This Saucy Paleo Twist on Taco Night Makes a Great Thing Even Better
What could make buffalo shrimp with ranch dressing even better? Serving it taco-style.
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Taco night is always a treat – everyone at the table gets to build their own meal with their favorite toppings from veggies to sauces to salsas and more, which is so much fun. Plus, for the person making dinner (ahem, you), it’s a simple way to serve dinner that you know everyone will enjoy.
So, what could be better than taco night? How about taco night, but with buffalo shrimp and a super quick, easy homemade dressing?
Our Buffalo-Style Shrimp Tacos take the classic shrimp taco and top it with extra flavor in two forms. The shrimp gets its flavor from a quick sauté with ghee and hot sauce to give you that classic buffalo flavor. Plus, did you know that along with protein, shrimp is rich in B vitamins, iron and selenium? It’s one of the best taco fillings you can choose when you’re looking for something healthy and easy.
Then, we’re drizzling over even more flavor in the form of a deliciously classic ranch dressing. The dressing is as easy as blending a few pantry ingredients together; double the recipe to have homemade dressing on hand for the rest of the week. Its cooling, creamy nature will balance the kick of heat from the shrimp and hot sauce, creating one well-balanced (and totally irresistible) taco combo.
That’s it! Between the simple-yet-impressive dressing and the quick-cooking shrimp, you’ll have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. And every piece of this recipe, from the shrimp to the tortillas to the dressing, are Paleo-friendly.
In terms of toppings, sliced radishes and celery are all you really need. However, you could go all out and offer chopped avocado, cotija, cilantro or shredded cabbage. Put out your favorite corn tortillas, or go grain-free.
Buffalo-Style Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
Ranch dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp)
- ½ cup avocado-oil mayonnaise
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp dried dill
- ¼ tsp raw honey
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Shrimp
- 1½ tbsp ghee
- 1¼ lbs peeled, deveined medium shrimp
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp Frank’s Red Hot (or other hot sauce)
- 8 radishes (6 oz), halved, sliced (1 cup)
- 4 ribs celery (3 oz), chopped (3/4 cup)
- Warmed grain-free tortillas and/or lettuce leaves for wrapping
- Optional taco toppings: avocado, cilantro, cotija, etc.
Preparation
- Make dressing: Combine olive oil and garlic in a small, unheated skillet. Turn heat to medium-low and cook until mixture sizzles. Let cook 30 seconds, then transfer to a small food processor and add remaining ingredients except salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Thin with 1 to 2 tbsp water, if needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Yield: ¾ cup (You can make dressing up to 2 days ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
- Make shrimp: Warm ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp, season very lightly with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until just turning opaque, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add hot sauce; continue to cook, stirring, until sauce thickens and shrimp is just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Spoon shrimp into a bowl. Serve with dressing, with tortillas, radishes and celery, and other toppings on the side, and let everyone build their own tacos.
Recipe courtesy of Paleo Magazine