Description
Mediterranean Shrimp Tacos with Tzatziki Sauce is not your run of the mill shrimp tacos recipe. Parmesan roasted shrimp are piled into soft warm tortillas along with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and a cool and creamy cucumber yogurt tzatziki sauce. This is a quick recipe that does not skimp delicious flavor.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
for the shrimp tacos
- 1 pound extra large shrimp, (21 to 25 per pound) peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 8 soft tortillas, warmed in a skillet
- shredded lettuce
- chopped tomato
- lemon wedges
for the tzatziki sauce
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup shredded cucumber
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- For the shrimp. In a medium sized bowl, add the shrimp, extra virgin olive oil, dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, kosher salt and pepper. Toss to thoroughly coat the shrimp with all the ingredients.
- Place the shrimp in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked. They should be pick and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven.
- While the shrimp roast, prepare the tzatziki sauce. In a small bowl add the plain yogurt.
- Before adding the shredded cucumber, squeeze out as much of the water as you can. Add the cucumber to the bowl with the yogurt along with the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, dried dill, kosher salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Assemble the tacos. In each warm tortilla, add shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, about 3 shrimp, and some of the tzatziki sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Thaw shrimp in cold water ~ Unless you are lucky enough to live near an area that has fresh shrimp, the majority of shrimp is sold frozen. Thaw shrimp either overnight in the refrigerator or in a bowl of cold water. This second method only takes about 15 minutes!
- Size doesn't matter ~ I like hearty sized shrimp in my tacos. Extra large or 21 to 25 shrimp to a pound are my first choice for shrimp tacos. But feel free to use smaller ones if you would like. Smaller shrimp may take a little less time to roast. Keep an eye on them for the last minute or so in the oven.
- Squeeze the water out of the cucumber ~ Cucumbers can contain a lot of water. After shredding the cucumber, give it a good squeeze to get out as much water as possible.
- Flour or corn tortillas? ~ It's all up to you. Whatever your personal preference is for tortillas, use your favorite.
- Warm tortillas in a skillet ~ Warm tortillas for 15 to 20 seconds per side in a skillet over medium to medium high heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: entrée
- Method: bake in oven
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: for 1 taco
- Calories: 356
- Sugar: 2.9 g
- Sodium: 541 mg
- Fat: 9.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.3 g
- Fiber: 1.9 g
- Protein: 50.1 g
- Cholesterol: 343 mg