Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Shrimp Filling
- 500 g raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced (1cm)
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
- 1 tomato, seeded and diced
- 15 ml olive oil
- 2 g ground cumin
- 1 g dried oregano
- 3 g salt
Assembly
- 12 corn tortillas
- 300 g monterey jack cheese, freshly grated
- 45 g unsalted butter, divided
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 723 kcal
- Protein
- 50 g
- Carbohydrates
- 48 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 947 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 20 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 225 mg
- Potassium
- 698 mg
- Calcium
- 739 mg
- Iron
- 2.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 135 mg
- Phosphorus
- 890 mg
- Zinc
- 4.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 360 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 8 mcg
- Water
- 134 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the vegetables: seed and dice the poblano peppers into small 1cm cubes. Finely dice the white onion and mince the garlic. Roughly chop the raw shrimp into bite-sized chunks.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (approx 190°C/375°F). Add the onions and poblanos. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the onions are translucent and peppers are soft.
Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, and diced tomato (if using). Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chopped shrimp and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly, just until the shrimp turns pink and opaque. Do not overcook. Remove mixture from the pan and set aside in a bowl. Wipe the pan clean.
Reduce heat to medium (175°C/350°F). Melt a knob of butter in the skillet. Place tortillas in the pan (work in batches, usually 2-3 at a time). Immediately top each tortilla with a generous layer of Monterey Jack cheese.
Once the cheese begins to melt (about 30-60 seconds), spoon the shrimp mixture onto one half of each tortilla. Fold the tortilla over to close the taco. Press down gently with a spatula.
Fry the folded tacos for 2 minutes per side, adding small amounts of butter if the pan gets dry, until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy and the cheese is fully melted. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Chop the shrimp: Keeping the shrimp in smaller chunks ensures every bite has shrimp, cheese, and pepper, and makes the taco easier to fold.
- Cheese matters: Monterey Jack is ideal for its high moisture content and superior meltability. Mozzarella is a decent substitute, but avoid aged cheeses which separate when melted.
- The butter factor: While oil works, butter is traditional for 'Tacos Gobernador' and provides that signature rich, golden crust. Watch the heat to ensure the butter solids don't burn before the taco crisps.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store filling separately from tortillas to prevent sogginess. Reheat filling in a pan.
Reheating: Re-assemble tacos fresh, or reheat assembled tacos in a dry pan or air fryer to recrisp.
Troubleshooting
Tortillas are soggy or falling apart
Cause: Filling was too wet or pan wasn't hot enough
Fix: Increase heat slightly and cook longer to drive off moisture, or drain the filling bowl.
Prevention: Drain any excess liquid from the shrimp mixture before spooning it into the taco.
Cultural Context
Tacos Gobernador (Governor's Tacos) were created in Mazatlán, Sinaloa in the late 1980s at the restaurant Los Arcos. Legend has it they were invented to impress the state governor, Francisco Labastida, who loved his wife's shrimp tacos. They act as a bridge between a taco and a quesadilla.
