Prawn cocktails, in canapé form! These one-bite mini tacos are fantastic finger food, and you’ll love the nifty trick for making the miniature taco shells – just use an upside-down muffin tin!
Prawn cocktail mini tacos
Though you’ll catch me eating the leftover prawn filling by the spoonful, the star of today’s recipe, is not the prawns, but rather, the mini taco shells. Firstly – adorable! Versatile!
Secondly – how they’re made. It’s so nifty – just wedge tortilla rounds into taco shapes using upside down muffin tin, then bake. They come out crispy and really, truly, actually look like taco shells!
They are the perfect size for one-bite finger food, and can be filled with anything chopped small enough to fit inside. Try this Jalapeño chicken filling, spicy salmon, Thai chicken salad or even old school taco beef.
In the spirit of summer here in Australia (and an attempt to be grown-up cocktail party canapé worthy), I’ve gone for prawn cocktail with a classic Marie Rose sauce. You just can’t go wrong with that combo!
Ingredients in prawn cocktail mini tacos
Here’s what you need to make the mini tacos and prawn cocktail filling.
1. for the mini taco shells
I recommend using corn rather than flour tortillas for the mini taco shells. They have more flavour, plus they bake up crispier and have better crispy staying power (an asset, once filled with the prawn cocktail filling). However, I’d use flour tortillas in a pinch if that’s all I could get.
2. marie rose sauce for the prawn filling
The ingredients here are the same as a classic prawn cocktail. The only thing we do differently is chop the prawns up into small pieces so they fit inside the mini taco shells.
3. the prawns
Use any prawns you want. I used tiger prawns, known for their bright orange colour! See more here for information about different Australian prawn varieties.
Buy the prawns pre-cooked, in the shell. Most Australian prawns are cooked soon after being caught, which locks in freshness and flavour. As long as they are fresh, the quality is excellent!
You can also buy them raw and boil yourself, or cook raw peeled prawns (directions in recipe notes).
I recommend avoiding the frozen pre-cooked prawns. I know they are better value, but they don’t taste much like prawns, and they are much drier and and firmer than fresh prawns.
How to make prawn cocktail mini tacos
The mini taco shells will stay crispy for 2 days – super handy for getting ahead!
1. How to make the mini taco shells
Use the off cuts to make little crispy tortilla shards to sprinkle on salads. Spray with oil, sprinkle with salt and bake until crispy, then use like croutons!
Cut rounds from the tortillas using a 6cm / 2.4″ cutter. I get 3 out of each tortilla. Start with one tortilla at a time, then stack when you’re a pro!
If you don’t have a cutter, use a glass and small sharp knife.
Warm – Spread half the tortillas on a dinner plate and microwave for 30 seconds on high to make them pliable. We need to do this because corn tortillas are stiff when cold so they will break when bent into taco shapes.
Salt and spray – Spray the warm tortillas with oil and sprinkle with salt.
Wedge into taco shapes in an upside down muffin tin! Put them in salt side down. (There is no need to salt the upper side because it gets filled with the tasty prawn cocktail filling.
Then repeat with remaining tortillas (if you work fast, you can warm and mould in one batch).
Bake – Spray the surface lightly with oil (helps them brown) then bake for 12 minutes at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced) or until they are golden brown and crispy.
Cool in the muffin tin so they set and firmly hold their shape. Then they can be removed to use or stored in an airtight container for 2 days.
Tip: If they soften slightly for whatever reason, just reheat in the oven on a baking tray. 5 minutes at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) should do the trick!
2. MAKING THE PRAWN COCKTAIL FILLING
This is simply a classic prawn cocktail with the prawns chopped into smaller pieces so it fits in the mini taco shells.
Peel the prawns.
(I freeze the head and shells until I have enough to make prawn stock. Crush for freezer space efficiency!)
Chop into small 5mm / 0.2″ cubes. For large prawns, I cut them in half horizontally, then lengthways, then I dice (demonstrated in video).
Mix the sauce in a bowl. This can be done ahead – even the day before.
Add prawns – Stir the prawns in the sauce.
Don’t do this more than 30 minutes ahead of using because the salt in the sauce = sweats the prawns = thins the sauce = coats prawns less plus soaks the taco shells faster (neither of these things are good).
3. assembling & serving
Fill the mini tacos shells with the prawn cocktail filling. Do this just before serving so the shells don’t become soggy. Though, if you use corn tortillas, they will stay crisp once filled for a good 30 minutes!
