nobody likes a dry, brittle tortilla!
- Go crazy with the toppings: Avocado (or guac), cilantro & lime are the classics, but these tacos would also be great with a fruity salsa on top for a tropical flare.
How Do the Leftovers Store?
These Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos make for great leftovers! Store each component separately in airtight containers.
You may notice that the slaw starts to look a little pink/purple as the red cabbage sits in the mayo mixture, but it still tastes amazing…if not better!
When you’re ready to enjoy the leftovers, simply reheat the shrimp in the microwave, warm up the tortillas, and assemble your tacos.
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for more Mexican-Inspired Recipes?
- Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet
- Mexican Street Corn Rice Salad
- Meal Prep Chipotle Egg Bake
- Blackened Salmon with Mango Salsa
Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
Equipment
- small bowl
- 2 large bowls
Ingredients
For the Shrimp:
- 1 lb large raw shrimp peeled, deveined & tail off
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- kosher salt to taste
- cayenne optional, to make it spicier
For the Cilantro Lime Slaw:
- 3 cups shredded red cabbage (or sub a bagged coleslaw mix)
- â…“ cup chopped cilantro (reduce if you're sensitive to cilantro)
- ¼ cup finely diced shallot or red onion *
- 2 tbsp mayo or full-fat plain greek yogurt
- juice from ½-1 lime
- squirt of sriracha optional
- kosher salt to taste
For the Tacos:
- 6-8 small tortillas (flour or almond flour are great options!)
- sliced or smashed avocado
- chopped cilantro
- lime wedges
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together all of the seasonings. Then, add shrimp to a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle seasoning mixture over top. Toss to evenly coat.1 lb large raw shrimp, ½ tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, kosher salt, cayenne
- Add seasoned shrimp to an air fryer tray or basket. Air fry at 390F for about 7 minutes, or until done through.
- Meanwhile, add all of the cilantro lime slaw ingredients to a large bowl and toss until incorporated.3 cups shredded red cabbage, ⅓ cup chopped cilantro, ¼ cup finely diced shallot or red onion, 2 tbsp mayo, juice from ½-1 lime, squirt of sriracha, kosher salt
- Warm up your tortillas whatever way you prefer – directly on a gas stove, in a small skillet or in the microwave.6-8 small tortillas
- Assemble your tacos, starting with some cilantro lime slaw, several pieces of shrimp and topping them off with avocado, more cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Enjoy!sliced or smashed avocado, chopped cilantro, lime wedges
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.
Loved this recipe so much! First time making shrimp in the air fryer and it was awesome!! Soooo much better than cooking them in a pan. And the slaw was so simple yet perfect. Instead of assembling tacos with tortillas we made bowls with some rice, guac, tomatoes and cheese and it was a delicious Taco Tuesday!
Yay!! I love the idea of turning them into bowls 🙂 Appreciate your support!
These were so good! Going to make them a bunch this summer.
YAY, as you should!!