This easy bang bang shrimp tacos recipe is what taco dreams are made of! Crispy shrimp is tossed with flavorful bang bang sauce (which is really ideal for a shrimp taco sauce IMO!) tucked into a paleo tortilla, and then topped with some tangy, crunchy slaw! YUM! My shrimp taco recipe makes a great weeknight dinner, but it’s also fun enough to serve to guests.
Bang bang shrimp tacos (or sometimes called firecracker shrimp) used to be one of my favorite appetizers… and it was definitely something I missed after going paleo! So you know what that means, I needed to come up with a paleo-friendly version. And I’m happy to report that my version tastes just like the real thing!
The shrimp are dusted in tapioca starch and flash-fried (giving them authentic shrimp taco crunch!), then drenched in the spicy yet sweet sauce that you could literally eat with a spoon.
Then there is the slaw! It’s perfectly crunchy and tangy, and adds an awesome crunch, for the best shrimp tacos ever.
If you want to make a vegetarian version, try this same recipe with bang bang cauliflower instead.
How To Make Shrimp Tacos
While the recipe for these bang bang shrimp tacos may look a tad daunting, I promise everything comes together in a cinch making it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. The sauce can even be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
- Make the bang bang sauce. Get the bang bang sauce recipe here.
- Make the easy shrimp taco slaw. Mix together cabbage, cilantro, and onions. Drizzle olive oil, white vinegar, honey, and salt on the cabbage and toss to combine. Store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat.
- Make the tortillas if you’re making them from scratch. Here’s the paleo tortillas recipe I used, but I also love this recipe with one-ingredient plaintain tortillas or pre-made cassava tortillas, or even without tortillas eaten as a salad instead!
- Cook the shrimp. Toss the shrimp with tapioca, and then fry until they have a golden, crispy crust. Toss with the bang bang shrimp tacos sauce.
- Assemble the bang bang shrimp tacos. Place the slaw into the tortilla, top with shrimp, and drizzle with Sriracha if desired. Enjoy!
What Do Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos Taste Like?
This bang bang shrimp tacos recipe is the perfect combination of sweet, spicy, and tangy. Bang bang shrimp sauce has sweet, savory, and spicy flavor components to it that come together in an addicting combination. Then, it’s mixed with crunchy shrimp. Serve it up in a warm tortilla with crisp slaw and you’ve got one delicious taco!
Are Shrimp Tacos Healthy?
Yes, this homemade shrimp taco recipe is healthy. It’s made with whole food ingredients, with protein from the shrimp and veggies inside. Plus, the sauce is naturally sweetened.
How Do You Store Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos?
Store this bang bang shrimp tacos recipe in the fridge for 3-4 days. Keep the shrimp taco sauce in a separate glass jar or container, and it will last up to one week.
If you’re preparing ahead, it’s best to store the shrimp taco ingredients separately and assemble when ready to eat.
To reheat this bang bang shrimp tacos recipe, warm the shrimp in a skillet with a little oil, just until heated through, then toss with the bang bang sauce and serve with the slaw. Be careful not to overheat, as it can turn rubbery easily.
More Healthy Shrimp Recipes
Looking for more paleo dinner recipes? If you love this bang bang shrimp taco recipe, try these other paleo shrimp recipes:
- Sauteed Spanish Garlic Shrimp – Calling all garlic lovers! You can easily whip up a batch of this sauteed shrimp with 5 simple ingredients…and garlic is the star!
- Grilled Asian Thai Shrimp Salad – This fresh shrimp salad is bursting with Thai flavors – it’s savory, it’s tangy, and it’s a tad sweet!
RECIPE CARD
Easy Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos Recipe
This paleo bang bang shrimp tacos recipe is the best combination of flavors! Easy shrimp tacos are topped with crunchy slaw, shrimp taco sauce, and a drizzle of sriracha.
Ingredients
Please ensure Safari reader mode is OFF to view ingredients.
