Camarones Empanizados (Mexican Fried Shrimp)

Unbelievably crispy, these camarones empanizados (Mexican fried shrimp) are tossed in a easy batter and served with a spicy and chunky dipping sauce on the aspect. You received’t consider these crunchy and golden appetizers are prepared in lower than an hour!

Straightforward Mexican Fried Shrimp (Camarones Empanizados)

Tossed in a easy batter, these simple Mexican fried shrimp are the proper appetizer in your seafood-inspired menus. Extraordinarily crispy and golden, each chew is an explosion of crunchy goodness with a creamy, spicy kick from the dipping sauce.

You may need to make a number of batches, although, as a result of these will certainly be a favourite. Relying in your predominant dishes, why not make them spicy or give them a Tex-Mex twist? All you want are a few spices to make it occur.

Prepared in lower than an hour, these shrimp are filled with recent coastal flavors with out making you go on a fishing journey for an genuine Mexican style. Good as fast weekday appetizers, you’ll end up dipping and munching away till the bowl and plate are squeaky clear.

What Are Camarones Empanizados?

Camarones empanizados are Mexican battered or breaded shrimp. They’re deep-fried for a stunning golden coloration and crunch. The batter or breading is often saved fairly easy, made with flour, water, and eggs. Often a few spices or seasonings are added for extra taste but it surely’s completely optionally available.

They’re served heat with a dipping sauce on the aspect. In small quantities, they’re nice appetizers for Mexican seafood meals. Nevertheless, folks love them a lot they’re additionally thought of a predominant dish.

Recipe Elements

With flour and a few water, your batter is nearly full. Examine the recipe card on the backside of the submit for full ingredient quantities for the batter and sauce.

For the Batter:

• Jumbo shrimp – You too can search for U8 to U10-sized shrimp. They’re good for this recipe.
• All-purpose flour – Don’t use bread or cake flour for this. Additionally, don’t use oat, almond, or gluten-free flour both.
• Garlic powder – Be at liberty to swap it for onion powder.
• Salt and pepper
• Water
• Vegetable oil – Any cooking oil with a excessive smoke level like peanut, canola, and corn may also work.
• Egg
• Lime wedges

For the Sauce:

• Mayonnaise – I favor full-fat, however low-fat is okay too. You too can use bitter cream. If you would like extra lime taste, attempt to discover some Mayonesa (Mexican mayonnaise with lime added).
• Pickled jalapeños – Recent ones are an excellent substitute however you’ll want so as to add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar to the sauce for the same tang.
• Jalapeño brine
• Lime juice – Lemon juice may also work in a pinch.
• Cilantro
• Worcestershire sauce – It provides depth to the sauce, however you’ll be able to depart it out.

Straightforward Variations

Listed here are some yummy variations of those Mexican fried shrimp:

• Make them spicy. Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of floor cayenne pepper or purple pepper flakes to the batter for a spicy kick.
• Use Italian seasoning. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning to the batter for an herby taste. Swap the sauce for a drizzle of lemon juice if you wish to be additional Italian.
• Add Tex-Mex spices. Add 1/4 teaspoon of floor cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of floor paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano, and 1/8 teaspoon of floor cayenne pepper to the batter for a little bit of Tex-Mex spice.
• Make them Mediterranean. Add 1/4 teaspoon of dried dill, 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley, 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of floor paprika to the batter for a Mediterranean twist. Dip the shrimp in aioli or tahini for additional taste factors!

How you can Make Camarones Empanizados

Combine the sauce, make the batter, and fry the shrimp. That’s it!

• Whisk the sauce. Add all the sauce substances to a small bowl. Whisk them till nicely mixed. In case you’re not a fan of chunky sauces, you’ll be able to mix the substances till easy. Refrigerate the sauce till able to serve.
• Put together the shrimp. Clear the shrimp and pat them dry with paper towels. Set them apart.
• Make the batter. Combine the flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a big bowl till nicely mixed. Set 1/2 cup of the combination apart in a small bowl. Add the water and egg to the massive bowl of the flour combination. Whisk till simply mixed. It’s okay if just a few small lumps or streaks of flour stay. Don’t over-mix it.
• Coat the shrimp. Warmth 1/2″ of oil in a pan or pot. Let it warmth for 2-3 minutes over medium-high warmth. Toss the shrimp within the batter till they’re fully coated.

