Shrimp Wraps

When you need dinner fast, shrimp is the perfect protein. Like superhero shape-shifters, they cook quickly and play well with many different flavors, going from Italian to Mexican to Spanish in the blink of an eye.

This shrimp wrap recipe combines several off-the-shelf ingredients in unexpected ways for a speedy meal. Instead of sorting through your spice drawer for individual flavors, grab a taco seasoning packet and combine it with ketchup and a jar of salsa. Add in some diced mango, a bagged coleslaw mix and flour tortillas, and dinner’s a wrap (literally!).

Ingredients for Shrimp Wraps

• Salsa: Use any favorite mild or spicy salsa brand you like.
• Mango: Add fresh mango to sweeten and brighten the shrimp wrap recipe. Just-bought mangoes are rarely soft, and it takes several days of ripening at room temperature before you can easily cut a mango. If you’re good at planning, buy the fruit a few days before making this recipe.
• Ketchup: Not just a condiment, ketchup acts like a ready-made sweet-and-tangy sauce that can be added to everything from soups and meat marinades to gussied-up salsa. It thickens any type of salsa, mellows a spicy one and makes a sweet one taste richer.
• Olive oil: A smidge of olive oil helps the spices adhere to the shrimp.
• Taco seasoning: One envelope of taco seasoning coats the shrimp in a whole mix of spices. Each brand has a proprietary blend, and some are pretty salty, so look for a reduced-sodium packet or make homemade taco seasoning and adjust the salt to your liking.
• Shrimp: Uncooked shrimp pick up seasonings better than precooked ones, and they turn tender and juicy, rather than tough and rubbery, when heated. It’s easy to quickly peel and devein a pound of jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), but you can use smaller ones.
• Flour tortillas: Warmed flour tortillas stay soft and supple so that they fold easily. The 10-inch size neatly encloses the coleslaw, salsa and shrimp without excessive wrapping.
• Coleslaw mix: Open a bag of coleslaw mix for an effortless vegetable layer in shrimp wraps. Use the rest of the bag in one of these coleslaw mix recipes. You can always shred fresh cabbage instead.
• Sour cream: Sour cream cools down the spicy shrimp and adds creaminess to the shrimp wrap recipe. If you forgot to pick some up, use plain Greek yogurt.

Directions

Step 1: Make the mango salsa

In a small bowl, combine the salsa, mango and ketchup. Set the mixture aside.

Step 2: Season and cook the shrimp

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the taco seasoning and olive oil, and then add the shrimp to the seasoning. Seal the bag and shake it to coat the shrimp.

Editor’s Tip: If you feel too much of the seasoning may stick to the bag when you empty it, use a lidded container instead and scrape the seasoning into the skillet with a spatula. If you just thawed and peeled the shrimp under cold running water, they may be damp enough to toss with just the seasoning; in that case, add the oil directly to the pan.

In a nonstick skillet or wok, cook the seasoned shrimp over medium-high heat for two to three minutes or until they turn pink.

Step 3: Build the wraps

Top the warm flour tortillas with coleslaw, salsa and spicy shrimp. Fold each tortilla over the filling. Serve with sour cream.

Editor’s Tip: The best way to warm flour tortillas is in a dry pan on the stovetop. You can also microwave them wrapped in damp paper towels for a few seconds.

Shrimp Wrap Variations

• Use homemade salsa: If you already have homemade salsa in your fridge, use it for an equally speedy and even tastier meal. With fresh mango salsa, you won’t need to add additional mango. Salsa verde pairs well with seafood, or stick with classic homemade Mexican salsa.
• Make the coleslaw mix: Shredding carrots and cabbage yourself takes a little extra time, but the result will be crisper and fresher than a bagged mix—and cost less. Use rainbow carrots and both red and green cabbage for eye-popping color. For the fastest results, use a food processor.
• Add melted cheese: Shredded cheese melts quickly onto warm tortillas, especially when you grate your own cheese. If you prefer cheesy chunks, crumble in Cotija, a slightly nutty, aged Mexican cheese that holds its texture, or blue cheese for a funky flavor.
• Wrap with lettuce: Instead of tortillas, wrap the shrimp and other filling layers in large lettuce leaves. Butter lettuce is less likely to tear than more delicate common lettuce varieties. Even so, spread the filling out among more leaves for mini tacos so you don’t overstuff the fresh wrappings.

How to Store Shrimp Wraps

Store the ingredients for shrimp wraps in the refrigerator as a ready-to-assemble meal. Even in airtight packaging, the tortillas will become soggy if you build the wraps and put them in the fridge. Instead, pack the enhanced salsa, spiced shrimp and coleslaw mix in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Refrigerate the tortillas once you’ve opened the package to extend their shelf life.

How long do shrimp wraps last?

If you had to put a whole shrimp wrap in the refrigerator, eat it within a day to minimize sogginess. The spicy shrimp filling lasts three to four days refrigerated in an airtight container. Coleslaw mix starts to lose its crispness and freshness quickly once you open the bag, so transfer it to an airtight container and use it within three days. Once you’ve doctor up the salsa, use it within a week.

How do you reheat shrimp wraps?

Consider not reheating whole shrimp wraps to prevent the shrimp from becoming overcooked and chewy. Just warm the tortillas and pack in the fillings cold or at room temperature. If you want to reheat the shrimp, toss them in an oiled skillet preheated over medium-low heat until they are warmed through.

Shrimp Wrap Tips

What’s the best way to clean and devein shrimp for shrimp wraps?

To clean shrimp, grip the body shell in one hand and the part you want to remove in the other. If the head is still attached, remove it, twisting until it comes free. Then pinch the shrimp flesh and wiggle the shell gently as you pull it away from the head end toward the tail. The meat should pop out in one piece in one hand, and the entire body and tail shell should remain in the other. If you see a dark vein running down the back flesh, use the tip of a paring knife to tease it out.

What else can you serve with shrimp wraps?

Such a quick and easy dinner recipe deserves equally effortless side dishes, so keep the things you serve with shrimp wraps simple. Cook one-pot black beans and rice with pantry staples and on-hand aromatics. For a lighter hot side, saute sweet pepper and onion slices in oil and ground cumin, or heat a batch of southwest corn. Slide a cold side dish made beforehand, like hearty barley corn salad, straight onto the table. If you need a last-minute cold accompaniment, sprinkle mixed greens with avocado, sliced green onion and zippy cilantro lime dressing.