Is there ever a bad time for shrimp tacos? The only correct answer is no, no there is not! These spicy shrimp tacos are made with smoky chipotle peppers that pack a punch. The heat is balanced out by melted cotija cheese and pickled red onions.

Equipment

To make these cheesy, chipotle shrimp tacos at home, here’s everything you need:

chef’s knife
medium bowl
large plate
paper towel
cutting board
large pan
tongs
small bowl
cheese grater

Note: you can find the full ingredients list and recipe instructions below!

Cooking Tips

Buy raw shrimp, not cooked shrimp. Using raw shrimp allows you to control the flavour and texture more precisely, which will make following the recipe easier and lead to better tasting shrimp tacos.
Can’t find Cotija cheese? Try using a low-moisture mozzarella instead.
Slice red onion from root to tip. Start by cutting off the top of your onion (this is the part opposite of the root). Next, place the cut-side down on the cutting board and slice through the root, cutting the onion in two halves. Then, chop off the root end of both halves. Finally, slice vertically from the root to the tip. Using this method will make the best tasting sliced red onion.
Serve it with… Mexican street corn or chips and salsa!

What to consider when buying shrimp

Buying shrimp can admittedly be a little complicated! There are things like sustainability, environment and labour conditions to consider, which are all valid in their own right and should be researched thoughtfully. I won’t get into those things here, but I encourage you to do some additional reading before making a purchase. When you are ready to buy, my best advice would be to head to your local fish monger and have a conversation with an employee or shop owner. They will be able to hep guide you in the process. If you can’t do that, and your only option is to buy from the frozen section of your grocery store, look out for the following:

cooked vs. raw
shell on vs. shell off
deveined
weight per bag

The first two are pretty straight forward, and this recipe calls for raw, shell-off shrimp. The latter get a little more confusing. “Deveined” tells us that the central vein of the shrimp, where the waste and toxins of the shellfish flow through, has been removed. It is 100% acceptable to eat the vein, and removing it is not a requirement to enjoying shrimp, however it can be off putting in some preparations when it is left on, like in a shrimp cocktail for example. “Weight per bag” is the number range on the packaging, most often found in one of the four corners of the product container. This range refers to the number of pieces per pound. For example, a package with “11/15” means there are approximately 11 to 15 pieces in a pound of that variety of shrimp. If there’s a “U” in the range, like “U-10”, for example, that means there are under, or less than, 10 pieces per pound. Here’s a general rule of thumb when you’re shopping for shrimp and looking for a specific size:

Colossal: U-10
Jumbo: 11/15
Extra-Large: 16/20
Large: 21/30
Medium: 31/35
Small: 36/45

What cheese goes with shrimp tacos?

Cotija cheese goes really well with shrimp tacos. It’s is an aged Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk and named after the town of Cotija, Michoacán. This cheese is white in colour and firm in texture, with a salty and milky flavour profile.