• Dredge them. Dredge the battered shrimp within the reserved flour combination. Gently shake off any extra flour.
• Fry them. Fastidiously decrease 4-6 shrimp into the oil at a time. Cook dinner them for 1-2 minutes on all sides or till frivolously browned.
• Cool them. Use kitchen tongs or a spatula to rigorously take away the fried shrimp from the oil. Set them on a paper towel-lined plate to chill. Serve with the dipping sauce and lime wedges on the aspect.

Ideas for Success

With the following pointers, these Mexican fried shrimp would be the greatest (and best) you’ve ever made.

• Purchase frozen shrimp. Frozen shrimp is a good way to throw this recipe collectively any day of the week. Switch them to the fridge a day earlier than cooking to ensure they’ve sufficient time to thaw. Pat them dry earlier than including them to the batter.
• Purchase pre-cleaned shrimp. Asking your fishmonger to scrub the shrimp and butterfly them for you’ll prevent a lot of time.
• Don’t thoughts the tail. Whereas the tails make the shrimp look fairly, you don’t really need them. Be at liberty to take away them earlier than frying.
• Use a wire rack. To verify your deep-frying effort doesn’t go down the drain by having your shrimp soften on a plate, set them on a wire rack to chill proper after cooking. This manner they’ll keep good and crispy till you’re able to serve them.

What to Serve With Battered Fried Shrimp

These Mexican fried shrimp are an excellent appetizer for seafood-inspired meals like fish tacos or a “surf and turf” menu mixed with my Carne Asada Tacos.

You too can serve them with a few different sides like my Mexican Road Corn (Elote), Mexican Road Corn Salad (Esquites), and Straightforward Genuine Mexican Rice for a full meal.

How you can Retailer & Reheat Leftovers

Like all fried meals, these fried shrimp are greatest served recent. Refrigerate any cooled leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days. Don’t retailer them longer than this to scale back the chance of meals poisoning.

You’ve acquired 3 choices to reheat them, however I extremely suggest utilizing an air fryer for greatest outcomes:

• Microwave. Pop them into the microwave for 1-2 minutes or till heat.
• Pan. Add the shrimp to a pan over medium warmth. Warmth them for 4-6 minutes or till heat. Shake the pan often and flip them over midway by cooking.
• Air fryer. Place them within the air fryer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes or till heat to style. Shake the basket midway by. This methodology will yield the crispest outcomes.

Extra Straightforward Mexican Recipes

Yield: 4 servings

Camarones Empanizados

Completely golden, these simple Mexican fried shrimp are completely battered and fried until crispy! Served with a spicy dipping sauce, they’re the proper appetizer.

Prep Time
half-hour

Cook dinner Time
quarter-hour

Complete Time
45 minutes

Elements

For the Batter and Shrimp:

• 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and butterflied, tail on
• 1 cup all function flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 egg
• Oil for frying (peanut, vegetable, or canola)
• Lime wedges, optionally available for serving

For the Sauce:

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon minced pickled jalapeños
• 1 teaspoon jalapeno brine
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Sauce: Mix all of the sauce substances collectively and hold chilly till able to serve. 
2. Shrimp: Make certain the shrimp has been cleaned and patted dry. Put aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk to mix the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
4. Place ½ cup of the flour combination in a bowl and blend with water and the egg. Stir until mixed. Will probably be like a pancake batter.
5. Warmth a ½ inch of oil in a pan.
6. Maintain the shrimp by their tails and dip them into the batter, then into the flour.
7. Place the shrimp, just a few items at a time within the scorching oil. Cook dinner on all sides until frivolously browned. Place shrimp on paper towel lined plates and proceed frying till all shrimp are cooked.
8. Serve with lime slices and sauce, as desired. 

Notes

Storage: Fried shrimp are greatest served recent. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to retailer leftovers in an hermetic container, within the fridge, for up 3 days. I like to recommend reheating them in an air fryer to attempt to get them crispy once more!

Diet Data:

Yield:

4

Serving Measurement:

1

Quantity Per Serving:
Energy: 429Complete Fats: 21gSaturated Fats: 3gTrans Fats: 0gUnsaturated Fats: 16gLdl cholesterol: 293mgSodium: 1513mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 31g

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