Serve – Sprinkle with chives, then transfer to a platter and serve!
Tip – keeping mini tacos upright for serving!
I’ve learnt over the years from the pros that details matter. In this situation, the detail that I never thought of previously was how to stop these mini tacos from falling over and sliding all over the plate as you pass them around. And slide, they do!!
A neat trick I learnt from JB is to use dried black beans as a bed to keep them upright. Heavy and large enough not to stick to the tacos (like rice would), and I think the black colour looks great against the tacos!
Restaurants and caters would typically opt for rock salt as a more upscale option, but dried beans are cheaper and can be re-used which is why I go for that.
You don’t need to use a bed of any kind though. You can just lie the tacos down on their side or use the tacos to hold each other up. Though if you do the later, sternly tell your guests to take from the edge, not the middle, else you will risk a mini taco domino toppling situation!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Prawn cocktail mini tacos (shrimp)
Ingredients
Mini tacos:
- 6 corn tortillas ~13cm / 3" wide (Note 1 on flour tortillas)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt)
- Olive oil spray
Prawns:
- 220g/7 oz cooked prawns/shrimp, peeled (ie 500g/1 lb whole cooked in shell, then peel yourself, Note 2)
Prawn cocktail sauce:
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise , preferably whole egg, or Kewpie (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp horseradish cream , or better yet fresh horseradish (Note 4)
- 2 dashes of tabasco , for touch of spice (optional)
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper , for touch of spice (optional)
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder (or small garlic clove pressed using garlic crusher)
- 1 tbsp cornichons (or dill pickle), finely chopped
Garnish/serving:
- 1 tbsp chives , finely sliced (or parsley)
- Fancy options – salmon roe, caviar (not pictured)
- Dried black beans or rock salt , to keep upright when serving (optional, Note 5)
Instructions
Abbreviated recipe:
- Cut 17 x 6cm/2.4" rounds, microwave to soften, oil and salt, press into upside muffin tin. Bake 12 minutes, cool in tin. Fill!
FULL RECIPE:
Crispy mini taco shells:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Get a standard 12 hole muffin tin.
- Cut circles from the tortillas using a 6cm / 2.4" cutter. (Note 6 on using offcuts)
- Warm – Spread half on a dinner plate and microwave for 30 seconds on high (makes them pliable). Spray the warm tortillas lightly with oil, sprinkle with half the salt.
- Wedge – Turn the muffin tin upside down. Wedge the tortillas salt side down between the muffin tin holes – they fold into taco shapes! Repeat with remaining rounds.
- Spray the surface of the tortillas lightly with oil (no salt).
- Bake for 12 minutes, or until quite golden and crispy. Cool in the muffin tin so they set. (Stays crisp 2 days!)
Prawn cocktail filling:
- Dice the prawns into small 5mm / 0.2" cubes (for large, cut in half horizontally, lengthwise then chop – see video).
- Mix the Marie Rose sauce in a bowl. Then stir the prawns through, just before assembling.
Assembling:
- Fill taco shells with prawn cocktail filling, sprinkle with chives. To keep them upright, place on a bed of rock salt or dried beans for serving.
- Pass around, bask in praise, be coy when people ask how you made those marvellous mini taco shells!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More mini one-bite appetisers!
Life of Dozer
Home video from last week. What a comeback from a year ago! Can you believe he’s almost 13?!
What a great idea to use the muffin tin to hold the tacos shape, but I want the full size taco, they look incredible . Thanks so much Nagi
You’ll like today’s recipe then! N x
So happy to see Dozer doing so well!! Sparky will be 15 in May and still romps with the younger dogs.
Recipe looks tasty – I can’t eat seafood, might have a go at it using chicken!
WOW 15! I love hearing he will has a “spark” in him! (Sorry, couldn’t resist 😂)
Amazing, beautiful, happy dog! I’m so happy he’s doing so well. Kudos to you too for your love and dedication.
Thanks Paloma! No recipe can compete with Dozer 😅
Dozer, 🙂 best part of the recipe!! Big hugs from Kentucky!
I always think so too 😅
Hugs to you & that big beautiful boy ! You are giving Dozer his best life possible ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hugs happily received! *She says as she resurfaces with a mouthful of golden fur*
Love this recipe and the black bean trick and will definitely make it. Love the video of Dozer. We also have a very old dog and it is wonderful to see his joy for life and rebound.
