Tacos Gobernador

If you love shrimp tacos and melty cheese, these are going to be your new obsession. The filling starts with chopped shrimp cooked quickly with poblano peppers, onions, garlic, and oregano, so it is savory, slightly smoky, and full of flavor. Then it gets tucked into warm corn tortillas with Monterey Jack cheese and crisped in a hot skillet until the edges are golden and the cheese is gooey.

These tacos also have a fun story. They were created in Sinaloa to impress the governor, which is where the name “Tacos Gobernador” comes from. They feel restaurant-level fancy but are honestly simple enough for a weeknight. You can keep them mild for the family or kick them up with jalapeño, serrano, or chipotle. Serve with salsa and lime, and watch them disappear.

Before You Get Started

Here are a few helpful things to know before you start cooking so your tacos come out cheesy, crispy, and full of flavor.

• Choose your shrimp: Any size shrimp works since everything is chopped, but make sure they are peeled, deveined, and raw. If you are using frozen shrimp, defrost them first and pat them dry so they sear instead of steaming in the pan.
• Prep the peppers and onions: Slice the poblanos and white onion into thin strips so they cook quickly and soften without turning mushy. If you want more heat, you can add sliced jalapeño or serrano during the same step.
• Pick a good melting cheese: Monterey Jack is easy to find and melts beautifully, but Oaxaca, Chihuahua, mozzarella, or asadero work really well too. Just make sure to shred the cheese so it melts evenly inside the tacos.
• Warm your tortillas first: Corn tortillas can crack if they are cold. Wrap them in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave for 30–60 seconds, or warm them briefly on a dry skillet so they bend easily without breaking when folded.
• Use a heavy skillet: A cast-iron or other heavy skillet helps you get those crispy, golden tortillas and lightly browned cheese edges. It holds heat well, so the tacos cook fast and evenly.

How to Make Tacos Gobernador

Here’s a simple step-by-step to bring these cheesy shrimp tacos together at home.

1. Sauté the Peppers and Onions

Heat the butter and olive oil in a cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts and starts to bubble, add the sliced poblano peppers and white onion. Cook for 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften but still have a bit of bite. If you are adding jalapeño, serrano, or tomatoes, add them during this step so they can cook down slightly.

2. Cook the Shrimp

Add the chopped shrimp to the skillet along with the minced garlic and oregano. Stir everything together and cook for 2–3 minutes until the shrimp are just cooked through, pink, and opaque. Avoid overcooking, or they will become tough and rubbery. Turn off the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, stir in the cilantro, then transfer the mixture to a bowl. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.

3. Assemble the Tacos

Warm the corn tortillas so they are flexible. Place a few tortillas in the clean skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese on one half of each tortilla. Add some of the shrimp and pepper mixture on top, then add another tablespoon of cheese over the filling. Fold the tortilla over to close the taco.

4. Crisp and Melt the Cheese

Let the tacos cook for 1–2 minutes per side until the tortillas are golden and lightly crispy and the cheese is melted. For extra crisp edges, gently press down on the folded tacos with a spatula so a little cheese melts out and browns in the pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. Serve hot with lime wedges and your favorite salsa.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Here are the best tips and tricks to make these Tacos Gobernador come out perfectly every single time.

• Raw vs roasted poblano strips: Using raw poblano strips keeps this recipe fast and easy, and they soften nicely in the skillet. For a deeper smoky flavor, you can roast and peel the poblanos first, then slice them into rajas and add them to the shrimp mixture.
• Tomatoes for extra juiciness: For a saucier filling, add 1–2 chopped Roma tomatoes to the skillet with the peppers and onions, or use well-drained pico de gallo. Let the tomatoes cook down slightly so the mixture is juicy but not watery.
• Boost the smoky heat: Stir in a chopped chipotle pepper in adobo or a spoonful of the adobo sauce with the shrimp. This adds a smoky, spicy kick that pairs really well with the creamy cheese.
• Switch up the peppers: If you prefer less spice, replace some or all of the poblanos with green bell peppers. For more heat, add serrano peppers or extra jalapeños along with the poblanos.
• Add more texture: Stir some finely chopped celery into the peppers and onions as they cook for a little extra crunch and flavor.
• Umami boost: If you want a deeper savory flavor, try adding a tiny splash of Worcestershire or Maggi seasoning to the shrimp mixture as it cooks. Start small and build up slowly so it doesn’t overpower the other flavors.

Serving Ideas

While these can stand as a meal on their own, consider these delicious side dishes and salsa ideas.

• Refried beans or Black beans
• Mexican street corn salad
• Guacamole or Creamy avocado salsa verde
• Habanero salsa or Ranchero sauce
• Creamy Mexican slaw
• Mexican cauliflower rice
• Pickled red onions

Storage & Reheating

Here’s how to store and enjoy Tacos Gobernador later without losing all that great texture.

• Store (fridge): For best results, store the shrimp and pepper mixture separately from the tortillas and cheese. Keep the filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2–3 days, and refrigerate any unused tortillas and cheese separately.
• Store (freezer): Assembled tacos do not freeze well since the tortillas and cheese can turn soggy. If needed, you can freeze the cooled shrimp mixture by itself in an airtight container for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating and assembling fresh tacos.
• Reheat: Reheat the shrimp filling in a hot skillet just until warmed through. Then assemble fresh tacos with cheese and tortillas and crisp them in the skillet so the tortillas stay crunchy and the cheese melts again.
• Leftovers: Use leftover shrimp mixture in quesadillas, burrito bowls, over rice or cauliflower rice, or spooned on top of tortilla chips with extra cheese for quick shrimp nachos.