Sinaloa Pacific-coast shrimp tacos — quickly sautéed shrimp with garlic-chili butter, served in warm corn tortillas (often a double tortilla; flour is an alternative) with cabbage, chipotle-mayo, and avocado. The Mazatlán beachside lunch.
Northern Mexican fried shrimp tacos are traditionally served on corn tortillas (flour is an optional alternative), in the battered Ensenada/Baja style that shares its origin with the Baja fish taco. Sinaloa-Sonora shrimp economy gave rise to these butter-and-chili preparations.
Bite a shrimp taco — the shrimp is plump and just-cooked, garlic-butter coating, chipotle mayo creamy-smoky, cool cabbage crunch, soft flour tortilla. Sinaloa beach summer in a folded tortilla.
Northern Mexican flour tortillas (vs. southern corn) are softer and more pliable — they fold without breaking. Garlic-butter shrimp cooking is a Sinaloa shortcut to deep flavor; chipotle mayo adds smoke and creaminess.
Variations
Tacos de Camarón al Mojo (with garlic-butter only). Camarones Aguachile. Camarones Diablo (with extra-spicy red sauce). Camarón a la Plancha (grilled).
On the Palate
Where Tacos de Camarón sits in the Mexican flavor cloud
Shrimp cook in about two minutes a side — pull them the instant they turn pink and curl, because a few seconds too long turns them rubbery.
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
7 steps · 25 min active + 5 min waiting
- 14 min
Peel and devein 500g large shrimp; pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.
- 23 min
Make chipotle mayo: blend 1/2 cup mayo, 2 chipotle chilies in adobo + 1 tsp adobo sauce, juice of 1 lime, salt.
- 33 min
Heat 3 tbsp butter in a wide pan with 4 minced garlic and 2 minced chili (jalapeño or serrano).
Watch outKeep the butter foaming but not smoking; the garlic should sizzle gently and smell sweet, never brown.
- 45 min
Add shrimp; cook 2-3 min per side until pink and just cooked through.
Watch outThe shrimp are done the moment they curl loosely and turn opaque pink; a tight, hard curl means overcooked.
- 51 min
Squeeze juice of 1 lime over; toss to coat.
- 64 min
Warm 8 flour tortillas on a comal.
Watch outWarm the tortillas on a dry comal until they're soft and just starting to blister, so they fold without cracking.
- 710 min
Build tacos: tortilla, chipotle mayo spread, shredded cabbage, 2-3 shrimp, sliced avocado, more lime.
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