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These Grilled Cumin Shrimp Tacos are what you need to make for dinner tonight. They’re rich with cumin, ginger, and garlicky flavor that’s bound to have you drooling! With a little lime juice and fresh cilantro on top, there’s no way you’ll be able to resist a second (or third) shrimp taco.
Summer means a lot of things, but to me, it means something very important – seafood and grilling, baby!
We’re half way through July already (crazy, right?!) so that means it’s time to fire up the grill if you haven’t already. Besides the typical ribs and burgers, there are plenty of other grilled recipes that are easy enough to master, like these grilled cumin lime shrimp tacos.
The blend of flavors in these tacos is the definition of mouthwatering.
Cumin has a distinctive warm, earthy flavor that balances wonderfully with the zesty, bright lime juice. The flavor combination of warm and bright pairs perfectly together, especially on these grilled shrimp! Also, be sure to follow my grilling instructions to have the perfect shrimp every time. No one likes a rubbery, over cooked shrimp!
Honestly, you could eat these shrimp all on their own and they’d be delicious.
However, they really shine when they’re placed in tortillas with ingredients like chopped red onion, more cilantro and an extra squeeze of lime juice!
It’s a summertime meal that I’ve been making on at least a bi-weekly basis recently, both because of how zesty and summery it tastes, and because of how easy it is to make.
Ingredients for grilled cumin lime shrimp tacos
- Shrimp – Use fresh, not frozen shrimp! If you do need to use frozen shrimp, make sure they’re completely thawed prior to grilling.
- Cumin – You can use a little extra cumin if you really want the flavor to stand out.
- Salt – Be conservative with the salt! There are plenty of ingredients here that you don’t want to overpower.
- Olive oil – Avocado oil can also be used.
- Ginger – Ground ginger is all you need, not fresh or dried. However, a sprinkle of dried ginger can be added if you really love it!
- Garlic – Pre-minced garlic is delicious in this and can be used to save time.
- Red pepper flakes – Extra red pepper can be added if you want these tacos to be spicy.
- Lime – You need the juice from 1 fresh lime. Don’t use the bottled stuff!
- Cilantro – This can be omitted if you’re one of those people who thinks cilantro taste like soap. However, if you love it like I do, it’s SO good in these tacos!
Can I use my stovetop instead of a grill?
For all my grill-less dwellers out there, fear not. You can make these shrimp on your stovetop, too!
Just heat some oil in a large skillet and cook the shrimp for about 3-4 minutes on each side until they’re cooked through.
What should I serve with grilled cumin lime shrimp tacos?
Pick a summery side dish to go with these shrimp tacos!
Some of my favorites include Pineapple Fried Rice, Mango Relish, and Grilled Cabbage with Tahini-Soy Drizzle.
Have any leftover tortillas?
Grilled Cumin Lime Shrimp Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pound (567 g) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 lime, juiced
- 3 tablespoons (1 g) chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Thaw, peel and devein shrimp and place in a medium bowl.
- Add the cumin, salt, olive oil, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Toss to evenly coat the shrimp. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the marinated shrimp from the fridge and uncover. Squeeze ½ the lime juice over the shrimp and toss to coat.
- Preheat the grill on high. Place the shrimp in a grill basket (or alternatively you can skewer them) in a single layer, being sure not to crowd. Grill for 5-8 minutes, until cooked through.
- Remove shrimp and drizzle with remaining lime juice and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
