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Tortillitas de camarones are one of my all-time favorite tapas from my husband’s hometown, El Puerto de Santa María. My mother-in-law makes these often, and approves of this traditional recipe. Let’s start making these mouthwatering fritters!
If you’re looking for other shrimp recipes, be sure to try these recipes for gambas cocidas (boiled shrimp) and gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp).
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Introduction
During summer in southern Spain, my go-to tapa is tortillitas de camarones (Andalusian shrimp fritters). These crispy, flaky, and utterly delicious fritters are the perfect snack for beach weekends! Although this tapa originated in Cadiz, the restaurant Casa Balbino in Sanlúcar de Barrameda is the best place to try one if you’re in Spain.
But if you can’t make it to Spain, these fritters are quick and easy to make in your own kitchen! One bite of these crispy, sweet shrimp-flavored fritters will transport you to the sunny shores of Spain. Be sure to use fresh, raw shrimp and good quality olive oil for the best flavor!
Ingredients
Wondering what you need for these tortillitas de camarones? Grab these few ingredients, and you’ll be ready to start cooking. Let’s talk about the key ingredients.
- Shrimp (Camarones): These teeny-tiny Spanish shrimp are barely a centimeter long, and don’t need to have their heads, tails, or shells removed before eating. If you can’t find these, use the best quality shrimp, remove their heads and shells, and cut them into small chunks.
- Chickpea Flour: Along with regular flour, this thickens the batter and adds a subtle yellow hue to the mixture.
- Olive Oil: The better the olive oil, the better the flavor of the fritters. Use good quality Spanish olive oil if you can find it.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Tortillitas de Camarones
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Combine the flour, chickpea flour, onion, parsley, and pinch of salt until well blended. (image 1)
- Gradually add the cold water to create a smooth, runny batter. (image 2)
- Mix the shrimp into the batter, making sure they are coated, then chill it for 30 minutes. (image 3)
- Heat 2 centimeters of olive oil in a skillet, then add tablespoons of the batter to the pan. Make sure the fritters don’t touch each other or the sides of the pan. (image 4)
- Flip the tortillitas over halfway through so they brown on both sides, then drain on paper towels. (image 5)
- Serve the tortillitas de camarones with a glass of dry manzanilla sherry and enjoy while they’re hot and crispy! (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
Chill the batter for 30 minutes before frying, and make sure the oil is at the right temperature (around 360°F or 182°C). Cold batter will get extra crispy when it hits the hot oil!
It’s traditional to use a good quality virgin or extra virgin olive oil for frying the tortillitas. Use a Spanish brand if you can find it! You’ll love the flavor a good quality oil brings to the fritters.
Yes, you can use frozen shrimp (or camarones) in these fritters, but just make sure that they’re fully thawed and patted dry with paper towel before adding them to the batter. That way, the batter will stick to the shrimp.
Expert Tips
- If you can’t buy camarones (Spanish baby shrimp), remove the heads, tails, and shells from regular shrimp and cut them into small pieces.
- You can use frozen cooked shrimp, but make sure they are completely thawed and dried before cooking.
- If you can’t find chickpea flour, you can substitute the same amount of wheat flour. Just add a half teaspoon of turmeric to give the light yellow tinge to the tortillitas.
- Chill the batter for 30 minutes before frying for extra crispy fritters.
Tortillitas de Camarones (Spanish Shrimp Fritters)
These crispy shrimp fritters from Cadiz in southern Spain are the perfect light summertime snack. Pair them with a glass of dry sherry for a real taste of Andalucia!
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 199.19kcal
Instructions
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Combine the all-purpose flour, chickpea flour, diced onion, chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl until well mixed.
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Add the cold water and mix to form a smooth, runny batter. Stir in the shrimp, making sure they are coated in the batter, then chill for 30 minutes for extra crispy fritters.
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Pour a little less than an inch (2 centimeters) of olive oil into a large, shallow frying pan and set over medium-high heat until the oil reaches about 360°F (182°C).
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Once the oil is heated, add tablespoons of the batter to the frying pan. The batter will expand and crisp up. Add enough fritters to fill the pan without them touching each other or the edges of the frying pan.
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Fry until they are golden brown, turning them over halfway through to brown both sides.
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Use tongs to remove the fritters from the pan, allowing excess oil to drip back into the pan. Gently put on a plate covered with paper towels and drain.
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Season with salt and serve hot. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- If you can’t buy camarones (Spanish baby shrimp), remove the tails, heads, and shells from regular shrimp and cut them into small pieces.
- You can use frozen cooked shrimp, but make sure they are completely thawed and dried before cooking.
- If you can’t find chickpea flour, you can substitute the same amount of wheat flour. Just add a half teaspoon of turmeric to give the light yellow tinge to the tortillitas.
- Chill the batter for 30 minutes before frying for extra crispy fritters.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 199.19kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.56g | Protein: 12.39g | Fat: 2.11g | Saturated Fat: 0.23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.82g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.39g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 44.65mg | Sodium: 219.94mg | Potassium: 274.27mg | Fiber: 3.2g | Sugar: 2.59g | Vitamin A: 262.98IU | Vitamin C: 3.09mg | Calcium: 39.33mg | Iron: 2.42mg
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
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