~ The summer may be wrapping up in America, as it is in Germany, but that doesn’t mean you can’t wrap up some perfectly fresh Shrimp Tacos as you watch the leaves fall! To balance out the occasional heavy German food (which I love, don’t get me wrong!), I took to the farmers’ markets to find fresh food to create some Mexican cuisine, which is pretty hard to come by in Germany. You’ll love how fresh and flavorful these shrimp tacos taste, yet how light and filling! This dish has elements that can be prepped ahead of time, so it’s great for any day of the week, or any season! ~

This Recipe:    •  Ready in 30 Minutes or Less  •  Includes Make-Ahead Steps  •

~ The gorgeous photos, incredible recipe and fun story for this post are all by MaryBeth, Shelley’s beloved cousin who, after a lifetime in Ohio, fell madly in love with a handsome German boy and followed him across the pond for all-new adventures. Check out the bottom of this post (under the recipe card) for more about MaryBeth’s fashionista, world-traveling, foodie life … and for all the scoop on where you can follow her deliciously trendy travels!

In October of last year, I moved to Germany to follow the cute German foreign exchange student, whom I met almost seven years ago! When he studied in the US, he fell in love with m… I mean Mexican food (well … both)! Since living in Germany, I often find myself preparing Mexican and additional “American-like” dishes for him, many of which are more unfamiliar here! With this came the task of hunting down the ingredients that are needed, or often finding replacements.

There are many differences when it comes to food and grocery shopping in Germany vs. the US.

Who loads up from large grocery trips once or twice every week or two? Not me (although sometimes I wish that this was possible)! Here in Germany, it’s not uncommon to run to the store daily, and for me (now that I live in the city) it’s a five-minute walk, and each Thursday there is a wonderful farmers’ market called Die Gemüsegärtner, right outside of my flat here in Osnabrück.

The foods here in Germany are prepared differently, with fewer preservatives (or none at all). This means, when buying fresh meat for example, you have to eat it the day that it is bought. After 10 months, I still struggle to wrap my head around this cultural change.

When going to the markets, I almost always have to pick up some flowers to throw into my farmers’ market bag!

Taking you through the preparation of my Shrimp Tacos, I also will tell you about the different toppings that I like to add, and some of the struggles that I’ve had to find the ingredients!

Let’s start with the Avocado and Tomato Salsa!

This salsa is great for tortilla chip dipping, or adding to the tacos. I like to cut the ingredients into equal-sized pieces to maintain the fresh flavors and texture.

If you choose to make the salsa ahead of serving time, be sure that the lime juice is coating the exterior of the salsa before covering the salsa with a lid (or ideally, plastic wrap), to help avoid browning.

Instead of using lettuce to top my shrimp tacos, I use white cabbage. You could also use shredded red cabbage, which would be great as well, or a mix of red and white.

For seasoning the cabbage, I add lime juice, salt, garlic salt, and small jalapeño bits. I really like the crunch that the cabbage slaw adds to these shrimp tacos!

And, thank goodness … I’ve found tortillas and tortilla chips here in Germany! Although I usually have only one brand to choose from, I’m not complaining!

If you have the choice, you can opt for a healthier multi-grain or baked variety of tortilla chips, and for whole-grain tortillas.

I’m a sauce and dip person. If there’s something that can be dipped, I make a sauce to go along with it! And, I usually don’t measure – I just add until I get the taste that I want. For the taco sauce in this recipe, though, I measured for you (see the recipe card below for directions), so you can recreate my Shrimp Tacos exactly.

My creamy taco sauce is a mixture of sour cream, just a little mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, sriracha, garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, and salt. If you like things a bit more salty, add a little extra garlic salt or salt (after letting it rest and tasting). If the flavors are too powerful, add some sour cream to neutralize the flavors more. If you make it ahead, the flavors have more time to incorporate, which intensifies the favors to be even more amazing together!

At the local Asian market store (where I found my sriracha), I also picked up a bottle of imported Sweetened Chili Sauce for Spring Rolls. Spooning some of this as a topping to the tacos adds yet another delicious element, and it works great with the sriracha lime taco sauce!

