Surf & Turf Tacos with Chimichurri “Aioli” & Crispy Onions
Prep Time: 10mins
Cook Time: 25mins
The sweet shrimp offset the smoky beef and I ended up with a zesty surf and turf.
jump toRECIPE
Tacos seem to taste better when eaten on a Tuesday and “Taco Tuesday” has become a tradition at my house. I like to spice up my weekly taco dinner in a variety of different ways, and recently I came up with this surf and turf taco recipe that used both shrimp and steak topped with herb aioli.
The sweet shrimp offset the smoky beef and I ended up with a zesty surf and turf. (I like to cut the tails of the shrimp and chop both the shrimp and the steak into pieces for easier eating, but if you want a nicer presentation, feel free to leave the shrimp whole and the tails on the shrimp.
Surf & Turf Tacos with Chimichurri “Aioli” & Crispy Onions
Shrimp – The terms “jumbo” and “extra jumbo” and “colossal” aren’t standardized terms within the industry. Instead look at the numbers – they estimate approximately how many shrimp are in 1 pound. The shrimp should be peeled and deveined before beginning the recipe.
Steak – I use flank steak for this recipe. This cut comes from the bottom abdominal part of the cow. Because of the location it is lean with hard-working muscles and creating tougher fibers. I like using this cut for this recipe because it can be quickly pan seared and sliced.
“Aioli” – Rather than making an aioli from scratch with egg yolks and oil I opt to make a shortcut by dressing up mayonnaise. I whisk in a bit of olive oil, vinegar, shallot, lime juice, pepper and herbs for a creamy and herby aioli.
How to Make Surf and Turf Tacos
For the garlic shrimp:
Heat pan. Season the shrimp on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the butter and allow to melt.
Cook the shrimp. Add the garlic and stir for 10 seconds. Add the shrimp and sauté on until cooked through and lightly browned on both sides, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
To make the steak:
Sear steak. Season the beef with olive oil, salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef about 4 minutes each side for medium-rare.
Let the meat rest. Remove from the pan and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
For the chimichurri “aioli”:
Make the “aioli”. In a medium bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, olive oil, red wine vinegar, shallot and lime juice until all ingredients are completely incorporated.
Whisk in the herbs. Add the cilantro, parsley and oregano and whisk to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the crispy onions:
Make the dredge. In a medium bowl, add the buttermilk and the onions. Add the flour to another shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F.
Dredge the onions. Add the onions to the flour and toss to coat. Shake the excess flour from the onions then add to the oil.
Make the crispy onions. Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
To assemble and serve:
Assemble tortillas. Chop the steak and shrimp into bite-sized pieces. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the tortillas one at a time to warm and lightly crisp them on both sides, about 30 seconds each side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Garnish and serve. Top the tortillas with the steak and shrimp, radish, crispy onions and chimichurri aioli. Serve immediately.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this surf and turf tacos recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
¾pound26-30 shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
Kosher salt, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
1tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
1tablespoonunsalted butter
2clovesgarlic,minced
For the steak:
1poundflank steak
1tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
½teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
For the chimichurri “aioli”:
½cupmayonnaise
3teaspoonsextra-virgin olive oil
1teaspoonred wine vinegar
1teaspoonminced shallot
1teaspoonlime juice
1teaspoondiced fresno pepper
1tablespoonchopped cilantro
1tablespoonchopped parsley
1tablespoonchopped oregano
For the crispy onions:
½medium yellow onion,thinly sliced
1cupbuttermilk
1cupall-purpose flour
½teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
For serving:
8small flour tortillas
¼cupthinly sliced radishes,for garnish
Instructions:
For the garlic shrimp:
Season the shrimp on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the butter and allow to melt.
Add the garlic and stir for 10 seconds. Add the shrimp and sauté on until cooked through and lightly browned on both sides, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the steak:
Season the beef with olive oil, salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef about 4 minutes each side for medium-rare.
Remove from the pan and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
For the chimichurri “aioli”:
In a medium bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, olive oil, red wine vinegar, shallot and lime juice until all ingredients are completely incorporated.
Add the cilantro, parsley and oregano and whisk to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the crispy onions:
In a medium bowl, add the buttermilk and the onions. Add the flour to another shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F (180ºC).
Add the onions to the flour and toss to coat. Shake the excess flour from the onions then add to the oil. Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
For serving:
Chop the steak and shrimp into bite-sized pieces. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the tortillas one at a time to warm and lightly crisp them on both sides, about 30 seconds each side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Top the tortillas with the steak and shrimp, radish, crispy onions and chimichurri aioli. Serve immediately.
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What are the “greens” used in the Surf/Turf Taco picture?
Can’t find any mention of them in the recipe.
Just some micro-greens for garnish!
My entire family loved these tacos! My 7 & 5 year old asked me to make this again. Thanks for sharing another great recipe
That makes me so happy to hear!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Yum, gonna try this tonight! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Yay!! I hope you enjoy Nikki!