Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Queso Fresco come together fast, are really easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes.
The Emerald City’s fantastic weather is making it nearly impossible for me to stay indoors and focus on cooking.
Proof in point is staycation brain where I forgot virtually everything about the brownie recipe I’d made. As a food blogger, you can’t share recipes by forgetting ingredients!
Yet, instead of behaving myself by picking up a recipe, grabbing my grill pan and preheating the stove to high heat, I keep finding myself grabbing the camera, heading out the door and landing myself a prime spot on the rail at Emerald Downs capturing the ponies as they stretch across the finish line.
The first time I tried it – what a trip that was! Let me tell you, those ponies are fast!
Even with a death grip on the shutter button to freeze the action, I still had a {few} blank photos.
If you’re a food blogger and have never tried sports photography, I highly recommend it because you’ll surely learn something. Food just doesn’t move that fast!
Anyway, let’s get on to the recipe, shall we?
You will love putting these tacos together. They come together fast, are really easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes.
On the stove, then in your tummy, then out the door to the racetrack!
It’s not only fast and convenient to make them, but it’s incredibly FUN to put the tortillas directly on the gas burner and watch the flames lick each side until you get the perfect crisp and char on the edges!
Perfect for a weeknight or busy weekend meal.
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Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Queso Fresco
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1 pound medium shrimp peeled, deveined and tails off
- Cooking spray
- 8 6-inch corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup diced plum tomato
- 1 ripe avocado peeled and roughly mashed
Instructions
- Combine buttermilk, mayonnaise, minced garlic, vinegar and queso fresco in a small bowl and set aside.
- Combine paprika, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt, thyme and ground red pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Shake well to mix, then add the shrimp to bag. Seal well and shake again to coat. Remove shrimp.
- Heat a grill pan over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add the shrimp and cook 2-5 minutes per side or until done.
- Working with 1 tortilla at a time, heat tortillas over medium-high heat directly on the eye of a burner for about 15 seconds on each side or until lightly charred. Divide shrimp evenly among tortillas; add tomato, avocado, and sauce evenly among tacos.
Recipe from Cooking Light magazine @ Blackened Shrimp Tacos.
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
Shrimp tacos are a favorite of mine. And with queso fresco? Double Yum!
Really impressed with your picture of the race horse. You are right, action photography is a whole different ball game than food photography. When I take pictures of my son playing tennis I have to take dozens and dozens of shots to get a few decent, in focus ones.
Kristi says
Thanks! The action photography is totally addicting. Once you get a few good shots, you keep trying again to get that perfect one!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks says
Kristi,
These look amazing! Wow, those shells, the filling. It’s making me hungry! Pinned!
Kristi says
Thanks Julie! So appreciate the comment ~ it’s one of our favorites.
Alice // Hip Foodie Mom says
I’ve never been to Emerald Downs but we will have to check it out! 🙂 Love these Blackened Shrimp Tacos!!! yum!
Kristi says
Emerald Downs is beautiful and lots of fun! You should definitely go. Next time i visit, we will eat there too. 🙂
Yvonne @ bitterbaker says
What an awesome shot you got of that race horse! Makes me jealous, I wanna go galloping as well! After I have these tacos, that is. They look soo delicious!!
Kristi says
Thanks! Me too – I think we might need tacos after galloping…those horses look like a handful! LOL But, they are so beautiful and confident looking!
Joe says
Do you have to wrap the tacos up in string? I’m out of kitchen twine =/
Kristi says
No, you don’t – I did it to keep them together for the photo!
Cookin Canuck says
Sports photography (or even taking photos of little kids!) is definitely a different beast than food photography! That photo of the race horse is wonderful! And these tacos…I could happily eat these at least once a week.
Kristi says
Thanks Dara! The 1st time I went to the track to photograph, it was pathetic! Every photo was horribly blurry and awful. I went home and studied that night on how to do it, and went back the next day! Thanks for the photo love! The 2nd day turned out much better!
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
I am totally making these soon! My family loved shrimp tacos!
Kristi says
Me too Lauren! So easy to make and tasty too!
Toni | BoulderLocavore says
These look so delicious especially with all the cold weather lately. I can’t believe your shot of the horse! Amazing you could get it so clearly. Seems like a fun day!
Kristi says
Thank you Toni! That day was amazing at the track, so I really appreciate the compliment! I’m glad you like the tacos! I hope they keep you warm! We have incredibly warm weather here (which is rare this time of year!), so it’s so hard for us to imagine the cold right now! Sending warm weather wishes your way.
Jon says
This is a really nice recipe. But also try Blackened Shrimp Tacos So delicious! You need to try this recipe!
Kristi says
Thanks Jon. I love shrimp recipes. I’ll take a look.
Nicole says
Can you provide the nutritional information for this recipe?
Kristi says
Hi Nicole! At the moment, I don’t have nutritional info, but the next time I make them, I’ll make a note and repost!