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Shrimp Elote Tacos

Shrimp elote tacos with charred shrimp and sweet, lightly blackened corn, finished with a creamy cotija-lime sauce. Quick skillet cooking keeps the seafood pink and juicy while the tortillas stay warm and flexible for street-style layering.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shrimp
  • 1.5 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined pat dry so they char instead of steam
Seasonings & Cooking Oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste use as needed
Elote Corn
  • 2 cup corn kernels fresh or thawed frozen kernels
Elote Cream Sauce
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup cotija cheese, crumbled substitute with queso fresco if needed
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
Tacos Assembly
  • 8 corn tortillas warm just until pliable
  • 1 Fresh cilantro and lime for serving chopped cilantro and lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet
  • 1 separate skillet
  • 1 griddle

Method
 

Make the elote cotija sauce
  1. Combine mayonnaise, cotija cheese, Parmesan cheese, and lime juice in a small bowl to create the elote sauce. Stir until smooth and scoopable for drizzling.
Cook the shrimp
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, then add cumin along with salt and pepper.
  2. Season shrimp with cumin, salt, and pepper, then cook in the skillet for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. You’ll see the edges turn opaque while the centers stay moist.
Char the corn
  1. Charr fresh corn kernels in a separate skillet until lightly blackened, about 3-4 minutes. Toss occasionally and look for browned spots and a slightly dry, roasted texture.
Warm tortillas and build tacos
  1. Warm corn tortillas on a griddle until soft and flexible, about 20-30 seconds per side. Stack them in a towel so they don’t dry out.
  2. Spread a spoonful of elote sauce on each tortilla. Add a layer of cooked shrimp and charred corn, then drizzle with additional sauce and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedge.

Notes

Pro tip: pat shrimp very dry and keep the skillet hot so you get charred edges instead of steaming. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm shrimp and tortillas separately for best texture. Freezing is not recommended for assembled tacos. For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for light mayo or Greek yogurt while keeping the same cheese and lime ratio.