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Garlic Butter Shrimp Tacos

Garlic butter shrimp tacos with glossy, pan-simmered white wine sauce and herb flecks—ready fast for weeknights. Juicy shrimp are sautéed until pink, then finished with lemon juice and chopped parsley for bright flavor in warm corn tortillas.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Garlic-butter shrimp
  • 1.5 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 5 tbsp butter
  • 6 garlic minced (about 6 cloves)
  • 0.5 cup white wine
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 0.5 lemon juiced (about 1/2 lemon)
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes to taste
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper to taste
Tacos
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 1 lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the garlic-butter shrimp
  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant with visible bubbling at the edges.
  2. Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 1 minute. You should see the liquid reduce slightly and become glossy.
  3. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Turn only once so the shrimp stay tender and lightly browned at the edges.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and chopped parsley. The sauce should look shiny and lightly speckled with herb flecks.
  5. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Taste the pan sauce and adjust until balanced and bright.
Assemble the tacos
  1. Warm the corn tortillas on the stovetop. Heat just until flexible and lightly toasted, with small steam bubbles.
  2. Fill each tortilla with garlic butter shrimp and a spoonful of the pan sauce. Serve immediately with lime wedges so the sauce stays glossy.

Notes

For the juiciest shrimp, avoid overcooking—pull them the moment they turn fully pink. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water or wine (freezing not recommended for best texture). For a dairy-light option, use olive oil instead of butter (the sauce will be less rich but still flavorful with garlic and white wine).