Sweet Chili Sauce
- 3.5 tablespoons White wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Water
- 1.5 tablespoons Honey
- 1 clove Garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon Fresh ginger (minced)
- 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- Pinch Sea salt
Tortillas
- 8 medium Paleo tortillas
Tacos + Slaw
- 1.5 lb Shrimp (peeled)
- 2 tablespoons Tapioca flour
- 1/3 cup Coconut oil (for frying)
- 1 cup Nappa cabbage (shredded)
- 1/2 cup Red cabbage (shredded)
- 1/2 cup Fresh cilantro (minced)
- 2 medium Green onions (sliced)
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon White wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon Honey
- Pinch Sea salt
Instructions
More TIPS about this paleo recipe in the post above!
Make bang bang sauce, according to recipe found here.
- In a large bowl combine the shredded Napa cabbage, shredded red cabbage, minced cilantro, and green onions. Toss with the 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon honey and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Make paleo tortillas, according to recipe found here.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat and melt the coconut oil. Toss shrimp with tapioca until covered and place in skillet. Fry 2 minutes until golden, flip and fry another 2-3 minutes until cooked through and crispy. Toss with Bang Bang sauce.
- To assemble place slaw in tortilla and top with shrimp and a drizzle of Sriracha if desired.
Recipe Notes
Serving Size: 1 shrimp taco
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols (though the latter are rarely seen on this site), because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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89 Comments
Zoe
Delicious and easy to adapt to make creative new meals!
Qamar
Would it be okay if I omit the wine vinegar? I only have regular white vinegar but I assume that won’t taste good.
Lori
I made these about two years ago, absolutely delicious, but I don’t remember what is the sweet chili sauce for, I actually don’t remember this sauce as part of the recipe at all?
Celeste
I have actually never posted a review on Pinterest, despite many wonderful recipes I’ve tried. But I HAD to for these shrimp tacos. Absolutely incredible!! My husband went nuts over this recipe. Had plenty of leftover sauce, so later this week I’ll make some chicken and shrimp with sautéed veggies over rice with this sauce drizzled on top! Literally tastes like our favorite hibachi restaurant! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Hawraa
The tortilla ingredients aren’t listed Anymore! These are my fav tortillas I haven’t done them in a while and was craving them today and can’t find them anymore 🙁
Lauren
So sorry about that – thanks for letting me know! I fixed the link on the recipe card so it goes to the tortilla recipe now. Here is the direct link to the (same) paleo tortillas recipe for you.
Kate
I’m a bit confused by the recipe. How much mayo and sriracha do I use?
Mandy
This recipe is amazing!!! It’s been my go-to for that bang bang shrimp craving, and I use the base recipe for the shrimp (shrimp, tapioca starch, salt, coconut oil) to launch other meals. So delicious!!
Tonya
These tacos are a favorite! So so so good! I just pulled it up to make them tonight and the tortilla ingredients are missing… It still talks about mixing the ingredients in the instructions, but the proportions and ingredients are missing. Can you please help?
Michelle Christian
I am looking forward to making these for my family of four but I do need clarification. How do I get 8 tortillas if I use a 1/5 of the mix each time? Is this supposed to be 2 per person?
Serving size is very important in order to determine how it fits in our macros.
Thank you
D
Hi there, yes this post is genuinely pleasant and
I have learned a lot of things from it about blogging. thanks.
Kimberly
These are fabulous, and the tortillas are amazing. So very good, thank you so much for sharing this great recipe!
Roz
Help!!!I literally just bought everything to make this!! The recipe was there yesterday?!
Lauren
Hey Roz! We were having technical difficulties today trying to update recipes with a “jump to recipe” button as well as nutritional graphics. The recipes is back up now, we hope you enjoy the new features!
Ann
do you know the calories and such with this recipe? wondering if cooked exactly how much each taco is worth. I have made and we are getting ready to eat. thanks so much for the recipe.
Susan
What is Sriracha please? Look forward to trying these
Lauren
Sriracha is an Asian hot sauce, you can find it at almost all grocery stores. Hope this helps!
