These tacos de camarón or Mexican shrimp tacos will make taco night extra special. Made with crispy shrimp, chunky coleslaw, and creamy chipotle sauce, all packed in warm tortillas!
Tacos de camarón are a type of taco made with grilled or battered fried shrimp as the main filling. They are popular in some coastal states in Mexico, especially in Baja California, Sinaloa, and Nayarit.
To make Mexican shrimp tacos, shrimp are usually battered and deep fried until golden and crispy, then the taco is served with various toppings such as chunky cabbage salad, chipotle crema sauce, and a squeeze of lime.
A taco de camaron can be served on a traditional corn tortilla or a flour tortilla, depending on the preference of the person making them. I like to use corn tortillas and heat them up directly on the stove flame for a charred and smoky touch!
Ingredients
- Tortillas: The traditional choice is corn tortillas, but you can also use flour like my tortillas de harina recipe.
- Shrimp: I used frozen shrimp for convenience. I thaw them first in cold water, then pat dry them and throw them into the batter. You can use fresh large or jumbo shrimp if you want.
- Batter: To make the batter you will need all-purpose flour, egg, beer, spices, and a bit of baking soda.
- Oil: I recommend sunflower, canola, or corn oil for frying. Light olive oil is also a good option.
- Coleslaw: To make the chunky slaw you will need red cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, cucumber, and jalapeño peppers. Then oregano, lime juice, and salt for the light dressing.
- Lime wedges: Squeeze over the camaron taco for a finishing touch!
- Chipotle sauce: This creamy and spicy sauce is perfect to serve tacos de camarón, and is usually made with Mexican crema, chipotle peppers, garlic, and lime juice. You can use sour cream in place of crema.
How To Make Tacos de Camarón
Make the slaw
Place shredded cabbage, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and chilies in a medium mixing bowl.
Add lime juice, oregano, and season with salt. Mix well and adjust seasonings if needed. Set the salad aside.
Make the batter
In a large mixing bowl place flour, garlic powder, paprika or chili powder, baking powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix to combine.
Make a well in the middle and add the egg and beer, whisk until a runny batter has formed and there are no lumps left.
Top Tip: If you don’t have beer on hand or don’t prefer adding one, replace it with club soda or sparkling water to get a similar light and crispy texture.
Place the batter in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes while continuing with the recipe.
Make the battered shrimp
Clean fresh shrimp or thaw them if they’re frozen. Pat dry them with a paper towel and add them to the batter.
Mix well to coat the raw shrimp on all sides.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Working in batches, fry battered shrimp until nicely golden and crispy.
Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place to drain on a wire rack or a strainer. Keep frying until all shrimp are cooked.
Assemble the shrimp tacos
Heat tortillas in a griddle until soft and pliable or directly on the stove flame until slightly charred.
Place a warm corn tortilla on a plate. Add some pieces of fried shrimp in the center and top with coleslaw. Repeat with all tortillas and serve.
Enjoy your tacos de camarón with chipotle sauce drizzled on top and a squeeze of lime or lemon juice.
Expert Notes
- The batter is an important component of this tacos de camarón recipe. For a light and crispy coating, use a mixture of flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and spices.
- Make sure the batter is not too thick or too thin, so add some beer or club soda to the batter to make it light and airy.
- If you use fresh shrimp, make sure to remove the shells and devein the shrimp before adding them to the batter.
- It’s important to chill the batter for at least 30 minutes before using it. This will help it adhere better to the shrimp and create a crispier coating.
- Pay attention to the oil temperature, it should be 350-375°F (175-190°C).
- Drip off excess batter before adding the shrimp to the hot oil.
- I strongly recommend placing the cooked shrimp in a strainer or a wire rack, as paper towels tend to create some moisture and ruin the crispy texture.
How To Serve Mexican Shrimp Tacos
Those Mexican shrimp tacos are packed with protein and often served with a side of rice or a refreshing avocado salad. Here are my favorite ways of serving them:
- Rice: In Colima and other coastal states like Sinaloa or Nayarit, tacos de camarón are served with a side of buttery rice or arroz blanco.
- Salsas: A creamy salsa goes well with the delicate flavor of shrimp, we recommend a creamy chipotle sauce (recipe on this blog) or this creamy cilantro lime sauce.
- Chunky salsas: Other chunky salsas are also a good option to serve on top, if you like sweet combined with spicy foods, I recommend this pico de gallo mango salsa.
- Drinks: I suggest pairing these crispy shrimp tacos with Micheladas or pineapple agua fresca and enjoying one of the most authentic Mexican eating experiences!
