Tacos Gobernador (Cheesy Shrimp Tacos)

Rich, cheesy and delicious, these tacos highlight Mexican flavors with juicy shrimp, roasted poblano, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Simple, satisfying, and deeply comforting, serve them with your favorite toppings for a quick and easy meal.

✅ Ingredients, Substitutions and Swaps

For the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities, check the printable recipe card below.

• Shrimp: You can use fresh or frozen (thawed out shrimp), peeled, deveined with tails removed. Since the shrimp gets chopped up into small bite size pieces, the size of shrimp you purchase doesn’t matter much however, I recommend using medium or large shrimp to make this recipe. Prawns, scallops, lobster and even white firm fish could be used to make these tacos.
• Cheese: Using a good melting cheese is key. I use Monterrey Jack but any other melty cheese like asadero or even Mozarella works. On lazy days, I choose a Mexican blend. I know that pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well as cheese from a block but to be honest we are not making a sauce here! This is a taco/quesadilla combo. If I’m running out of time, you better believe I’d grab a bag of pre-shredded Mexican cheese happily! It will still melt beautifully and taste amazing without the extra stress. Trust me, restaurants do this all the time because time=money!
• Peppers: Roasted peppers add a nice smoky taste that won’t overwhelm the dish. I love using poblano peppers as they are mild but if you prefer a bit of heat, use jalapeño or serrano peppers. Green bell peppers can be used in a pinch with good results. Out of time? Use canned roasted green peppers.
• Butter and oil: I use a combination of butter and olive oil to cook the tender shrimp. I use a mild, neutral tasting oil to pan fry the tacos. You can also add a bit of butter to the oil for extra flavor. I know that most neutral tasting oils are highly processed so choose what is best for you. Here are some options avocado oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil – lastly not an oil- use ghee.
• Tortillas: Something I learnt from many Mexican friends and colleagues while living in Southern California, is that a taco is always served in corn tortillas and a quesadilla is always made with a flour tortilla. In this case, you can use either as this is a combination of both, a taco and a quesadilla. That said, the photos on this post show tacos made with corn tortillas.
• Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice is best. Fresh lemon juice works well.
• For serving (optional): Mexican salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream.

🔎 How to Make Tacos Gobernador?

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for specific instructions and cooking times.

1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant.
2. Add the shrimp: Add shrimp and season with salt and black pepper.

3. Cook the shrimp : Cook the shrimp until it turns pink and opaque, about 3-4 minutes. Make sure you don’t overcook the shrimp as it becomes rubbery. Add the roasted peppers, lime juice and toss to combine.
4. Assemble the tacos: Heat a skillet or griddle with oil (or oil and butter). Add two tortillas and cook briefly. Flip, then add a bit of cheese to one side of the tortilla, top with the shrimp filling and top with shredded cheese.
5. Fold and crisp: Fold tortillas over, gently press, and cook until golden and crispy. Flip and cook the other side until the cheese is fully melted and edges are crisp.
6. Keep warm & serve: Transfer cooked tacos to a warm oven if needed and repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve with your favorite toppings.

🤔 Frequently Asked Questions

🔎 Make-Ahead and Storing

• To Make-Ahead: The shrimp mixture can be made ahead 24 hours in advanced and stored in an airtight container. Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking the tacos to take the chill off.
• To Store: Assembled tacos are best eaten fresh. Leftover tacos can keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet to restore crispness.

💛 Intentional Cooking

Your priorities, your recipe. Learn about Intentional Cooking.

Environment: Not all shrimp is created equal. Large-scale shrimp farming has been linked to mangrove destruction, water pollution, and high carbon emissions from feed and energy use. Choosing wild-caught shrimp or responsibly farmed options helps protect coastal ecosystems while supporting more sustainable seafood practices.

Social Justice: Industrial shrimp farming has has been linked to serious human rights issues like forced labor, debt bonding, human trafficking, child labor and dangerous working conditions.

Culture and Tradition: Just saying the name of this recipe “tacos gobernador” is a conversation starter. An opportunity to connect with others while sharing an authentic Mexican meal and it’s history. Crispy, cheesy tacos made especially for an important visitor – the governor!

Tacos Gobernador (Cheesy Shrimp Tacos)

Kathy McDaniel

Tacos Gobernador are cheesy, crispy shrimp tacos made with garlicky buttery shrimp, roasted poblano peppers, and just enough lime to keep things bright! A cross between a taco and a quesadilla, they’re fast, deeply satisfying, and perfect for weeknights or casual entertaining.

Print Pin

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 25 minutes mins

Total 40 minutes mins

Makes 8 Tacos

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Tacos:

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
• ▢ ½ small onion, diced (about ½ cup)
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 1 Poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
• ▢ 1 pound large or medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, cut into bite size pieces
• ▢ Salt and ground black pepper
• ▢ Juice of ½ fresh lime, or to taste
• ▢ 8 corn tortillas, (see notes)
• ▢ 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (see notes)
• ▢ Oil and/or butter to cook the tacos

For Serving: Choose your favorite toppings

• ▢ Pico de gallo, guacamole, Mexican salsa, sour cream

Instructions 

Before you start (optional):

1. To keep the tacos warm while you cook them, turn the oven to 275ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Cook the shrimp:

1. In a large skillet, heat up the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 45 seconds.
2. Add the shrimp, and cook until the shrimp turns pink and is no longer translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Make sure you don’t overcook the shrimp as it becomes rubbery. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir in the diced roasted peppers and lime juice and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.

Assemble the tacos:

1. In a large skillet or griddle, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. You can use a combination of oil and butter if preferred.
2. Place 1-2 tortillas flat on the hot oil and cook until they just start to crisp up, about a minute. Flip the tortillas and add about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese on one side of each tortilla (think of this as the glue that will keep the shrimp filling from falling off the tacos). On top of the cheese, add the shrimp filling (about 2 spoonfuls) and top it with shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla to create a taco.
3. With the help of a spatula, press down the taco and cook until crispy and golden brown. Flip each taco and cook the other side until crispy and golden brown (some cheese will ooze out).
4. Remove tacos from the skillet and place them on a baking sheet pan. You can keep them in a warm oven tented with foil (optional), or near the stove to keep them warm. Continue with the rest of the tortillas and filling. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Notes

• Cheese: You can use Monterrey Jack, Oaxaca, Asadero or mozzarella cheese. On super busy days, I use pre-shredded Mexican blend cheese (don’t panic, we are not making a velvety smooth cheese sauce. This is just a quesadilla!
• Roasted Poblano Peppers: For a spicy kick, use jalapeño or serrano peppers (2-4). Green bell pepper can also be used. In a pinch, use canned fire-roasted diced green chiles.
• Tortillas: Traditionally, tacos are made with corn tortillas. You can use flour tortillas (choose taco size).
• To Make-Ahead: The shrimp mixture can be made 24 hours ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking the tacos to take the chill off.
• To Store: Assembled tacos are best eaten fresh. Leftover tacos can keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet to restore crispness.

Nutrition

Calories: 236 kcal, Carbohydrates: 14 g, Protein: 16 g, Fat: 13 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g, Trans Fat: 0.1 g, Cholesterol: 100 mg, Sodium: 514 mg, Potassium: 171 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 419 IU, Vitamin C: 13 mg, Calcium: 267 mg, Iron: 1 mg

Request help from AI: (or leave me a comment below!)

Dietary Modifications

Ingredient Substitutions

Serving Scaling

Recipe Summary