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Prawn Cocktail Mini Tacos Recipe

4.5 from 658 reviews

These prawn cocktail mini tacos are a delightful finger food combining crispy homemade corn tortilla shells with a creamy and tangy prawn cocktail filling. Perfect for entertaining, they offer a sophisticated twist on classic shrimp cocktails, served in perfectly portioned miniature taco shells made from oven-baked corn tortillas.

Ingredients

Scale

Mini Taco Shells

  • 6 corn tortillas (~13cm / 3″ wide)
  • 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (use half if using table salt)
  • Olive oil spray

Prawn Cocktail Filling

  • 220g / 7 oz cooked prawns/shrimp, peeled (equivalent to ~500g / 1 lb whole cooked in shell before peeling)
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise (preferably whole egg or Kewpie)
  • 1 tbsp ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp horseradish cream (or fresh horseradish for better flavor)
  • 2 dashes Tabasco sauce (optional, for a touch of spice)
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for a touch of spice)
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder (or one small garlic clove pressed)
  • 1 tbsp cornichons (or finely chopped dill pickle)
  • 1 tbsp chives, finely sliced (or parsley)

Serving

  • Fancy options: salmon roe or caviar (optional)
  • Dried black beans or rock salt (to keep tacos upright when serving, optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Mini Taco Shells: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) or 160°C fan-forced. Using a 6cm (2.4″) round cutter, cut 17 circles out of the corn tortillas. Microwave half of the rounds on a dinner plate for 30 seconds on high to make them pliable.
  2. Season and Shape: Lightly spray the warmed tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with half the salt. Turn a standard 12-cup muffin tin upside down. Wedge each tortilla round salt-side down between the muffin tin cups so that they fold into a taco shape. Repeat with all rounds.
  3. Bake Crispy Shells: Spray the outside surfaces of the tacos lightly with olive oil (do not add more salt). Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until the shells are golden brown and crisp. Allow them to cool in the muffin tin so they set perfectly and stay crisp for up to two days.
  4. Prepare Prawn Cocktail Filling: Dice the cooked prawns into small 5mm (0.2″) cubes. Combine mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish cream, Tabasco (if using), cayenne pepper, garlic powder, cornichons, and chives in a bowl to create the Marie Rose sauce. Stir the diced prawns into this sauce just before assembling.
  5. Assemble Mini Tacos: Spoon the prawn cocktail filling into the cooled taco shells. Sprinkle additional finely sliced chives on top for garnish. To keep the mini tacos upright and stable when serving, place them on a bed of dried black beans or rock salt.
  6. Serve and Enjoy: Pass around these elegant mini prawn cocktail tacos and enjoy the compliments! The crispy yet tender shells paired with the creamy, tangy filling make for irresistible bite-sized appetizers.

Notes

  • Use corn tortillas to ensure the mini tacos crisp up nicely rather than flour tortillas which may not hold shape as well.
  • Prawns should be cooked and peeled before dicing for the filling; cooking them yourself adds freshness but pre-cooked can be used for convenience.
  • Mayonnaise preferably whole egg or Kewpie gives a richer, creamier texture to the Marie Rose sauce.
  • Fresh horseradish is preferred over prepared horseradish cream for better flavor complexity.
  • Using dried black beans or rock salt to keep the tacos upright is especially helpful for presentation when serving.
  • Any leftover tortilla offcuts can be repurposed as chips seasoned and baked separately.

Keywords: prawn cocktail, mini tacos, shrimp appetizer, finger food, corn tortilla tacos, Marie Rose sauce, party food, easy appetizer