Cheese Shell Keto Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce
When I make tacos to fulfill all my most taco-ish cravings, these keto shrimp tacos are the ones I make! You’ll dream about the crunchy homemade cheese hardshells and cilantro lime sauce until you make them again. Seriously to-die-for.
How to Make Cheese Keto Taco Shells
When I first started trimming down my carb intake, I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to use protein-rich alternatives. These keto taco shells are a perfect example of how you can switch up your ingredients to make the recipe low-carb and not miss out on anything. Here’s how I did it:
- Prep your baking sheet. To make the perfect crisp taco shells, you’ll need to line your baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Portion the cheese. Place ⅓ cup portions of cheese on the baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turns golden brown.
- Cool. After taking out the baking sheet, let the cheese cool for 2-3 minutes before lifting it up.
How to Bake Shrimp for Keto Shrimp Tacos
What I love about these taco shells is you can pair it with any protein you want, but my personal favorite for this is shrimp.
- Prepare the shrimp. Make sure to pat dry with paper towels.
- Season. Season the shrimp with chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, olive oil and salt and black pepper and toss.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. The shrimp should be opaque once it’s done.
(Learn more: Is Shrimp Really Keto-friendly?)
How to Make Cilantro Lime Sauce
Complete your keto tacos with this creamy and punchy cilantro lime sauce that’s absolutely to die for. I like how this sauce elevates the dish and gives it a level of freshness that goes so well with the shrimp.
- Combine the ingredients. Make sure you have all the herbs chopped well and simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Season. Season with salt to taste.
Cheddar Keto Taco Shell Alternatives
Feel free to try these other alternatives for the taco shell. I have a fabulous low-carb tortilla recipe that would be great with this as well:
- Low Carb, Chewy Keto Tortillas
- Parmesan
- Asiago
- Gouda
- Gruyere
- Manchego
- Colby-Jack
Keto Shrimp Taco Topping Alternatives
Are Shrimp Keto-friendly?
Yes! In fact, shrimp is packed with protein and contains no carbs. Aside from being a light and fresh option, shrimp is rich in selenium and iodine, and it’s a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. (1)
3 Best Keto-friendly Store-Bought Sauces for Tacos
You can transform this dish just by changing up the sauce you top it with. Personally, when I’m not using the cilantro lime sauce with it, these are some of my go-to options as well:
- Trader Joe’s Organic Spicy Taco Sauce
- Frank’s Redhot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
- Kevin’s Natural Foods Classic Taco Sauce
More Good Keto Shrimp Recipes
Cheese Shell Keto Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- salt, black pepper to taste
For the cilantro lime sauce:
- ¼ cup oil
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic
- juice of 2 limes
- ½ cup sour cream
- salt to taste
For serving (optional):
- sliced jalapeno
Instructions
- To make the taco shells, preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Place 1/3 cup piles of cheese 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts and turns lightly brown.
- Let the cheese cool for 2-3 minutes then using the spatula lift it up and place it over the handle of a tong or other utensils that is balanced on two cups.
- To make the sauce, add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Refrigerate unit ready to use.
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Add the shrimp, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, olive oil and salt and black pepper to taste and toss to combine.
- Transfer the shrimp to a large baking pan, and arrange in an even layer.
- Bake in preheated oven at 400°F for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven.
- Toss some of the sauce (not all) with the cabbage.
- Fill the taco shells with the cabbage and shrimps.
- Drizzle with sauce, top with sliced jalapeno (if using) and serve.
I saw this just this morning, and I went to the store immediately! It was DELICIOUS!!! It’s a lot of food, and is so filling, and I will definitely be making this again❤❤❤❤❤
★★★★★