How to Store & Reheat
Tacos de camarón are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Here’s how to store them properly:
- Store the shrimp: Place the leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure they are completely cooled before storing.
- The tortillas: Place the leftover tortillas in a resealable food bag or an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator. You can also wrap them in aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep them fresh.
- The toppings: Place the leftover toppings like the cabbage salad and salsa in separate containers and refrigerate them.
- Reheat and assemble: When you’re ready to eat the leftovers, reheat the shrimp in a large skillet until heated. Warm the tortillas and assemble the tacos de camarón.
Keep in mind that the texture of the shrimp may change after being refrigerated and reheated, but they can still be delicious and satisfying.
FAQ
What is Camaron Tacos made of?
Camaron tacos are made of shrimp coated in a batter prepared with flour, egg, beer, garlic, salt, and pepper, creating an incredibly crunchy outside that’s full of flavor. Once the shrimp is fried, it’s piled into a warm tortilla along with coleslaw and chipotle sauce that adds a spicy kick to the tacos.
Where did Tacos de Camaron originate?
Tacos de camaron, or shrimp tacos, are believed to have originated in the coastal regions of Mexico, particularly in the states of Baja California, Nayarit, and Sinaloa. These states are located on the west coast of Mexico, which is known for its abundant seafood and traditional cuisine.
Are shrimp tacos common in Mexico?
Yes, shrimp tacos are a common dish along with tacos de pescado in coastal regions of Mexico like Sinaloa, Baja California, Nayarit, Colima, etc.
Shrimp has been a staple food in coastal Mexican cuisine for centuries, and this type of taco likely evolved from this culinary tradition. The use of shrimp in tacos may have been influenced by the abundant seafood in the region.
More Shrimp Recipes
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Video
Tacos de Camarón
Ingredients
- 16 corn or flour tortillas
- 1 ½ lb frozen shrimp (thawed)
- Oil for frying (as needed)
For the batter
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 12 oz blond beer
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the coleslaw
- ½ small red cabbage (shredded)
- 2 medium tomatoes (diced)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 medium cucumber (diced)
- 2 jalapeño peppers (chopped)
- 1 bunch cilantro (chopped)
- 1 lime (juice)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- salt (to taste)
For serving
- lime wedges
- chipotle crema sauce
Instructions
Make the slaw
- Place cabbage, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, carrots, cilantro, and chilies in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add lime juice, oregano, and season with salt. Mix well to combine and set aside.
Make the batter
- In a large mixing bowl place flour, garlic powder, paprika, baking powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix to combine.
- Make a well in the middle and add the egg and beer, whisk until a runny batter has formed and there are no lumps left.
- Place the batter in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
Fry the shrimp
- Add shrimp to the batter and mix to coat.
- Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep pan and working in batches, fry battered shrimp until nicely golden and crispy.
- Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place to drain on a wire rack or a strainer. Keep frying until all shrimp are cooked.
Assemble
- Heat tortillas in a griddle until soft and pliable or directly on the stove flame until slightly charred.
- Place a warm corn tortilla on a plate. Add some pieces of fried shrimp in the center and top with coleslaw.
- Repeat with all tortillas and serve with the chipotle sauce and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
- You can replace beer with club soda or sparkling water to get a similar light and crispy texture.
- Chill the batter for at least 30 minutes before using it. This will help it adhere better to the shrimp and create a crispier coating.
- If you have leftovers, store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
FINALLY! A good batter. I’ve been trying to find one for years. We LOVED the shrimp tacos, did not make the cream because I didn’t have mexican cream but I’m sure that’ll make them even better.
Yum! These shrimp tacos where a nice change for our Taco Tuesday. The batter on the shrimp works lovely with the rest of the flavors – and the coleslaw adds a nice crunch!
These tacos were fantastic- I can’t wait to make them again!
Oh yum! These shrimp tacos look so good, especially paired with the red cabbage. Such wonderful flavors.
I am loving the batter on these shrimps. It goes perfectly with the cabbage mixture. I am looking forward to making these incredible tacos.
One thing I can never say no to is tacos. And this particular type is way up high on the list. Amazing recipe!
These shrimp tacos are a seafood lover’s dream! The succulent shrimp, marinated in flavorful spices, are perfectly grilled and tucked into warm tortillas. Topped with fresh salsa and a squeeze of lime, these tacos are bursting with deliciousness. A must-try recipe for taco enthusiasts and seafood aficionados alike!