Mexican garlic shrimp, “camarones al mojo de ajo”, is a popular dish of succulent shrimp sautéed in garlic butter, seasoned with lime, so easy to make!
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Mexican Garlic Shrimp)
We're cooking up an amazing shrimp recipe in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends! I think you are going to LOVE this one.
It is Mexican Garlic Shrimp, also known as "Camarones al Mojo de Ajo" in Spanish. It is a popular seafood dish in Mexican cuisine of succulent shrimp sautéed in a mixture of garlic-infused butter and oil, and seasoned with lime juice and fresh herbs.
Peeled and deveined shrimp are sautéed in a hot pan with plenty of minced garlic and a mixture of butter and olive oil until they turn pink and are cooked through. Lime juice is added to the pan to deglaze it and to create a tangy sauce.
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo is a simple yet flavorful dish that highlights the natural sweetness and succulence of shrimp while adding a punch of garlic and citrus.
It is a popular dish in coastal areas of Mexico and is often served as a main course or appetizer along with rice, tortillas, or crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Let's talk about how to make Mexican garlic shrimp (camarones al mojo de ajo), shall we? You'll have it done in 20 minutes or less!
Mexican Garlic Shrimp (Camarones al Mojo de Ajo) Ingredients
- Olive Oil.
- Onion. Shallot is good for this, too.
- Jalapenos or Serranos. Chili peppers are not traditional for this dish, but I love the addition for the flavor and spice factor.
- Garlic. Lots of gorgeous garlic. The recipe calls for 6 cloves, but include as much as you'd like.
- Butter.
- Shrimp. The fresher the better, but frozen shrimp is great, too.
- Seasonings. I use a bit of smoked paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper. You can realistically use your favorite spices.
- Dry White Wine.
- Lime. For the juice and a bit of zest.
- For Serving. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, red pepper flakes
How to Make Mexican Garlic Shrimp (Camarones al Mojo de Ajo) - the Recipe Method
Onion, Chilies, and Garlic. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Butter. Add the butter and melt.
Shrimp. Season the shrimp with paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the pan with the white wine and cook for 6-7 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and cooked through.
Lime. Stir in fresh lime juice and lime zest
Garnish and Serve. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro and red pepper flakes. Serve!
Boom! Done! Your Mexican garlic shrimp is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? We love this as a simple appetizer, and it's always a crowd pleaser!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- High-quality ingredients ensure the best taste. Fresh shrimp, garlic, butter, and lime juice are the key ingredients that give this dish its amazing flavor.
- Shrimp cook quickly, watch them carefully while sautéing to make sure they do not overcook, which can make them tough and rubbery.
- Use a large skillet or pan so that the shrimp cook evenly without overcrowding.
- To ensure that the garlic flavor is infused throughout the dish, cook the minced garlic in the butter-olive oil mixture for a few minutes before adding the shrimp.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may need to add more salt or lime juice to balance the flavors to your preference.
Serving Camarones al Mojo de Ajo
This dish is popularly served with rice, tortillas, or crusty bread to soak up the flavorful butter and garlic sauce.
You can also toss it with noodles for a pasta version.
Storage
Mexican Garlic Shrimp (Camarones al Mojo de Ajo) will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Simply warm it up gently in a pan to enjoy again.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this Mexican-style garlic shrimp recipe, aka "camarones al mojo de ajo". Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Mexican Garlic Shrimp Recipe (Camarones al Mojo de Ajo)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion sliced
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers sliced – use serranos for spicier – peppers are not traditional, but I love the addition
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons butter or more as desired
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined (I keep the tails on for ease of eating)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- Juice from 1 small lime + 1 teaspoon lime zest
- For Serving. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the butter and melt.
- Season the shrimp with paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper. Add to the pan with the white wine and cook for 6-7 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and cooked through.
- Stir in lime juice and lime zest
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro and red pepper flakes. Serve!
Nutrition Information
ACW says
This was *amazing*! Make sure your temperature is low during the shrimp cooking - we doubled it, so we cooked the veggies separately, and had the temp on medium-low so that the shrimp could cook for the ~6 mins suggested. They turned out juicy and not overcooked at all! Definitely immediately becoming part of our favorite recipes!
Mike H. says
Super glad you are enjoying it, ACW. Thanks!
1zz says
Amazing taste! Kids ate this up minutes after they got it. I used less jalapeno because my baby was eating it and it was still very flavorful.
Naan tastes amazing with this! I had corn tortilla and naan. I will try it with steamed rice next time!
Mike H. says
That's a great idea, 1zz. Have fun with it and thank you for the review!
Colin says
We totally enjoyed this recipe. Quick and delicious.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Colin! Glad to hear it!
Ruth McCoskey says
This recipe is better than any Mexican restaurant makes them. I love shrimp so much that I made up a recipe using your salsa verde and this recipe combined. It made a fantastic shrimp addition to carne asada, black beans and Mexican Rice.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Ruth! Wow, glad you loved it! I appreciate it!
M says
My wife made this and it was amazing! My father in law said it taste just like in Mexico
Mike Hultquist says
This is great to hear! Thanks! Very happy you enjoyed it. =)
Dale says
Hi Mike, I doubled this recipe and made it last night. Yet another winner! It's soooo good, and really easy. I served it with plain jasmine rice. Fantastic...thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, Dale. Yes, I love that it's easy to make, and super delicious!
Anita says
This looks so good! Could I serve it cold?? If so could you recommend a dipping sauce or would that be to much ??
Mike Hultquist says
I prefer them nice and hot, but you can serve these chilled, Anita. There's a bit of butter, though, so it may harden up some. If serving them chilled, a nice warm butter sauce would be nice, or even a simple cocktail sauce. So many options there. Let me how it goes if you do it! =)