Shrimp Tacos With Pineapple Slaw

By Becky Hardin

Published Sep 4, 2020

Shrimp and pineapple slaw tacos on a white plate, garnished with lime wedges and cilantro. - 2

I’m a big fan of taco night, and these easy shrimp tacos with a fresh pineapple slaw are one of my favorite recipes for the occasion. Honey and pineapple create the most delicious flavor for this cabbage slaw, and it’s an easy way to spice up some simple street tacos. The best part? Shrimp cooks fast, so these are ready to eat in just 20 minutes!

Shrimp and pineapple slaw tacos on a white plate, garnished with lime wedges and cilantro. - 3

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Ingredients for Shrimp Tacos with Slaw

Perfectly seasoned and juicy shrimp are combined with a fresh and zingy pineapple coleslaw for a delicious taco full of flavor.

Shrimp: Use 1 pound of frozen large shrimp, peeled and deveined. You can thaw them if you like, but they’ll still cook fast from frozen.
Spices: A mix of salt, black pepper, ground cumin, and ground coriander adds a really simple flavor to the shrimp.
Cabbage: Use any mix of shredded cabbage for the taco slaw (green or red both work). If you have a bag of “coleslaw mix”, you can use that too.
Pineapple: The acid from the pineapple helps soften the cabbage, and the flavor complements the shrimp so well. Fresh or canned pineapple both work fine.
Red Onion: This adds a nice bite to the slaw.
Honey: A little bit of honey sweetens up the slaw.
Oil: I recommend using olive oil or avocado oil for the slaw. You can use any type of cooking oil you prefer to cook the shrimp.
Tortillas: I like making these as street tacos with small, 4-inch flour tortillas. But you can use any tortillas you like.

Spice up These Shrimp Street Tacos

I love using a simple seasoning mix for the shrimp so that the juicy pineapple cabbage slaw can shine when I bite into my tacos. But you can swap in any variation of shrimp to add even more flavor. I recommend using this chipotle shrimp recipe or this spicy Mexican shrimp if you want a little more heat.

Overhead view of a plate of street tacos with shrimp and slaw. - 4

How to Store and Reheat

Shrimp tacos are best served fresh, but extras can be stored separately and reassembled after reheating. Store the cooked shrimp and pineapple slaw in separate containers, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cabbage will release moisture as it sits, but I just spoon that away before adding it to my tacos–no problem!

Reheat the shrimp in a skillet just to warm it through. Warm up some fresh tortillas, then assemble your tacos and eat!

A plate of shrimp tacos with pineapple and cabbage slaw. - 5

Serving Suggestions

I always finish off these easy shrimp tacos with some pico de Gallo , this easy guacamole , Mexican crema, or fresh jalapeños.

To keep the street taco vibe going, I like to serve them with Mexican grilled corn , esquites , or my favorite off the cob street corn . And of course I use these as an excuse to whip up a margarita ! I think these jalapeño margaritas make a nice contrast to the sweetness of the pineapple cabbage slaw.

Notes from the Test Kitchen

Take care not to overcook the shrimp , they only need to be cooked a couple of minutes on each side. Over cooked shrimp will have a rubbery texture.
It’s best to shred the cabbage by hand with a knife. If you use a blender the cabbage can end up chopped too finely and release a lot of water.
Warm the tortillas before filling them. This makes them soft and pliable so they won’t spilt when you eat them.

Ingredients1x2x3x

Pineapple Cabbage Coleslaw:

▢ 3 cups green cabbage shredded
▢ 1 cup fresh or canned pineapple chopped
▢ ½ cup red onion finely chopped
▢ 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
▢ 1 tablespoon honey
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice

Shrimp Tacos:

▢ 1 tablespoon cooking oil
▢ 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
▢ 12 tortillas 4-inch or street sized, flour or corn tortillas

Optional Toppings:

▢ sour cream Mexican crema, salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, fresh lime, fresh cilantro

Instructions

Place the cabbage, pineapple, and onion into a bowl and toss in oil, honey, and lime juice. Stir until combined. Place in refrigerator until ready to assemble tacos. 3 cups green cabbage, 1 cup fresh or canned pineapple, ½ cup red onion, 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium. 1 tablespoon cooking oil
As the oil heats, generously season the shrimp with salt, black pepper, cumin, and coriander. 1 pound large shrimp, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
Add shrimp to skillet and cook on one side for 1-2 minutes; then flip shrimp and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until shrimp is pink and opaque.
Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute, or until warm. You can also wrap them in foil and place them into a hot oven until pliable. 12 tortillas
Divide the cabbage and pineapple among the tortillas followed by the shrimp filling.
Serve with desired optional toppings. sour cream

Becky’s Tips

Take care not to overcook the shrimp , they only need to be cooked a couple of minutes on each side. Over cooked shrimp will have a rubbery texture.
It’s best to shred the cabbage by hand with a knife. If you use a blender the cabbage can end up chopped too finely and release a lot of water.
Warm the tacos before filling them. This makes them soft and pliable and they won’t spilt when you eat them.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Shrimp Tacos and Pineapple Slaw Step by Step

Make the Pineapple Slaw: Place 3 cups of cabbage, 1 cup of pineapple, and ½ cup of red onion into a bowl. Then add in 2 tablespoons of oil, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Toss everything together until combined. Place the slaw in the refrigerator until ready to use for the tacos.

Pineapple cabbage slaw in a mixing bowl. - 6

Prep the Shrimp: Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While the oil heats, generously season 1 pound of shrimp with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, and ¼ teaspoon ground coriander.

A plate of raw shrimp coated in a mix of spices. - 7

Cook Shrimp: Add seasoned shrimp to the skillet. Cook them on one side for 1-2 minutes; then flip shrimp and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until they’re all pink and opaque. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.

Warm the Tortillas: Wrap 12 tortillas (or however many you need) in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute to warm. Alternatively, you can wrap them in foil and place them into a hot oven until pliable.

Assemble the Shrimp Tacos: Evenly divide the cabbage and pineapple slaw among the warmed tortillas. Then place the cooked shrimp in each taco, and finish with any other toppings you choose!

More Taco Recipes To Try

Baked Chicken Tacos
Birria Tacos
Buffalo Shrimp Tacos
More Taco Night Recipes

A plate of shrimp tacos with pineapple and cabbage slaw. - 9

Shrimp Tacos Recipe with Pineapple Slaw