Light and crispy beer battered shrimp tacos topped with fresh mango salsa, and sriracha sauce will be your new favorite meal! Crunchy fried shrimp topped with salsa and spicy chile sauce is flavorful and delicious.
Okay, so I’m a big fan of tempura anything but these big prawns dipped in a fizzy flour and cornstarch batter, oh baby! Now combine these irresistible golden fried shrimps in a warm tortilla and make it a taco party!
This beer battered shrimp tacos recipe with mango salsa is going to make you smile, especially when you drizzle tons of spicy Asian chile sauce on top with each bite!
The batter is magic. A mixture of flour, spices, egg and of course, some bubbly beer (I used an India Pale Ale) to make each bite super light and crunchy. I used some beautiful large shrimp (16/20 count) which are generous in size.
My husband suggested that next time I use smaller shrimps, so it’s easier to fold the tortilla, but I certainly didn’t mind a little overflowing mess of yummy goodness, hehe.
All good tacos need a delicious salsa, and I thought a fruity mango salsa was the way to go. It’s super simple too. Just a mixture of ripe tomatoes, avocado, red onion, cilantro, sweet mango, and lemon to bring it all together, stir and top on each taco, that’s it!
Okay, you’ve got crispy, sweet and fresh, but what about a little spice? Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce is here to save the day! To create the sauce, a combo of sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice and as much Sriracha sauce as your heart desires makes for a smooth, creamy and lingering hot flavor.
I could not resist sneaking a few bites here and there between each batch, super good! I was pretty full once I got to assembling and eating a taco, haha. You’re going to have to keep your eyes on those fried shrimp as you cook each batch before they all go missing from stealthy kitchen thieves!
Drizzle, bite, drizzle, bite… yes this sauce is that addicting, you’re going to want your own squeeze bottle! There’s something about hot crispy shrimp, fresh salsa, and spicy sauce that makes your soul happy.
So I had at least two tacos and then kept eating the shrimp with the toppings on its own. We had a pound of shrimp to demolish between two people, and I wasn’t going to let a good thing go to waste! Want more Mexican-inspired recipes to get the fiesta going? Try my blackened fish tacos with avocado sauce for a real treat!
What method do I use to get super Light and Crispy Shrimp?
To get light and crispy shrimp, it starts with the batter. Coating each shrimp with cornstarch soaks up any excess moisture and keeps the shrimps dry. Egg and a fizzy liquid like beer or seltzer water keep the batter really light once fried. Don’t over mix the batter and dip/fry the shrimp right away, over mixing and letting the batter sit too long will encourage gluten bonding that can make the batter tough. I fried each shrimp in a large stainless steel pot, with about 2 inches of vegetable oil heated to 350 degrees F. I like to use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil as I fry because the temperature fluctuates as you add each cold piece of shrimp. It took only about 3 minutes to fry each piece, flipping over the shrimp after about 1 ½ to two minutes. The color is more of a pale yellow but gets a little more golden as it sits for a minute right out of the fryer.
Beer Battered Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
Sriracha Sauce
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons asian chili paste, like Sriracha
- zest of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- kosher salt
Mango Salsa
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 large mango, diced into ¼”-inch cubes
- ¾ cup roma tomatoes, diced into ¼”-inch cubes
- 1 large avocado, diced into ¼”-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, freshly chopped
Beer Battered Shrimp
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup cold beer, Ale or Lager
- ½ cup water, (ice cold)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, 16/20 count size or smaller
- ¼ cup cornstarch, for dredging
- 8 corn tortillas, medium-sized
Instructions
Sriracha Sauce
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the mayonnaise and sour cream. Whisk in the lime zest, lime juice, and water. Season to taste with salt.
Mango Salsa
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the diced onion, mango, tomatoes, avocado, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cilantro. Stir until combined, and then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Beer Battered Shrimp
- In a medium pot, heat 2-inches of vegetable oil to 350°F. Cover a baking sheet with a large wire rack and set it near the stove.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add the cold beer, ice water, and egg then stir with a fork just until blended. The batter can be a little lumpy.
- Working close to the hot oil, dredge the shrimp in cornstarch, shaking off any excess. Holding a shrimp in each hand, swirl them quickly through the batter and drop them into the oil. Repeat with the remaining dredged shrimp.
- Fry the shrimp until a light golden brown, about 1 ½ to 3 minutes, depending on the size. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to the rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
- Heat tortillas in a pan when ready to serve. Top each taco with 2 to 3 pieces of shrimp, mango salsa, and sriracha sauce.
Notes
- Sriracha Sauce can be made 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Emily Peters says
should the shrimp be precooked or raw?
Jordan s says
Definitely raw.
Jessica says
Hi! This looks so delicious! Maybe I missed it somewhere but is that calorie count for one taco?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Jessica! Each taco is 379 calories, but that’s with generous toppings 🙂
Frassylynn says
I cannot WAIT to make this, my husband would CRUSH it…
Jessica Gavin says
I am sure you guys will rock this recipe Frassylynn! I can’t wait to hear what you think 🙂