Spicy Szechuan Shrimp Tacos with Cool Cucumber Slaw
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
14 mins
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Cook Time
6 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
4 tacos
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Calories
201 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Asian-American Fusion
Spicy Szechuan Shrimp Tacos with Cool Cucumber Slaw
Description
Spicy Szechuan Shrimp Tacos showcase shrimp cooked in a bold sauce made of sweet chili sauce, reduced-sodium soy sauce, minced garlic, fresh grated ginger, sriracha, and red pepper flakes. The shrimp are first sautéed in sesame oil and then simmered in the sauce until opaque and curled. This imparts the shrimp with a glossy, spicy, and slightly sweet coating.
Accompanying the shrimp is a cool cucumber slaw composed of thinly sliced English cucumber, shredded carrot, bell pepper, rice vinegar, and a touch of honey. The slaw adds crispness and a gentle sweet-tart flavor that balances the heat of the shrimp. Green onions and sesame seeds added as toppings enhance the texture and flavor complexity.
The shrimp are served in corn tortillas, which can be doubled up for sturdiness as needed. This dish provides a mix of warming spicy seafood and cooling, crunchy vegetables, making it a satisfying meal suitable for lunch or dinner. The recipe also suggests flexible serving sizes depending on the number of tacos desired.
Ingredients
- 12 oz Shrimp (fresh or frozen/thawed)
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 TBSP soy sauce reduced-sodium, gluten-free
- 2 cloves garlic (approx. 1 tsp minced)
- 2 tsp sriracha
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes crushed
- ½ tsp ginger freshly grated
- 1-2 tsp sesame oil for sautéing
- 4-8 corn tortillas (see notes)
- 2-3 TBSP green onion chopped, for topping
- sesame seeds to taste, for topping
COOL CUCUMBER SLAW
- 1/4-1/2 cup carrot shredded
- 1//4 English cucumber sliced paper thin
- ⅓ bell pepper (diced or sliced)
- 2 TBSP rice vinegar
- honey to taste
Instructions
- Clean and peel shrimp, defrosting if using frozen. Lately we've been buying frozen, cleaned, easy-peel shrimp. All I have to do is defrost, peel, and cook! You can also buy your shrimp already peeled if you'd like!
- Set prepped shrimp in the fridge, covered while you make your slaw and sauce.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, Sriracha, red pepper flakes, and ginger. Set aside.
- For the slaw, slice cucumbers paper-thin using a sharpened knife or mandolin. (I use the slicer on my oxo grater set). Combine with shredded carrots and bell pepper and toss with seasoned rice vinegar and honey, to taste.
- Heat a large pan or skillet to medium-high heat with 1 TBSP of oil and sauté your shrimp. Cook on one side for about 2 minutes, reduce heat to low, stir in your sauce, and continue to simmer until shrimp curl and become opaque. The cook time will depend on the heat setting you choose and the size of your shrimp, but regardless they’ll be perfectly cooked in a matter of minutes.
- OPTIONAL: Want a thicker, stickier sauce on your shrimp? Do what the restaurants do and whisk 1 tsp of cornstarch into 1 TBSP cold water. This can be whisked into your sauce to thicken it.
- Place your shrimp on a clean cutting board and chop into smaller pieces, much like you were coarsely chopping an onion. This extra step helps prevent the shrimp from dive-bombing out of your taco and onto your plate/lap/floor and makes them way easier to eat! Want them whole instead? Go for it, yo!
- Line your corn tortillas with your saucy shrimp and top with slaw. Double up on corn tortillas if desired to prevent breakage (see notes)
- Dig in while they're hot!
Notes
- Adjust the number of corn tortillas based on servings and desired taco fullness; doubling up can prevent tearing.
- If you don't have sesame oil, substitute with olive, coconut, or avocado oil without compromising flavor.
- Use peeled, cleaned shrimp for quicker preparation; frozen shrimp can be thawed and peeled before cooking.
- Nutrition information is approximate; adjust ingredients as needed for dietary preferences.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4tacos
Amount Per Serving
Calories 201 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 201kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 22g | 7% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 3g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 214mg | 71% |
| Sodium | 1173mg | 49% |
| Potassium | 177mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 1750IU | 35% |
| Vitamin C | 19.5mg | 22% |
| Calcium | 150mg | 15% |
| Iron | 2.3mg | 13% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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