Mexican cheeses are really hard to come by here in Germany. Cheddar cheese isn’t part of this dish, but I’ve had my issues a few times in finding it, a clear staple for many Mexican recipes! Pepper jack is non-existent, queso fresco – nope! So, I went for goat cheese feta in this recipe, and it’s delicious! It added an additional fresh bite to the tacos.

If your feta comes in a block, use a fork to break into small chunks. The goat milk feta I use has a stronger flavor than many of the fetas you find in American grocery stores, which are often made with cow’s milk. Still, American feta (preferably reduced-fat) is an acceptable substitute for this recipe. Or you could try queso fresco if you can find it where you live.

I like to get the table all set with the toppings and sauces before I begin to cook the shrimp, since they cook up very quickly.

Depending on the size of your shrimp, they will take anywhere from 3-6 minutes to cook. Take a look at the recommended cooking directions if you’re using frozen shrimp from a box; otherwise ask the expert at your local market for exact cooking times based on the specific size of shrimp you choose.

After defrosting the shrimp in cold water (you can get more details on methods for doing this in the post for THK’s Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas recipe or the post How to Thaw Shrimp), I add the olive oil, lime zest, and spices directly to the shrimp to season about half an hour before cooking. I don’t let it sit too much longer, because the shrimp often release water, and you want them to stay juicy!

An additional option is to make the marinade ahead of time (without including the shrimp), let it sit for the spices to release, and then add it to coat the shrimp just before cooking.

I use a skillet to cook the shrimp, stirring to ensure that each side of the shrimp is exposed to the heat. If your shrimp are large enough, this would also be great prepared on the grill. 

Now it’s time to eat! The table is set with my new flowers, as we enjoy the last little bit of summer sun!

Not pictured: My very hungry boyfriend sitting on the sidelines, watching me take photos for you!

Although when you think of Germany, you probably think of beer, we often opt for a chilled white wine to pair with the Shrimp Tacos.

I had such a blast sharing my story and my Shrimp Tacos with you! Be sure to find me on Instagram to follow all my foodie adventures in Europe!

I’m so happy that Two Healthy Kitchens asked me contribute to their awesome food blog! Guten Apptit! Enjoy your meal!

Continue to Content

Garlic Lime Shrimp Tacos

Yield: 8 Tacos (for 2-4 people)

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Easy Shrimp Tacos featuring a garlic lime marinade, creamy sriracha lime sauce, avocado salsa and simple slaw! Simply delicious!

•  Ready in 30 Minutes or Less  •  Includes Make-Ahead Steps  •

Print

Ingredients

Shrimp and Marinade:

• 4 cups fresh or frozen shrimp (choose your shrimp size preference)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• zest from 1 lime
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili power
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cabbage Slaw:

• 2 cups shredded white and/or red cabbage
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped green jalapeño pepper (more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Sriracha Lime Taco Sauce:

• 1/2 cup sour cream (preferably reduced-fat)
• 1 tablespoon sriracha (more or less to taste)
• 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise (preferably reduced-fat canola or olive oil, or organic/all-natural)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Avocado and Tomato Salsa:

• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 1/2 teaspoon onion power
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Additional Ingredients:

• soft tortillas
• feta goat milk cheese, crumbled (see note)
• Asian sweetened chili sauce
• tortilla chips (optional for serving alongside; preferably multi-grain and/or baked)

Instructions

Shrimp and Marinade:

1. Remove frozen or fresh shrimp from packaging and place in a bowl of cold water to rinse, clean, and defrost (if needed).
2. Dry shrimp in a strainer or use a paper towel to pat dry. Place shrimp in a bowl or baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, combine extra virgin olive oil, lime zest, juice from 1/2 lime, minced garlic, chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate shrimp mixture until you're ready to cook, preferably for up to a half hour (see note for make-ahead and last-minute options).