Sue Lake
This recipe has to be my families favorite. I purchase raw tortillas and grill them instead of using the recipe included. Everything is EASY, fresh and absolutely yummy! Thank you Lauren.
Alexandra Ludwig
I wish I could print this without the social media tags covering the recipe!
Lauren
I wish you could too! Thanks for pointing it out, I’m working on a fix now.
Jo
This has been a family favorite for over a year! We eat this at least once per month. I double the recipe because everyone stuffs themselves silly!!
If I’m pressed for time, I just buy the pre-shredded slaw mix at the grocery. And the broccoli slaw is super tasty, too!
Meag
I felt that the mayonaise made the shrimp too sticky or gooey….I would personally prefer them to be less wet so next time I will make it without the mayo. Also, my main issue was the tortillas, mine were not finished(alittle doehy ) but if I left them on longer they burned. All around though I really liked the taste of everything and liked the texture of the slaw with the shrimp.
Lauren
Hi Meag! I’m so glad you like the taste of the dish! So, I bet what happened with the tortillas is that they weren’t thin enough. Did you use a tortilla press? Also, sometimes if you don’t shake off the excess tapioca the shrimp will be a little sticky. Hope this helps for next time!
Ellem
How long does this keep? Due to time restraints I will need to at least cook the tortillas 1-2 days in advance. Will they still be good?
Lauren
These tortillas should keep for that long!
Mike
I’m sorry, maybe I don’t see it but what do you use the Sweet Chili Sauce for? I see the recipe on how to make it but where do you use it? I don’t see it in the instructions
Lauren
Hi Mike, in the first step you’ll mix the cooled sweet chili sauce with the mayo and sriracha. Then in the step where you fry the shrimp you’ll toss them with the finished sauce. Hope this helps!
Adriana
The sweet chili sauce didn’t work out for me. The honey solidified the whole sauce and when I went to mix with the mayo and sriracha I only had clumps of the sweet chili sauce in it….not sure how to keep it from solidifying
Lauren
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ve never had this problem and I haven’t heard anyone say that they’ve had a similar experience. I wonder if you may have cooked it on a higher heat or for too long? I hope you’ll give it another try as this is one of my favorites and a reader favorite as well. Let me know if you have any questions about it and I’ll be happy to give you some more guidelines.
Micah
Do you use raw or cooked shrimp in the recipe?
Lauren
Hi Micah, this recipe uses raw shrimp.
Kerrin
This is an amazing recipe! I am always looking for new Paleo recipes that will also appeal to my non-Paleo friends. This recipe fits the bill perfectly. Great flavor and easy to make. Thank you!
Kelli H (Made in Sonoma)
These were so yummy. Pretty easy to make, too! Hubs and I loved them.
Wayne
Totally love these! pinned for later – definitely will make these! I have never tried shrimp tacos but I have a funny feeling that I am going to enjoy 🙂
Sarita
This looks soooooooo good. I have to make at least a version of it soon!
Sara
Made them on vacation in Florida for two families and they were a HUGE hit! Even with the kids! LOVED LOVED LOVED them!
Lisa
My husband just said these are a winner….will probably be making them at least once a month. So good!!
Lauren
So glad you loved them!
Garrett Kuge
Hi. Can I substitute arrowroot starch for the tapioca starch?
Lauren
Totally! 🙂
Jessie
These were absolutely amazing! You nailed it!
Tasha
These look AMAZING!!!!!
Lauren
Thank you!
Heather
that sauce….i’m drooling over here and the sun isn’t even up yet
Michelle
I am loving this recipe!! Pinning…I definitely want to try these! They look AMAZING! We are so addicted to tacos here!
Debi
Haven’t made yet. I’m a little confused… I purchased the tapioca flour which says it is also referred to as tapioca starch/ Red Mill. Are they the same?
Lauren
Hi Debi! Tapioca flour and starch is the same exact thing 🙂
Kim
Hi I am looking to make these tomorrow night – but I have sweet potato flour could I use that instead of the coconut flour? Thanks so much!!!
