Crispy corn tortillas filled with buttery shrimp, sautéed mushrooms, melted Monterey Jack cheese, and a bright homemade jalapeño pesto. The pesto brings fresh jalapeño heat, garlic, green onion, and tangy red wine vinegar to every bite.

Featured Standouts

Shrimp

Tender shrimp bring a naturally sweet, savory flavor and cook quickly in the pan. Tossing them with the jalapeño pesto before cooking helps coat them with flavor from the inside out.

Jalapeños

Fresh jalapeños give the pesto its signature heat while adding a bright, fresh pepper flavor. Keeping the seeds and membranes will increase the heat, while removing some will create a milder pesto.

Green Onions

Green onions add a fresh, lightly sweet onion flavor that balances the heat of the jalapeños without overpowering the shrimp.

Monterey Jack Cheese

Monterey Jack melts smoothly throughout the tacos, adding creamy richness and helping bind the shrimp and mushrooms together once the tacos are crisped. If Monterey jack cheese isn’t available any white soft cheese will do.

Corn Tortillas

Corn tortillas provide the sturdy base for these tacos and become golden and crisp when fried in butter. Their toasted corn flavor pairs especially well with the spicy, fresh pesto.

TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST CRISPY SHRIMP TACOS WITH JALAPEÑO PESTO

Don’t Overcook the Shrimp

Shrimp cook quickly, so keep an eye on them while sautéing. Remove them from the pan as soon as they are cooked through to keep them tender instead of rubbery.

Let the Pesto Marinate the Shrimp

Give the pesto-coated shrimp about 10 minutes to rest before cooking. This gives the jalapeño, garlic, and vinegar time to flavor the shrimp.

Control the Pesto Texture

Pulse the pesto until it reaches the texture you prefer. A slightly coarse pesto gives the tacos more texture, while a smoother pesto spreads more easily across the tortillas. Spread the pesto across the tortilla instead of leaving it in one concentrated spot. This distributes the jalapeño, garlic, and green onion flavor throughout every bite.

Keep the Heat at Medium

Cook the assembled tacos over medium heat so the tortillas have enough time to become golden and crisp while the cheese melts without burning the outside.

Don’t Skip the Butter

Butter helps the corn tortillas develop a deeply golden, crisp exterior while adding richness that complements the shrimp and Monterey Jack.

Inclusive adaptions

Heat Sensitivity

Remove the jalapeño seeds and membranes before making the pesto, and use less pesto on the shrimp and tacos. The green onions and garlic will still provide plenty of flavor.

Gluten Sensitivity

Use gluten-free bread or gluten-free breadcrumbs in the pesto, and verify that the tortillas, cheese, and other packaged ingredients are labeled gluten-free if cross-contact is a concern.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Food processor

Knife

Cutting board

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Sauté pan

Spatula

Mixing bowl

SIMILAR INGREDIENTS TO

Shrimp Boil Stuffed Russets

Cajun Barbecue Crab Legs

Grilled Shrimp w/ Cajun Butter

ENJOY THIS RECIPE WITH

Southwestern Shrimp Salad

Chopped Cherry & Spinach Salad

Lemon Sunflower Dressing

Recipe

Marissa Bolden

Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Jalapeño Pesto

Crispy corn tortillas are filled with buttery shrimp, sautéed mushrooms, melted Monterey Jack cheese, and a bright homemade jalapeño pesto. The pesto brings fresh jalapeño heat, garlic, green onion, and tangy red wine vinegar to every bite, while pan-frying the assembled tacos creates a golden, crunchy finish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 10

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

• 4 tablespoons butter for frying
• 10 corn tortillas
• 1/2 pound shrimp peeled and deveined, or approximately 3 shrimp per taco
• 3 button mushrooms thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
• Jalapeño Pesto
• 2 jalapeños
• 2 green onion stems
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup bread torn into pieces
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Equipment

• od processor
• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• sauté pan
• Spatula
• Mixing bowl

Method

 

1. Make the Jalapeño Pesto
2. Add the jalapeños, green onions, garlic, torn bread, red wine vinegar, salt, and olive oil to a food processor.
3. Pulse until the ingredients are combined and the pesto reaches your desired texture.
4. Marinate the Shrimp
5. Place the shrimp in a bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the jalapeño pesto.
6. Let the shrimp rest for 10 minutes.
7. Cook the Shrimp
8. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat.
9. Add butter and allow it to melt.
10. Add the pesto-coated shrimp and cook for approximately 3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp are cooked through.
11. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
12. Cook the Mushrooms
13. Add the sliced mushrooms to the same pan.
14. Cook for approximately 1 minute, stirring as needed, until slightly softened.
15. Remove from the pan and set aside.
16. Assemble the Tacos
17. Lay the corn tortillas flat.
18. Spoon pesto onto each tortilla and spread it evenly from edge to edge.
19. Divide the shredded Monterey Jack cheese among the tortillas.
20. Add the sautéed mushrooms.
21. Place approximately 3 cooked shrimp onto each tortilla.
22. Fold each tortilla in half to form the taco.
23. Crisp the Tacos
24. Wipe the pan clean.
25. Return the pan to medium heat and add butter.
26. Place the folded tacos into the pan.
27. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy and the cheese is melted.
28. Flip the tacos and repeat on the other side.
29. Continue cooking the remaining tacos, adding more butter to the pan as needed.
30. Serve immediately while the tortillas are crisp and the cheese is melted.

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