HUGS to your senior fur baby!! Let’s make the most of every day we have with them. 🙂 – N x
Nagi, you should never tell us the ‘Life of Dozer’ is better than the recipe!! Usually I steel myself to read through the recipe BEFORE Dozer, but your hint broke me 🥹
He! GOOD!!!! – N x
Not sure I can get Horseradish cream or fresh where I live in Canada, there are jars of horseradish (probably grated), can they be used somehow and what else could I use it for. Thanks Love Dozer
Just leave it out Mary! It’s not such a critical ingredient in this recipe 🙂 – N x
Presidents Choice have creamed horseradish🇨🇦🇨🇦
Thank you so much, I will look there the net time I am shopping.
I also live in Canada and in a small town where shopping for ingredients is a challenge so often have to find alternatives. I looked up horseradish cream and found this:1/2 cup heavy cream.
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream.
1/2 cup store-bought or homemade preserved horseradish.
2 tablespoons minced chives.
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Kosher salt.
Freshly ground black pepper.
Thanks for the recipe – will make it if I cannot find it. I was just told President’s Choice have it.
Hi Mary! It is honestly not a huge deal to leave it out 🙂 I can’t think of an equivalent because lemon waters down the sauce (I tried and was not happy). Sriracha provides tang but also too much spice. Honestly, better to leave it out! It’s not a major ingredient anyway. You will still love it! N x
YUM YUM! Can’t wait to try these. They look so yummy and easy to make. Big Hugs to you and beautiful Dozer.
Hope you get a chance to try it Lizzie! – N x
You’re a clever chook Nagi. MOTH is excited for Australia Day entertainment.
AND, you can do with fish and chicken ++++
I love this with raw fish chopped up finely!!! It’s sooo good. Especially ceviche. Yum yum! I have also used flaked cooked fish from my fish tacos which was amaaaazing too! N x
i love seeing dozer, thanks for sharing him with us. wow almost 13, i thought he was younger, hes mega cute no matter his age. lol was wondering how or where you got the mini tacos then realised you made yourself, such a cool idea. i do love mini things lol esp with food.
Love one-bite anything!!! Hope you get a chance to try it 🙂 – N x
The great part about this recipe is that in Louisiana tiger prawns are an invasive species and we can catch them anytime of the year. I love the fact that they’re huge so can be cut up into things like this and hold their flavor.
PERFECT!! N x
Had tears of Joy re Dozer. Tacos look great as well.😂
Thank you Maureen! I get a little misty watching it too 🙂 N x
The recipe looks great and I will definitely be using it one day, however Dozer has definitely stolen the show!
Loving a dog that you have raised from a puppy to a gorgeous senior, particularly if there have been some health scares, and they have bounced back, is an absolute privilege as a pet owner (feeling a bit misty remembering our gorgeous black Lab Tilly, who blessed our lives for 14 years.) Enjoy this special time with your gorgeous boy xx
Aww TILLY! HUGS – N x
Brilliant to see Dozer having so much fun. Well done you’ve done a great job with him
Thank you Sue! He is worth every second of effort 🙂 N x
Such a tasty recipe, I’ve always loved prawn cocktail, this recipe is brilliant for entertaining, especially this long weekend celebrating Australia Day 🇦🇺
Hope you get a chance to try it Cheryl! – N x
Nagi, you have done a wonderful job of keeping Dozer fit and healthy. He is a joy to watch. I like your recipes as well. I have every recipe you have posted since 2018 and both your books.
Aww thanks Glenn! You must be one of my original readers – I love that! N x
Love your recipes, working my way though both books slowly, haven’t had a single one we have not loved, so easy to follow. But just a comment on the butter lemon garlic prawns, cooking and cutting little heat n eat rolls in half and scooping out the inside, dropping 3 prawns in them and drizzling the garlic lemon butter sauce, wow, a serious crunchy explosion of flavour! And the dough from the rolls is great to soak up the remaining sauce!
WOAH!!! GENIUS!!! N xx
The love between you and Dozer is what’s keeping him like a puppy. He is just so precious. Give him a hug and kisses from me. Oh! those mini tacos look yummy.
GIANT HUG PASSED ON!!! N xx
Dozer all the way. Always look for him first. You are the perfect ‘mother’. You both bring much joy to many people. Lots of love and pats. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
There was a recipe?? 😀