Try this Tacos Gobernador recipe, the best cheesy shrimp tacos made with slightly crispy tortillas filled with a plump shrimp mixture, cheese, chilies, and cream. Super flavorful and easy to make!
What Are Tacos Gobernador?
Tacos Gobernador is a delicious taco dish made with shrimp, cheese, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and cream. The recipe originated in Sinaloa, a Pacific coastal state in Mexico.
It is believed that a Chef at Los Arcos restaurant made these tacos to impress the Governor of Sinaloa. And the good part is that the Governor loved these so much that they not only got the name but also became very popular.
Today, those cheesy shrimp tacos are among the most special dishes from northern Mexico. You might have tried several taco recipes before, like my Baja-style tacos de camarón, but this authentic and modern Mexican taco recipe is unlike anything else.
The reason I love Tacos Gobernador is that they are super convenient to make. They are the perfect lunch, dinner, or snack.
And the best part is, you can make the mixture ahead of time and store it for later use!
Ingredients Needed
- Shrimp: Use medium or large shrimp cut into bites. I used frozen shrimp which I first thaw in cold water.
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas are the most common for this type of taco recipe but feel free to use flour tortillas if you want.
- Cheese: For those shrimp tacos you will need a cheese that can melt nicely, we recommend Oaxaca cheese, Asadero, or queso Chihuahua. Mozzarella and Monterey Jack work fine for this recipe too.
- Cream: Use crema Mexicana or sour cream.
- Green chilies: Use green Anaheim peppers, poblano peppers, or green bell peppers.
- Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes, diced.
- Onion: White or yellow onion, sliced.
- Oil: Use olive oil or sunflower oil.
- Butter: For a creamy touch.
- Seasonings: I kept my seasonings simple by just using garlic, salt, and pepper. But other spices and herbs can be added to taste, such as oregano or cilantro.
How To Make Tacos Gobernador
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and sauté for about 3 minutes.
Add onions, low heat, and stir for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add shrimp. Stir in garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes stirring continuously.
Add tomatoes, mix well and allow to cook until tomatoes are soft and almost all juices are gone (3-4 minutes).
Adjust seasonings to taste and turn off the heat.
Remove the skillet from the stove and add the cream, make sure it is at room temperature to prevent curdling. Mix well and set aside.
Preheat a non-stick pan or skillet on medium heat, coat with some butter or oil and place a tortilla. Add cheese and allow it to slightly melt.
Spoon some shrimp mixture into one side of a tortilla. Be generous.
Fold the tortilla into a half-moon and cook a little bit so they start sticking like a regular quesadilla.
Using a spatula, flip the taco and cook the other side until is slightly crispy and charred.
As the tasty governor’s tacos come out of the griddle, serve immediately with your favorite salsa (see below), a squeeze of lime, and your fav drink.
Recipe Notes
- If you want to add a spicy kick to those tacos, you can stir in chopped jalapeños, serrano peppers, or chile chipotle.
- I used frozen and already cleaned shrimp for this recipe, however, here’s a step-by-step video to devein shrimp easily!
- Make sure the mixture is not too juicy or tortillas will get soggy when cooking with the filling.
- You can sneak in more veggies into the mixture, such as zucchini or mushrooms to make it richer and more flavorful.
What Salsas To Serve With
- MOLCAJETE SALSA – Definitely my favorite salsa for this shrimp taco. If you don’t have a molcajete no worries, you can still make it with a blender!
- GUACAMOLE SALSA – This is by far the best salsa to drizzle those tacos with, you can make this guacamole taco salsa or go with fake guacamole. Either way, you’ll love it!
- MEXICAN CHILI OIL – For the bravest, this is a super spicy salsa made with chile de árbol, sesame seeds, and oil.
- GUAJILLO SAUCE – This sauce has a mild and low-heat taste, and the guajillo pepper flavor goes perfectly with the shrimp mixture.
What Drinks To Pair
For an authentic Mexican experience, pair tacos Gobernador with one of our favorite Mexican drinks:
- Tamarind drink. Tangy, made with tamarind concentrate.
- Agua de mango. For a tropical kick, try this fresca water with mango.
- Michelada. Nothing beats serving seafood with a cold beer, especially if it is a popular michelada.
- Tamarind margarita. The most loved Mexican cocktail with a spin.
- Guava fresca. Try this refreshing agua de guayaba.
How To Store
If you have creamy shrimp leftovers, you can store them by placing everything in an air-tight container and storing it in the refrigerator, it can last for about 3 days.
Tortillas also last for 4-5 days in the fridge nicely wrapped with cling film or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
If you are hosting a game day friend’s get-together, and want to serve this recipe, you can prepare the shrimp mixture one or two days before without cream.
When ready to serve, reheat the mixture in a pan, mix in the cream, and assemble the tacos.
More Shrimp Recipes
Tacos Gobernador (cheesy shrimp tacos)
Ingredients
For the shrimp mixture
- 1 lb shrimp (cleaned and cuto into bites)
- 1 medium poblano pepper or green bell pepper (cut into strips)
- 1 small white onion (sliced)
- 2 small tomatoes (diced)
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 3 Tbsp Mexican crema (or sour cream)
- salt and pepper
For tacos
- 12 medium corn tortillas
- 2 ¼ cups Oaxaca, Chihuahua, or mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- olive oil or butter (as needed)
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add peppers and sauté for about 3 minutes.
- Add onions, reduce heat to medium-low, and stir for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
- Add shrimp, garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, mix well and cook until tomatoes are soft and almost all juices are gone (about 5 minutes).
- Adjust salt to taste and turn off the heat.
- Remove the pan from the stove and add the cream. Mix well and set aside.
Make the tacos
- Preheat a non-stick pan or skillet on medium heat, and coat with some butter or oil.
- Place a tortilla and add some cheese on top, allow the cheese to slightly melt.
- Add a generous portion of the shrimp mixture and fold the tortilla into a half-moon.
- Cook for a few seconds then using a spatula, flip the taco and cook the other side until slightly crispy.
- As tacos come out of the griddle, serve them immediately with your favorite salsa and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Excellent recipe and a top way to use shrimp for a Mexican dish. I always have kefir on hand and used that to thin sour cream to crema (or you can use buttermilk). I also flavored with some adobo (instead of salt and pepper) and late in the cooking some chopped cilantro. If you have some sodium citrate (which I highly recommend. It makescheese into cheez-whiz), add a couple large pinches. Then add your 2 c of shredded mexican cheese. Once that is thickened spoon it into your tortilla.
Loved, loved, loved this recipe! I am a taco lover and I have never heard of tacos gobernador before. They were delicious! cheesy and creamy, I also added a serrano pepper to the mixture and it turned out amazing! Thank you!
Wonderful! Was waiting for you to post this recipe :)
Wonderful recipe