Mexican Seafood: A Dive into the Amazing Flavors of Coastal Cuisine

Mexico is a paradise for foodies. When you visit this country, you realize that it doesn’t matter if you are coming for meat, something vegan, or for seafood, you will definitely find what you were looking for. Mexican seafood is full of traditions that come from the beautiful Mexican beaches. Imagine being on the Caribbean Sea enjoying a great meal full of magic, flavor and tradition.

If you crave for a meal like that, then, one of the best options for you is to try Mexican seafood. The variety of recipes that exist in the country make each dish have a unique touch and style, but they all share something in common: the love of the Mexican people towards their culture in every piece that is served.

Whenever you travel to this country and its coastal areas, in addition to seeing beautiful sunsets, having fun and visiting wonderful ancient sites, you can marvel at the gastronomic variety offered by Mexican seafood. Every chef will make you feel at home and let you know why Mexican food is a World Heritage Site. Get your sunscreen, your sandals, and your stomach ready to experience the best of Mexican seafood.

Famous Destinations in Mexico to Try the Best Mexican Seafood

The Mexican coastlines display hundreds of locations that are famed nationally or have been discovered recently as culinary meccas for some exceptional and special variety of Mexican seafood. All seafood lovers can follow their appetites all the way from Baja California to Yucatan Peninsula, savoring delicious Mexico’s shrimp tostadas or cocteles de ceviche.

Ensenada,

the seafood capital of Baja boasts fresh fish tacos that you can find in its incredible street-food traditional carts. Down on the Pacific coast in Puerto Vallarta, further south, seafoodie travelers can fall into a Mexican seascape with a luxurious experience in fancy restaurants near the beach. You can taste the amazing ceviche shrimp and grilled octopus, or try more local vibes Mexican seafood. In Nayarit, you can also try a butterflied fish grilled over mangrove wood, the pescado zarandeado, which represents Pacific Coast’s culinary heritage.

On the Caribbean side, we have Tulum in Quintana Roo, which nowadays is well-known for its exquisite and gourmet Mexican seafood. The chefs here meld traditional and ancient recipes with innovative techniques to show the foodies from all over the world the tastes of the Yucatan Peninsula. Veracruz, a port city with overlapping Spanish, African and indigenous heritage, also has a lot of rich culinary roots. Here, you can try Huachinango a la Veracruzana (a traditional red snapper dish) that speaks to our globally-beloved two-way transatlantic seafood tradition of the Mexican coast.

If you are looking for an off-the-beathen-path Mexican seafood experience, you can visit the lovely fishing town of San Felipe in the always beautiful North Baja California. Famed for an annual shrimp catch, San Felipe allows foodies to experience some of the country’s most delicious seafood while soaking up a bit of small-town coastal ambiance.

And last but not least, Mazatlan (also known as the “Seafood Capital of Mexico”). If you love Mexican seafood, then, this is where your paradise lies. This coastal city in Sinaloa puts on a celebration for your palate. Among the most popular signature dishes in this city is aguachile, a very southern dish of raw shrimp marinated with lemon juice and spices; it’s something that brave foodies who are not afraid of Habanero chili really have to try.

Mexican Seafood Dishes

Here is a list of must-try and famous Mexican seafood dishes:

• Ceviche – Raw fish or seafood marinated in citrus juice.
• Pescado a la Veracruzana – Fish prepared in a tomato-based sauce with olives and capers.
• Aguachile – Spicy shrimp dish similar to ceviche.
• Marlin – Fish with a fleshy texture similar to tuna, but its flavor is a little stronger.
• Pescado Zarandeado – Butterflied fish grilled over mangrove wood.
• Camarones al Mojo de Ajo – Garlic shrimp.
• Pulpo a la Gallega – Galician-style octopus.
• Aguachile – Dish of raw shrimp marinated with lemon juice and spices.
• Gobernador tacos – Tacos with a combination of shrimp, cheese, onion, poblano chili and tomato.
• Coctel de Camarones – Mexican-style shrimp cocktail.
• Tacos de Pescado – Fish tacos, often battered and fried.
• Tostadas de Atún – Tuna tostadas, popular in Baja California.
• Empanadas de Jaiba – Crab empanadas.
• Chilpachole – Spicy seafood soup.
• Huachinango a la Tikin-Xic – Yucatan-style red snapper.
• Camarones Enchilados – Shrimp in chili sauce.
• Filete de Pescado al Cilantro – Fish fillet in cilantro sauce.
• Pescado al Pastor – Fish prepared al pastor style, inspired by the popular pork dish.
• Roasted ‘Chocolata’ Clams – These clams are very well known in Baja California Sur and are famous for their tender and juicy meat, as well as for their distinctive sea flavor.

