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Nashville Hot Shrimp Tacos

Nashville hot shrimp tacos with crispy fried shrimp coated in fiery red seasoning, then tucked into warm corn tortillas. Finish with cool pickles and coleslaw plus a spicy mayo drizzle for a Southern-Mexican fusion bite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Southern-Mexican Fusion
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shrimp
  • 1.5 lb large shrimp, peeled
Breading
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten
Frying and tortillas
  • 1 Vegetable oil for frying
  • 10 corn tortillas Use 8-10 depending on how full you like them.
Toppings
  • 1 dill pickle slices
  • 1 coleslaw
  • 1 Nashville hot sauce mixed with mayo for drizzling
  • 1 cilantro

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season the shrimp
  1. Mix all-purpose flour, cornstarch, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper in a shallow bowl until evenly combined.
  2. Dip the beaten egg-coated shrimp into the seasoned flour mixture and coat thoroughly so the crust sticks all over.
Fry until crispy
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet to 350°F.
  2. Fry shrimp in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy, then transfer to paper towels to drain.
Assemble the tacos
  1. Warm corn tortillas, then fill each with the crispy shrimp.
  2. Top with dill pickle slices and coleslaw, then drizzle with Nashville hot sauce mixed with mayo.
  3. Finish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the oil near 350°F so the coating crisps instead of absorbing oil—fry in small batches to avoid temperature drops. Store leftover shrimp covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days; re-crisp in a hot oven or skillet before assembling. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a dairy-light swap, use light mayo (or Greek-yogurt mayo) in the Nashville hot sauce drizzle.