Camarones al Mojo de Ajo

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo is a dish I never get tired of. The shrimp are juicy and tender, tossed in a sauce that’s heavy on the garlic, bright with lime, and rounded out with a hit of butter and a mess of cilantro. It’s simple, but the flavor hits hard.

Like my Camarones a la Diabla, this Mexican shrimp recipe keeps the ingredient list tight. You don’t need much to make something great—just garlic (a lot of it), a few warm spices, lime juice, and good olive oil.

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What I love most here is how the garlic shows up in two different ways. First, the minced stuff goes straight into the marinade so it holds on to its bite. Then sliced garlic simmers low and slow in olive oil with red onion until everything is mellow and fragrant and basically begging for shrimp.

Right at the end, a spoonful of butter melts into the sauce and brings it all together. It gives the sauce a silky finish and just enough body that the sauce cling to the shrimp. You get sharp and mellow, bold and understated, all in the same bite.ly together in the luscious garlic sauce. It’s one of my favorite classic recipes. 

THE INGREDIENTS YOU NEED

This Camarones al Mojo de Ajo recipe requires such a short list of ingredients, you won’t believe how flavorful it is.

• Olive oil—You can really use any cooking oil you like. I like olive oil because it adds a nice rich flavor.
• Smoked paprika or ground chipotle chile—Either of these will add a nice smoky-sweet element. If you like spicy food, go for the chipotle. Smoked paprika is totally mild but still adds that delicious smoke. If you don’t have either, just use additional sweet paprika instead.
• Sweet paprika—This gives the dish color and a hint of sweetness that complements the shrimp.
• Ground cumin—Cumin is earthy and a little smoky without being hot.
• Garlic cloves—The recipe calls for 8 cloves of fresh garlic. Mince half of them and thinly slice the others. They’ll be added at different times to maximize the garlic flavor! Garlic and shrimp are the stars of this dish, so don't skimp.
• Red onion—You can use a white or yellow onion if you don’t have red, but I like the added sweetness of red onion here.
• Large shrimp—Use shelled and deveined shrimp. The larger the better as large shrimp cook up nice and plump. 
• Butter—This is added at the end to give the sauce a silky smoothness and, of course, extra flavor. 
• Fresh lime juice—Citrus juice adds an acidic counterpoint and brightens the dish.
• Cilantro—Fresh herbs add a punch of flavor. You can substitute flat-leaf parsley if you like.
• Tortillas or rice—these are optional but are great for serving with the shrimp.
• Red pepper flakes—also optional, but great to sprinkle on at the end of cooking or at the table if you like an extra kick.

How to make it

Like a lot of seafood recipes, it’s a simple dish that delivers a big punch in terms of flavor. This Camarones al Mojo de Ajo recipe comes together in a flash. Here’s how:

1. Combine some of the olive oil with the spices and minced garlic. Add the shrimp, toss to coat, and let it marinate while you continue with the recipe.
2. Heat the remaining olive oil the the remaining olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onions and sliced garlic.
3. Add the shrimp and continue cooking until it is opaque.
4. Add the butter and cook, stirring, until the butter melts completely and incorporates into the sauce.
5. Just before serving, stir in lime juice and top with cilantro.

Tips for Success

This dish is easy to make and hard to mess up, but here are a few of my favorite tips for success.

• I like to buy cleaned shrimp that has already been peeled and deveined to shave several minutes off the prep time. 
• You can frozen shrimp for most shrimp recipes. I like to buy shell-on shrimp that have been deveined (sometimes called “easy peel”). I think the shells protect them a bit from the rigors of the freezer and it only takes two minutes to slip off the shells.
• Use the largest frying pan or skillet you have for this dish. You want to give the shrimp room to cook through without crowding the pan.
• Use a good, heavy bottomed nonstick skillet or a cast iron skillet to cook this dish.
• I always use unsalted butter in my cooking so that I can control the amount of salt. If you are using salted butter, start with a bit less salt. You can always add more salt if needed.
• If you opt for ground chipotle chile instead of smoked paprika be cautious in how much you add. Dried chiles can vary widely in spice level. It’s always best to start with a little and add more as needed.
• You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

What to serve with this Mexican style garlic butter shrimp

I usually serve this garlic butter shrimp al mojo de ajo with Homemade Corn Tortillas, Flour Tortillas, or over rice to catch all of that delicious garlic butter sauce. Try this easy Instant Pot Spanish rice or this Green Mexican Rice or just regular white rice.

These shrimp are also great for tucking into Shrimp Tacos or using as a topper for Tostadas.

A side of Mexican Corn Salad or Elotes rounds out the meal nicely. A refreshing Watermelon and Feta Salad makes a nice refreshing side on a warm day. Add Guacamole, Mango Habanero Salsa, or a drizzle of homemade Hot Sauce.

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo or Mexican Garlic Shrimp

Robin Donovan

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo or Mexican Style Garlic Shrimp is one of my favorite Mexican dishes. For this Mexican garlic shrimp recipe, juicy, tender shrimp are tossed in a sauce with loads of garlic, Mexican spices, lime juice, and cilantro.

4.74 from 34 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Dish Recipes

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 servings

Calories 434 kcal

Cook Mode(keep your screen awake)

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
• ▢ ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground chipotle
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 8 garlic cloves 4 of them minced and 4 of them thinly sliced
• ▢ ½ red onion thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 ½ pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 2 or 3 pieces
• ▢ Freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped cilantro or fresh parsley

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, smoked paprika or chipotle, paprika, cumin, salt, and the minced garlic. Add the shrimp and toss to coat.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Add the onion and the sliced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque and completely cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add the butter to the skillet and cook, stirring, just until the butter is melted and incorporated.
• Just before serving, squeeze the lime juice over the top and sprinkle with the cilantro.
• Serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 434kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 40gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 374mgSodium: 1888mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9g

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