Try these easy Shrimp and Corn Tacos with for a quick summer meal that shines a spotlight on sweet summer corn. The filling, inspired by Mexican street corn, is the perfect complement to sauteed shrimp. One bite and you’ll be hooked!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
- Fresh Summer Flavor. Summer corn brings a bright, sweet crunch that’s truly irresistable.
- Quick and Easy. Using precooked shrimp means these tacos come together in a flash.
- A cheesy surprise. Melty Monterrey Jack cheese adds an extra layer of unexpected flavor and texture.
Savor the Season: Shrimp Tacos with Fresh Corn Salsa
These street corn tacos might be one of the best things I ate all summer.
There’s nothing quite like corn at the end of summer when it’s at it’s peak sweetness. When I saw that our local farmstand was selling them for under a quarter a piece, I couldn’t resist loading up my bag.
I must have had tacos on my mind after drooling over this instagram reel a few days prior, because it didn’t take me long at all to decide what I wanted to make first: bright and flavorful shrimp tacos loaded with the flavors of street corn and gooey, melty cheese.
I don’t usually buy precooked shrimp, but I happened to have a bag of them in the freezer from in Instacart mixup, and I knew they’d be perfect for this recipe. After a quick defrost, I popped the tails off and gently warmed them in the pan I had used to cook the other ingredients. They only needed a minute or two. It was so easy, and I loved not having to worry about them overcooking.
I’m looking forward to making them again and again, and I know you’ll love them as much as I do!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Note this is not the full ingredient list (scroll to the full recipe at the bottom of the post for that) but an overview that’s meant to give useful tips and substitution options.
Shrimp. For tacos, I like to use large shrimp (26-40 per pound) since they’re big enough to feel substantial but small enough to enjoy in one bite. I used precooked shrimp in this recipe, which was great because I really didn’t have to worry about over or under cooking them. Just make sure to remove the tails before gently heating the, – no one wants to find a shrimp tail in their taco!
Corn. Yes, cutting corn off the cob is annoying. Yes, it’s also worth it. Nothing compares the the sweetness and crunch of fresh off the cob corn. You can buy fresh corn kernels if you must, but please don’t use frozen or canned corn for this recipe or you’ll lose the flavor and texture that makes them so special.
Scallions/Green Onions. I love the delicate flavor that these give the salsa-like corn topping. They aren’t as sharp as regular onion, and they cook up fast which helps keep this recipe speedy.
Jalapeno. Remove and discard the seeds for less spice; keep them in for a hotter taco.
Tortillas. I’m usually a corn tortilla girlie, but this shrimp tacos recipe really calls for flour. The softer texture and milder flavor of flour tortillas really lets the other ingredients shine!
“Everything But The Elote” seasoning. This isn’t absolutely necessary so you can leave it out if you don’t have any (you can also make your own!), but it adds another great layer of flavor and introduces a subtle smoky flavor to the taco filling.
Pro Tips
- Shred Your Own Cheese. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: freshly shredded cheese is so much meltier and gooier than the stuff that comes in a bag.A food processor will take care of a big block of cheese in seconds, but a good microplane grater will also make quick work of it.
- Warm Your Tortillas. A warm tortilla is the foundation of a great taco. I took these to the next level by making them into quesadillas for extra cheesy goodness. But even if you choose to skip the cheese, warming the tortilla in a dry pan will make it softer and more flavorful.
- Bonus: Char Your Corn. If you have extra time, fire up the grill to char your corn—it adds an incredible smoky depth.
Commonly asked questions
Is it okay to use frozen corn?
Please don’t. It’s nothing against frozen corn — I always have a bag or two — but the texture and sweetness just isn’t the same. Fresh corn is the highlight of these tacos.
Can I make this for a large group?
Yes, this recipe can easily be scaled up. Make more than you think you’ll need because they’ll get gobbled up quickly!
Are they spicy?
Fresh jalapeno gives these shrimp a little bit of a kick, but I wouldn’t say they’re spicy. f you’re very sensitive to heat, you can leave them out. If you want them spicier try using a serrano pepper or serve the tacos with your favorite hot sauce (I LOVE them with Zab’s St. Augustine style hot sauce)
I can’t find Cotija cheese. What else can i Use?
Feta makes a pretty decent substitute and is easy to find.
Shrimp + Street Corn Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers minced
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels from about 3 ears
- 4 scallions green and white parts chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon Everything But the Elote seasoning
- 1 pound large cooked shrimp thawed if frozen, tails removed
- 12 flour tortillas
- 12 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese shredded
- ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
- Set a large skillet over high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil.
- Add the diced bell pepper and jalapeno. Cook 3-4 minutes, until beginning to soften.
- Add the corn kernels, scallion, and seasoning. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until warmed through. Stir in the cilantro and set aside.
- Heat a second pan over medium-high heat. Add as many tortillas as will fit in one layer. Sprinkle the tortillas with shredded cheese, if using, and fold them in half like a quesadilla. Cook 1-2 minutes per side, until the tortilla is warmed through and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Keep warm.
- In the same pan you used for the tortillas, heat the shrimp, covered, until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Stir the shrimp into the corn mixture.
- To serve, open each tortilla. Spoon the shrimp and corn filling over the melted cheese. Top with cotija cheese.
This is a fabulous recipe – This will be a great addition to our recipes adding fresh sliced leeks and tomatoes as well- Thank you!