Quick and Crunchy Shrimp Tacos

A scrumptious, crowd pleasing canapé perfect for entertaining on the spur of the moment. Made with wonton wrappers and baked until golden, each bite has a very satisfying, signature crunch followed by an explosion of creamy avocado, sweet grape tomato, spicy shrimp and crunchy wonton.

Quick ‘n Crunchy Mini Shrimp Tacos

Mini Shrimp Tacos are the perfect finger food because they taste even better than they look. The recipe is extremely customizable so you can effortlessly change it based on your guest’s needs. For example, for a low carb option, substitute the wonton with butter lettuce or endive. Instead of topping with shrimp, you could top with diced fresh mango. Crumbles of goat cheese, slices of Medium Rare Ribeye Steak or chunks of Moroccan Lamb are examples of other delicious topping options!

So what’s the secret to that crunch?

Similar to tortilla chips, the paper thin wonton wrappers bake into a super crunchy chip. Pressing it into the muffin pan creates a little ‘bowl” that you can then fill up with your choice of delicious fillings. Because the wrappers are so feathery light and pliable, there is no limit to the amount of shapes that you can make. You can leave them as squares, cut them into your own shape with a sharp knife or even better yet make delightful shapes by pressing down with a cookie cutter.

Ingredients in Quick ‘n Crunchy Mini Shrimp Tacos

Here’s what you need:

• Wonton wrappers are available at most grocery stores and can also be purchased online. A low carb substitute would be to use lettuce leaves like endive or butter lettuce.
• The avocado, tomatoes and onions need to be cut in about the same size so that the final salad distributes evenly when dropped into the cups. To be honest, any type of chopped salad can be used as long as its not too watery – this avocado-tomato version is my favorite. In its simplest form, you could use a few leaves of feathery baby spring greens or arugula.
• I like using a medium to large shrimp because it really elevates the look of the dish. I buy my shrimp frozen at my local grocery store where they sell shrimp by the bag. I just thaw it out in some warm water before cooking. Raw, fresh shrimp is of course always preferable if you easy access to it.

How to make Quick ‘n Crunchy Mini Shrimp Tacos

Its really easy – think about it in four simple steps (1) bake the wontons, (2) sear the shrimp, (3) throw the salad together and (4) assemble! It couldn’t be easier!

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Brush a 12 cup muffin pan with the olive oil.
3. Press down the wonton wrappers into the cups, folding the corners against the side and pressing down the bottom to form a small bowl. Sometimes its tricky to get some of the wrappers stay in place and form a cup. To get around this I use the bottom of my salt shaker to press in the wonton wraps. Inevitably, during the cooking process a few of the cups may collapse inward. While the salt shaker method really helps, I always make a few extra cups to make sure. Brushing the wonton ‘cups’ lightly with the remaining olive oil is optional – I like to do it as it gives a nice finish – I once used the tiniest bit of butter cooking spray and the wrappers smelled divine! Be careful of using too much oil as it will make the cup heavier.
4. Bake until lightly brown – about 8-10 minutes. Its important to check after 8 minutes because timing for perfect browning is a matter of minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
5. Mix shrimp, olive oil, cumin, chili and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
6. Heat a skillet on medium high heat. Add vegetable oil to the skillet.
7. When the oil is smoking, add the shrimp in one flat layer.
8. Cook each side turning only when the side facing the pan has a “grilled” seared look – about 1-2 minutes each. Ideally, you want to turn the shrimp just once in order to avoid overcooking. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and drizzle with lemon juice if desired.
9. Prepare the tomato – avocado salad dressing by adding the olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, green chili (optional) and sugar. Mix well.
10. Add the tomato, avocado, cilantro and red onion. Mix.
11. Fill each wonton cup with the Tomato Avocado Salad then top each cup with a Pan Seared Shrimp. Serve immediately.

Awesome make-ahead party food

For my last dinner party, I made the wonton cups and seared the shrimp the day before. On the morning of the party, I prepped the salad but did not toss. To ensure that the avocados did not turn brown, I mixed with lemon and stored in an airtight container. Right before serving, I tossed the salad and assembled the cups.

Whether you are just getting ready to binge watch your favorite show, have friends come over at the last minute or are planning a dinner party these mini shrimp tacos come through every single time. The whole baking, searing, tossing and assembly process only takes about 20-25 minutes.

Extra wonton wrappers can be cut into diagonals and baked into tortilla chips. I always make some because they are so delicious!

Watch how to make Quick ‘n Crunchy Mini Shrimp Tacos