BLT Buffalo Shrimp Tacos with Feta “Aioli”

Spicy buffalo shrimp tacos with crispy bacon, romaine lettuce, ripe cherry tomatoes, and a creamy feta cheese “aioli” drizzled on top. This is a small batch recipe that makes four BLT buffalo shrimp tacos, but can be doubled or tripled if needed.

I wanted to get creative with the last round of cherry tomatoes from our garden this year, and it seemed fitting to transform them into a component of some sort of BLT taco recipe. I also wanted to add a fun twist to the tacos, and had already had a buffalo shrimp quesadilla recipe planned for later this month. But then I thought … what if I just came up with a recipe that fuses the best of both worlds – the classic BLT sandwich and the irresistible allure of spicy buffalo shrimp? 🙂

So, here we are: crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, and juicy tomatoes embraced by warm soft taco shells, all elevated by a fiery kick of perfectly seasoned buffalo shrimp. This delightful creation isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience meant to be shared with a special someone. This is a really fun fusion that’s easily become a new favorite!

Ingredient Notes

Shrimp : For these specific photos, I used the gigantic Argentinian Shrimp from Trader Joe’s. They’re really good, but you don’t have to use shrimp that big if you don’t want to. Medium, large, or jumbo shrimp will work for this recipe! As long as they are cleaned, peeled, and deveined, you’re good to go. Just keep in mind that the better quality your shrimp is, the more delicious these tacos will be!

Mayonnaise : Not trying to be a pain with the suggested mayonnaise brands, but those two specific brands (Hellman’s and Duke’s) are just noticeably better than any other brands that I have tried. I think it makes a difference!

There’s a place in Kansas City that makes the best wings on the planet (not up for debate), and I feel like this simple blend of Frank’s hot sauce / garlic powder / cayenne / black pepper gets pretty close to recreating that glorious flavor from the Peanut. It’s spicy, yes, but it’s so dang flavorful, too. Totally perfect for tossing with shrimp and piling into tacos with a bunch of BLT toppings.

If you don’t want the feta “aioli” to have a chunky texture, you can blend the aioli ingredients in a mini food processor until smooth instead! I kind of like the little chunks of feta, but that is totally a personal preference. ALSO, if you prefer to use a blue cheese dressing instead of making the feta aioli, I totally support that. These buffalo shrimp tacos are soooo good with creamy blue cheese dressing, but Mark hates blue cheese, so I always try to be a little creative with the sauce part.

You could also replace the feta in the feta aioli recipe with blue cheese! That would make a super quick and easy blue cheese sauce, and would be perfect for these tacos if you’re feeling the blue cheese route.

See below for a step-by-step guide on how to make these BLT Buffalo Shrimp Tacos

Make the Feta “Aioli”: Break any larger feta crumbles down into very small crumbles so they’ll disperse in the “aioli”. Combine the feta “aioli” ingredients (mayonnaise, sour cream, small feta cheese crumbles, red wine vinegar, and black pepper” together in a medium bowl. Stir until well blended, then set aside.

Prep the Buffalo Sauce and Shrimp: Stir the wing sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne and salt together until well blended. Set aside.

Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. toss with spices (garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and cayenne) until the shrimp is evenly coated. Set aside.

Cook the chopped bacon. Set a non-stick pan over medium heat, and once the pan is hot, add the bacon and cook until crispy. (Stir the bacon around occasionally so it cooks evenly). Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan and transfer it to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess liquid. Leave the rendered bacon fat in the pan.

Cook the seasoned shrimp in the rendered bacon fat. Add the shrimp to the pan with the rendered bacon fat, and cook the shrimp for a couple of minutes per side until cooked through. Note: You may want to turn the heat down to medium-low if the shrimp appear to be cooking too quickly. Bacon fat will be very hot, so just keep an eye on the shrimp!

Once the shrimp are cooked through, turn the heat off from underneath the pan (the residual heat will stay for a couple of minutes), and add the buffalo wing sauce mixture.

Toss the shrimp in the wing sauce until they are thoroughly coated. I like to use tongs to stir the shrimp around and flip them to coat every little nook and cranny with the wing sauce mixture. There will be extra sauce in the pan for drizzling on top of the tacos before serving!

Build the tacos! Divide the shredded romaine between four warm tortillas, then top the romaine with buffalo shrimp, crispy bacon and halved or quartered cherry tomatoes. Drizzle a little extra wing sauce from the pan over the shrimp, followed by a heavy spoonful of the feta aioli. Serve warm!

This recipe makes four BLT Buffalo Shrimp Tacos, but you can certainly double or triple it if needed! As I mentioned before, blue cheese dressing is a delicious alternative to the feta aioli if you’re not feeling it. You can also make the aioli with blue cheese crumbles instead of feta if you want to have a super quick and easy “homemade” blue cheese dressing. Your call!

More Taco Recipes for Two People:

• Spicy Baja Shrimp Tacos with Cabbage Slaw
• Honey Chipotle Chicken Tacos for Two
• Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos for Two
• Shredded Buffalo Chicken Tacos (Small Batch)

If you make these BLT Buffalo Shrimp Tacos and love them, a star rating and comment below would be so awesome! If you have questions about the cooking process or any ingredients, email me so I can help. 🙂 Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram so I can share your awesome taco creations with everyone else, too!

xx Sara