Scrumptious bite-size shrimp taco bites are made simply with Mexican seasonings, a crunchy shell, and a creamy lime drizzle. The best mini appetizers usually pack the biggest flavor punch!
You know what they say, sometimes the best things in life come in small packages like these Shrimp Cucumber Bites. They’re very similar to the shrimp tacos, but seasoned with old bay and served on a slice of cucumber. It’s a low-carb option to provide alongside all of your other delicious finger foods.
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Mexican Shrimp Bites
These shrimp taco bites are one of my favorite bite-size appetizers. They’re a fun little mini version of the real deal, but with just as much flavor packed into every bite. Sometimes when the mood strikes, I like to make an assortment of mini tacos for people to choose from. This recipe is simple and versatile enough to make shrimp just the beginning. The seasoning can work for chicken, beef, and pork as well!
Hand-held appetizers or game day snacks are a quick and easy way to feed a crowd, no matter what kind of party. Who doesn’t love mini food?! They’re an addicting pop-in-your-mouth snack that everyone will be raving about it.
Tasty taco shrimp bites are made with crispy baked wonton shells, which means you can make a lot at once. Each individual shell holds a plump juicy shrimp that has been seasoned with a smoky blend of spices and seared in a skillet then finished with a drizzle of creamy lime sauce. After that, you can add whatever garnishes are your favorite! Guacamole, shredded cheese, and lettuce are a few of mine.
Why this recipe works
- Quick and easy so you can make a lot with minimal time and effort.
- Always a hit at parties because there’s nothing better than having a sampling of a number of yummy items.
- Can make ahead of time and assemble just before serving.
- Customizable to whatever seasoning, garnishes, or protein you want to use.
- Adorable presentation because they are cute as a button!
- Pairs well with cocktails which is great when serving an adult crowd.
Ingredients/shopping list
- Wonton wrappers – Will be used to create the cup to hold the shrimp.
- Olive oil – Needed to brush both sides of the wonton wrapper before baking.
- Shrimp – Small or medium will both work. Depending on the size you may fit more than one per cup. Jumbo will just be too large.
- Seasoning – Chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and cumin.
- Sour cream – Used as the creamy base for the lime sauce.
- Milk – Thinning out the sour cream with milk will make it much easier to work with for a sauce.
- Fresh lime juice – It’s what will give the lime sauce its zesty, citrusy, tangy zing!
- Optional garnishes – shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, guacamole, green onions, to name a few.
How to Make This Easy Recipe
This recipe will come together in a few simple steps. Once the wontons are baked, and the shrimp is cooked, it’s just a matter of assembling everything. Easy peasy!
Step 1: Bake wonton wrappers in the oven at 350 degrees, using a mini muffin tin. Remove once golden brown around the edges and allow to cool on a wire wrack.
Step 2: Preheat the skillet and heat the oil. Coat the shrimp with all of the seasonings and add a single layer of shrimp to the hot skillet. Cook shrimp 2-3 minutes per side until no longer pink and firm to the touch. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Step 3: Make the lime sauce by combining sour cream, milk, and lime juice. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Assemble the bites by grabbing the shells and placing whatever garnishes you choose on the bottom (cheese, lettuce, fresh guacamole, etc). Then drizzle a little of the lime sauce and place shrimp on top.
Variations/Substitutions
1: For a gluten free option, use scoop style tortillas chips instead of the wonton cups and skip the baking step.
2: If you like your food spicy, feel free to add a little diced jalapeños or sriracha to each one.
Tips
- Feel free to skip making the lime sauce and simply add plain sour cream if desired.
- Add some smoky chipotle or adobe sauce to the lime sauce for an added layer of flavor explosion.
- Switch up the seasoning to old bay, taco seasoning, lemon pepper, or simple salt and pepper for something a little different.
- Adding a squirt of lime juice to the shrimp in the skillet adds a nice pop of citrus.
- If you’re a lover of cilantro, adding some chopped would be another great garnish option.
FAQ’s
You will be popping these in your mouth like candy, which is great because they don’t actually store very well. So, go ahead, enjoy!
Once assembled, the wontons can become quite soggy, so making them ahead means doing things in stages. You can cook the shrimp, you can bake the wrappers, and you can even make the lime sauce. Just don’t assemble it all until you’re ready to serve.
Absolutely! You’ll need to swap the wonton wrappers for gluten-free wrappers, tortilla scoops, or perhaps even a piece of lettuce (think lettuce wrap). The other thing you’ll want to watch out for is the seasoning. If you’re not making it homemade, store bought seasoning packages can come with hidden gluten.
Basically, it’s a wrap made of flour, eggs, and water. They are traditionally used in Asian cuisine, predominantly Chinese. They are quite bland in flavor but used more so as a vessel for filling.
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Ingredients
For the Shells
- 24 wonton wrappers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Shrimp
- 24 small or medium raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
For the Lime Sauce
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon lime zest or juice
- Optional garnishes
- Shredded Lettuce
- Salsa Shredded Mexican Cheese
- Guacamole
Instructions
For the Shells
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brush both sides of each wonton wrapper lightly with olive oil placing them in a mini muffin tin and pressing them into the bottom of the tin to create a cup.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Cool for about 10 minutes.
For the Shrimp
- Combine the shrimp, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and cumin together in a medium bowl.
- Stir until the shrimp are all coated with seasonings.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Then add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat the oil for one minute.
- Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until they have turned light pink and slightly firm to the touch.
- Remove from the skillet and set aside.
For the Lime Sauce
- In a small bowl, add all of the ingredients and stir well to combine.
To Make the Bites
- Place a small amount of any desired optional garnishes to the bottom of each shell, ie lettuce, cheese, guacamole
- Next, place a shrimp on top of the garnishes with a shrimp
- Drizzle of small amount of lime sauce.
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