Cabbage Slaw:

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine cabbage, jalapeño pepper, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. If you like a little spice, you can add more peppers.
2. Mix thoroughly and let rest in the refrigerator until serving.

Sriracha Lime Taco Sauce:

1. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, sriracha, mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2. Mix thoroughly and let rest in the refrigerator until serving, so that the flavors can meld.

Avocado and Tomato Salsa:

1. In a medium bowl, gently combine avocado, tomatoes, juice from 1/2 lime, 1/2 teaspoon onion power, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Carefully mix with a spoon (or I often use my hand to mix), making sure to avoid bruising the avocado, so that it keeps its diced shape.

Cooking Shrimp and Serving Tacos:

1. Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Spoon shrimp into the skillet with a slotted spoon, avoiding adding marinade liquids. (Often the shrimp release water when marinating, but to get a nice sear, less liquid is better.)
3. Cook for 3-5 minutes (depending on the exact size of your shrimp), stirring shrimp to ensure all sides are equally exposed to the heat.
4. Serve shrimp in tortillas, sprinkle to taste with cheese and a little Asian sweetened chili sauce. Top with cabbage slaw, taco sauce, and avocado and tomato salsa. Offer tortilla chips alongside, if desired.

Notes

Feta cheese: I use goat milk feta in this recipe, as that's what is readily available in Germany. Feta made with goat milk has a stronger flavor than many of the fetas you find in American grocery stores, which are typically made with cow's milk. Nonetheless, American feta (preferably reduced-fat) is an acceptable substitute for this recipe. You could also try substituting queso fresco if you can find it where you live.

Easy prep-ahead meal (last-minute and make-ahead options): What's great about these shrimp tacos is that you can prep all of the toppings and even the marinade at any point in the day for an evening meal, and quickly cook the shrimp when it's time to eat. I love to prep in the morning so that the flavors have time to meld. A note about the shrimp marinade: I prefer to let the shrimp marinate for about half an hour before cooking, which allows the flavors to incorporate with the shrimp more thoroughly, but this recipe is still delicious if your schedule doesn't allow for such a long marinade. If that's the case, you can simply choose to make the marinade earlier in the day (without adding the shrimp to the mixture), and then toss the shrimp in the marinade just before cooking the shrimp, ensuring all of the shrimp are covered in the marinade as you begin to cook. What's most important is that you don't combine the shrimp and marinade too far in advance (I don't recommend much more than half an hour), so that the shrimp don't begin to release too much liquid as they sit in the marinade mixture.

Cooking the shrimp: Depending on the size of the shrimp you buy, be aware of the cooking time noted on the packaging, to ensure you cook them fully. Typically the shrimp take 3-5 minutes of total cook time.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 servings Serving Size: 2 tacos
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 425

Nutrition information does not include soft tortillas, feta, chili sauce, and chips, as amounts and nutritional profiles can vary. Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may additionally vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.

Did You Make This Recipe?

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More about MaryBeth …

Guten Tag from Germany! I’m MaryBeth, a girl who was once homesick going to summer camp, or even cheerleading camp, which was 15 minutes down the road, when growing up in Columbus, Ohio, USA. This changed when I moved to Germany 8 months ago to follow love! I did not even have a passport until I met Freddy, the German foreign exchange student, in college. It sure has been a whirlwind of a year! In the US I worked as a fashion buyer for Express, which led me to so many awesome experiences, most notably my trips to New York City.  Before I left for Europe, I bought a new camera and then began documenting my travels and new life on Instagram (@embeechapp). I love all things creative and pretty, and decided to merge all of what I love into one business – Egino. This is a creative marketing business and blog documenting the brands, products and experiences that we love about our city (including food)! This applies elements used in the US that have not yet emerged in our German cities, or providing insight into new ways to look at a business through a different lens. Since living in Europe, I have been able to eat my way through different cultures, while scoping out new trends that the different cities have to offer! I miss my family like crazy, but I am always excited to share with them my new experiences in Europe!

Here’s where you can find me and follow my adventures:

• • My personal Instagram
  • Egino’s Instagram
  • Egino’s English Blog

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