Gochujang Shrimp Tacos

Gochujang Shrimp Tacos with dairy-free creamy lime sauce are a kicked-up and easy meal for taco Tuesday. With a Korean-style sauce made with soy sauce, paprika and butter, you won't believe how flavor-packed these shrimp are!

How to Make Gochujang Shrimp Tacos

The three parts of these shrimp tacos are the roasted gochujang shrimp, the dairy-free lime dressing, and the toppings.

Start by making the flavorful shrimp sauce and cooking your shrimp. Then meanwhile, you can make the simple nut-free lime dressing. And finally, heat your tortillas and enjoy!

Gochujang Shrimp Ingredients

Here's what you need for Korean-style shrimp:

• Shrimp. I use jumbo, which are the biggest and sweetest.
• Smoked paprika for a hint of smokiness.
• Butter. I recommend unsalted.
• Rice vinegar. Apple cider vinegar also works.
• Brown sugar. I use organic. light brown. In a pinch, dark will also work.
• Soy sauce. I use low-sodium. For gluten-free, use tamari.
• Gochujang. You can find this at Asian markets and well-stocked grocery stores. It's Korean fermented chili paste.
• Stock. Use chicken or vegetable stock. If you're buying it, use low-sodium.

Vegan Creamy Lime Sauce

To top your tacos and tame the heat a bit, make a dairy-free lime dressing with:

• Garlic. I think fresh is best in this raw dressing.
• Vegan mayonnaise. Use any kind you like.
• Cilantro. If you're not a fan of cilantro, use basil.
• Lime juice. Freshly squeezed!

Toppings for Gochujang Shrimp Tacos

The fun part comes when you're digging in and piling your gochujang shrimp tacos high with your favorite toppings. I like to add:

• Pineapple chunks for a bit of brightness and sweetness.
• Jalapeno for extra heat
• Roasted herby tomatoes. Find my recipe here.
• More cilantro!

Are Shrimp Tacos Gluten-Free?

Yes! you can easily make these shrimp tacos gluten-free. Simply use tamari instead of soy sauce and use corn or grain-free tortillas instead of flour.

Meal Prepping Ideas

This is a great recipe for meal prep. Simply prepare the shrimp, dairy-free sauce and toppings ahead of time. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to four days. Then heat and assemble your tacos when you're ready to enjoy!

More Easy Taco Recipes

• Roasted Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos
• Spicy Sofritas Quinoa Tacos
• Roasted Chickpea Quinoa Sweet Potato Chipotle Ranch Tacos

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you make this Gochujang Shrimp Tacos, be sure to tag me on Instagram @orchidsandsweettea!

Spicy Gochujang Shrimp Tacos

5 from 1 vote

These spicy Korean shrimp tacos are an easy way (less than 30 minutes) to kick up weeknight dinner.

Author: Shanika

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

Serves: 6 servings

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Ingredients

GOCHUJANG SHRIMP:

• ▢ 1 lb. wild-caught jumbo shrimp, deveined
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 2 Tbsps unsalted butter + 1 Tbsp
• ▢ 2 Tbsps rice vinegar (You can use apple cider vinegar as a sub!)
• ▢ ½ cup organic brown sugar, lighly packed
• ▢ 2 Tbsps soy sauce, low-sodium
• ▢ 2 Tbsps Gochujang
• ▢ ¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock
• ▢ Pinch of red pepper flakes

DAIRY-FREE CILANTRO LIME SAUCE:

• ▢ 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 1 cup vegan mayonnaise
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ▢ 2 Tbsps freshly-squeezed lime juice
• ▢ Pinch of sea salt

TACOS + TOPPINGS:

• ▢ Corn Flour tortillas, charred
• ▢ Jalapenos pepper, chopped
• ▢ 2 cups Roasted herb tomatoes
• ▢ 2 cups pineapple chunks
• ▢ Fresh cilantro, for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

TO ROAST THE TOMATOES + PINEAPPLE CHUNKS:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the pineapple chunks unto the baking sheet (spread out evenly) and drizzle with a little olive oil and bake until charred, about 10-15 minutes. Be sure to turn them unto their opposite side half way through to char evenly on both sides.
• To make the Roasted herb tomatoes, see this recipe.

MAKE THE GOCHUJANG SHRIMP:

• In a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbsps of butter until melted. Add in the shrimp (seasoned w/ salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika) and cook on both sides (about 3-4 minutes), until pink and cook through. Once done, remove from skillet and set aside.
• In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Add the brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, Gochujang, chicken stock, and red pepper flakes, stirring everything together until combined and the sauce thickens. Add in the cooked shrimp and toss until fully coated. Remove from heat.

CHAR OR WARM TORTILLAS:

• To lightly toast taco tortillas, preheat oven on 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place tortillas directly on rack. Turn off oven once heated and let tortillas warm for 2 minutes. Remove from oven. For char on a stovetop, pop one of the tortillas unto a gas burner until you begin to see a little smoke. Remove tortilla to rotate it onto opposite side until it’s lightly charred. Repeat until all tortillas are charred.

TO MAKE DAIRY-FREE CILANTRO LIME SAUCE:

• In a bowl or measuring cup, mix together all sauce ingredients until creamy and smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

ASSEMBLE TACOS:

• To assemble tacos, add a few spoonfuls of Gochujang shrimp atop a charred tortilla followed by: roasted tomatoes, pineapple chunks, chopped jalapenos, and the DF cilantro lime sauce. Repeat until desired amount of tacos are made. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.
• Bon Appetit!

Tips & Tricks

STORAGE: Place any leftover ingredients in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

MAKE AHEAD: All ingredients can be made and individually stored as meal prep (excluding tortillas) and assembled when ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 1518mg | Potassium: 503mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 711IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg

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Gochujang Shrimp Tacos.

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