Lauren
Hi Kim! No, unfortunately you can’t. Coconut flour absorbs a lot more than potato flour and will produce a completely different product. You could make a different type of tortilla though. If you have green plantains on hand simply cut into 2 inch pieces, boil until tender, blend into a dough, form 4 balls per plantain, and press between 2 pieces of plastic (like a cut ziploc bag), and then heat in a dry cast-iron skillet until golden and crisp. I’ve also seen some cauliflower and zucchini tortillas on Pinterest before too!
Bailey
We really liked the dish, but I will make a change next time that’s a personal preference. I cook a lot with Tapioca, but it took a long time for it to get crispy and the shrimp ended up sticking together because it got gummy while cooking. I think next time I will cook them like I do my fried chicken with almond flour and tapioca mixture. The sauce and cabbage were SO good on it! This will definitely stay on our recipe rotation. Thanks!!
Cari
These are now a permanent “go to” recipe! They are the best tasting tacos ever! I’ve never been to the restaurant where these are popular, but I imagine it wouldn’t compare to these. The flavors are outstanding and the tortillas are perfect…not super mushy like a lot of tapioca tortillas. So happy I found your site because you have my palate!
Lauren
Hi Cari! I’m SO glad to hear that! Thanks so much for your sweet comment! 🙂
Rebecca cazares
Just made these wraps and they are pretty good just kind of rubbery did I do something wrong? They aren’t bad rubbery just wondering if maybe I cooked them too long and if the egg made them rubbery otherwise really good I made fish tacos out of them
Lauren
Hey Rebecca! Tapioca can be inherently rubbery but if you cook them just right they should be soft and pillowy. I would actually think that they were undercooked if they turned out rubbery as the middle didn’t have long enough to cook through.
Mary (The Godmother @ Goodie Godmother)
These sound AMAZING! Especially since I’m craving tacos in December. Yum! Pinning so I will hopefully remember to make later.
p.s. – My husband and I totally share the odd numbered taco too. 😉
Lily
Holy shiitake mushrooms these were to die for. So happy I made them! I skipped the tortilla and went with store bought for time, but I’ll have to try them laters. Thank you!
Sharon
These are fantastic! They rival my favorite restaurant shrimp tacos. Thanks
Lauren
Thank you so much Sharon! I’m so happy you like them!
Kathy
Delicious! And I’m not a huge shrimp fan. I ate these for 3 days straight and wanted more. Thank you!!
Deanna Cleman
Hi, I love quick healthy foods but also like to know the calorie count plus carb count if you know it. Thank you and going to try it.
Lauren
Hi Deanna, I don’t provide nutritional information as everyones products are different. You can plug your ingredients into an online calculator like this one and it should do the trick.
Monica
I LOVE these tacos! The tortillas are the best I’ve tasted. Can I make the tortillas ahead? Do they freeze well?
Lauren
Hi Monica! I’m SO glad you love them!! I haven’t tried freezing the tortillas but I would assume that if you freeze them and then reheat in a dry hot skillet they would be fine. They texture would be the only thing I’d be concerned about. Let me know if you try it!
Monica
I haven’t frozen any yet. But, I did refrigerate some. I microwaved them. The first one was fine, as they cooled, they cracked.
Yesterday I made a batch of batter to make “tortilla straws.” I only made one tortilla and refrigerated the batter. This evening, I made a second tortilla and it is still great!
Lauren
Hi Monica! If you decide to freeze more try reheating them in a dry but well seasoned cast iron skillet or a ceramic nonstick skillet. That should prevent them from cracking. I’m glad to know the batter held up in the fridge! That’s perfect if you only need one or two at a time.
Lisa Mitchell
How long can you refrigerate
the batter for? Would it hold for a couple of days or am I just better off cooking them and sticking them in the fridge?
Lauren
I wouldn’t refrigerate it longer than 1-2 days.