Mexican Seafood Recipes

Welcome to this section with Chef Mariana! today we are going to prepare Ceviche and Pescado a la Veracruzana, which are traditional Mexican seafood dishes you don’t want to miss:

Ceviche

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh white fish (such as sea bass or tilapia), diced
• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• Salt to taste
• Tostadas or tortilla chips for serving

Preparation:

• In a glass bowl, combine the diced fish and lime juice. Make sure the fish is completely covered. Refrigerate for about 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the fish turns opaque and appears “cooked” by the acid.
• Drain off about half of the lime juice.
• Add the chopped onion, tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, and cucumber. Stir gently to combine.
• Season with salt to taste.
• Just before serving, fold in the diced avocado.
• Serve chilled with tostadas or tortilla chips.

Pescado a la Veracruzana (Veracruz-Style Fish)

Ingredients:

• 4 white fish fillets (such as red snapper or tilapia)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup green olives, sliced
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup white wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until softened.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, olives, capers, bay leaves, and oregano. Cook for about 5 minutes.
• Pour in the white wine and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the fish fillets in a baking dish and cover with the tomato sauce mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
• Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving. ¡Buen provecho amigos!

Mexican Seafood Restaurants

There are a lot of Mexican seafood restaurant dining experiences featuring live music and an ocean view; they create a whole sensory experience that encapsulates the country’s seashore-surfer culture. On the Pacific, from Baja California to Oaxaca, many of these places feature fresh seafood caught locally combined with ocean views and entertainment.

Atop cliffs outside Puerto Vallarta, elegant restaurants look down upon Banderas Bay and serve occasional fresh-caught grilled red snapper or octopus tostadas. At the same time, a roaming band of mariachis serenades the meal with ballads of love. The town ends with beachside places to eat where you can roll up, bury your toes in the sand, and enjoy shrimp tacos while listening to acoustic guitarists.

For seafood restaurants with an outdoor terrace facing the Pacific Ocean, go to the Olas Altas area in Mazatlán, where you can eat fresh, famous agua chile while local son sinaloense bands play. Rooftop restaurants in Playa del Carmen overlook the turquoise Caribbean Sea and dish out Yucatecan fish preparations to a backdrop of tropical beats spun by DJs. In Tulum, local beach clubs fuss over gourmet seafood (ceviche and grilled fish caught that day) while guests listen to live jazz or electronic music.

In Mexico City, as many people from different regions of the country come here to continue their projects, there are thousands of Mexican seafood restaurants everywhere that you will love to visit one day. Here are my top 5 Mexican seafood restaurants in Mexico City:

1. El Peladito
2. Camarón Ahogado
3. Mi Gusto Es
4. Mercado de La Viga
5. Playa Escondida

Conclusion

Mexican seafood is a sample of the versatility and amazingness of traditional Mexican food. Most Mexican dishes are a fusion of cultures from Africa, Europe and Latin America. All these fusions make the coastal zone not only a paradise to have a fascinating vacation in Mexico, but also a paradise for seafood lovers, spicy food lovers, and above all for Mexican food lovers.

Each region in Mexico, restaurant, and person who cooks, has its own charm. That is why, the moment you try these dishes, you will know and learn more about the traditions of each place in this beautiful country. Definitely, as a foodie expert, seafood in Mexico is something you need to try at least once in a lifetime.

If you are looking for an explosion of flavors, colors, textures, and cultures, don’t hesitate to visit any of the above mentioned destinations to taste the best of Mexican seafood. Just imagining a cold beer by the sea and some delicious Mexican seafood makes me want to go on vacation! Would you join us?

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