Adrian
Made these for dinner tonight and just finished! Loved the shrimp so much and I love the texture of the tortillas, I’ll be using those for a lot of things. I think it might be my favorite paleo meal. OH we did add some local island avocados. YUM.
Megan
This is the best meal I have had, paleo or otherwise, in as long as I can remember. It is incredibly good. I wouldn’t change a thing. Will definitely make again and be using tortillas in a whole new world of recipes. Thank you so much!
Lauren
Megan, thank you so much for your sweet comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Trish
Just made these tonight. Omg yum! My husband isn’t a fan of shrimp so i used tilapia but cooked it exactly the same way. Huge hit! The slaw will be a go to on its own when we want a slaw without mayo. And the tortillas? Seriously? Amazing! We are a month into paleo and it’s recipes like these that have kept us going! For anyone who has had issues dredging their shrimp, make sure it’s really dry. Any moisture will affect the tapioca flour. Thank you for this. I’m a big fan!
Lauren
Hi Trish! I’m so glad you loved them, they’re definitely one of my favorites!
Sandi Bland
Made these for dinner tonight. I managed to get 8 tortillas out of the recipe instead of 5. They were a hit! Finally after making so many recipes this is a keeper. Thank You
Melanie
Tried this recipe tonight and it was very good! Next time I make this I will make a couple of alternations. First, I did not care for the texture of the tapioca starch in the shrimp/sauce mixture. It was too.. stringy… for me. I ended up rinsing off the shrimp after adding the tapioca starch. I put them back in the sauté pan to warm again and crisp up a little, then mixed with the bang bang sauce. It was great without the tapioca starch! 😀 Also, I love spicy food, so i think next time I will marinade the shrimp in a garlic, lime, and siracha before cooking it. Overall it is a great recipe and I enjoyed it! Lastly, those tortillas are A-W-E-S-O-M-E! I was blown away with how delicious they were (with just the slightest hint of coconut flavor). I will definitely be using that recipe for all of my mexican recipes (enchiladas, carnitas, etc.). Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Alma
hi!
This was amazing. Tortilla is the way I remember it prior to my grain free life.
Thanks so much for sharing your creations with people who don’t invent stuff but use other creative bloggers’ creations 😉
Greetings from Vienna, Austria
Jill
Probably a silly question, but why do you provide us with a Taco & Tortilla ingredients? I’d only be interested in the soft Tortillas, but we don’t use both, do we?
Lauren
Hi Jill! The “Taco” ingredients are for the filling and the “Tortilla” ingredients are for the tortillas. I hope that makes sense 🙂
wildchildt
Made these tonight and they turned out fabulous. I did not have time to make the tortillas so I used store bought:( Will give your tortillas a go later. My husband doesn’t do very spicy and I have a toddler, so I omitted the cayenne and only used about 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper in the chile sauce. I also used regular cabbage (that’s what I had on hand) and a little less cilantro. Overall they were a total hit at our house. Next time I think I will season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and a touch of garlic powder before tossing in tapioca starch. Thanks for the recipe.
Lauren
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Lorena
Pinned!! Absolutely love the tortilla recipe! Looks like the ingredients are the absolute perfect combo to be able to bend them without breaking. Awesome!
Jackie
My husband is going to love these!
KT
These look de-lish! Can’t wait to give ’em a try…
Gwen
I could eat these every single day for the rest of my life and be a happy girl! How have I not been to your blog before?? Love your recipes.
Julia
These are my kind of tacos!!
Heather
PINNING! and making this weekend – they look amazing
Monique
LOVE these and the fact that you made your own tortillas with coconut flour! I might have to give that a go.
Alisa Fleming
These are the most enticing tacos I’ve ever seen Lauren – gorgeous! Love the flavor combo, as usual 🙂 Pinned!
Erica
Love love love that you made the tortillas – beautiful! Shrimp Tacos are one of my favorite things to eat. I LOVE you spin on them. Pinning to save!
Pam
Pinned!! I will definitely be making these!