Garlic Shrimp

This Garlic Shrimp are shrimp and tomatoes cooked in zesty Mexican Garlic Sauce with chipotle, garlic, oregano, and lime. A delicious dish that is very easy to make. Serve with rice and avocado salad.

Posted On: May, 16 |  Author:
Mexican flavors meet garlic and shrimp for a lite, vibrant, and healthy Summer Meal!
Garlic Shrimp
Diet Info: DF GF F LF Na LS VG V Fa

These Mexican Garlic Shrimp are large shrimp cooked with zesty garlic sauce loaded with flavor of herbs and chilies. An easy take on Mexican Camarones (shrimp) Al Mojo de Ajo, this shrimp with garlic sauce is ready to serve in just 20 minutes. A protein-packed, low-fat, gluten free main or side dish. Serve with white rice and salad. 

Mojo de Ajo (Garlic Sauce) Shrimp

Every cuisine has a Garlic Shrimp recipe. The Italian Garlic Shrimp Scampi, Mediterranean Garlic Shrimp and Mexican Garlic Shrimp are few of my favorites.

Today's Garlic Shrimp is perfect for a lite summer meal. The sauce is zesty, garlicy with smoky chipotle and earthy notes of cumin. I add handful of cherry tomatoes for a layer of fresh sweet flavor and vibrant color. 

Mexican Garlic Shrimp

This recipe is my take on Mexican Camarones (shrimp) Al Mojo de Ajo. Mojo de Ajo means Garlic Sauce. Mojo de Ajo is prepared with varieties of chilies, garlic, cumin, lime juice, herbs, and oil. Mojo de Ajo is like a seasoned garlic oil that can also be used to flavor grilled meats, stews, spice-up grilled bread, or flavor tortillas before making enchiladas.

For weeknight summer meals, I love to keep such short, simple yet flavor packed recipe in my recipe repertoire. The recipe I'm sharing today is weeknight approved version of Mexican Camarones (shrimp) Al Mojo de Ajo. I use similar ingredients but simple one-skillet cooking method which helps me make and serve Mexican Garlic Shrimp in just 20 minutes!

Ingredients:

I bet you will find most of ingredients, to make Garlic Shrimp, in pantry and refrigerator.

Here is a complete list of ingredients:

  1. Shrimp
  2. Garlic
  3. Cherry Tomatoes
  4. Chipotle Pepper
  5. Lime Juice
  6. White Wine
  7. Oregano, Cumin
  8. Fresh Cilantro
  9. Sugar
  10. Salt and Pepper

You can use your favorite Chile Pepper for this recipe. I love the smoky favor of chipotle but smoked paprika, fresh roasted poblano pepper will also work.  

How to Make Saucy Garlic Shrimp

To cook Garlic shrimp, I season shrimp with chipotle chili powder, cumin powder, oregano, sugar, and salt. Stir fry garlic in oil until its fragrant, add shrimp and cook undisturbed until shrimp develops crust and is pink from the side touching the skillet.

Cooking Shrimp for Garlic Shrimp

Once shrimps are cooked half-way, flip the shrimp, add remaining sauce ingredients i.e. wine, lime juice, tomatoes with seasonings. Cover and cook just until shrimp turn pink all-over and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.

Don't over cook the shrimp. Shrimp are done once the shrimp turn pink. Cherry tomatoes will not be mushy, will have slight bite and lots of flavor.

Cooking Garlic Shrimp

Variations

  1. Creamy Garlic Shrimp: Stir a 1/4 cup of heavy cream at the end to make creamy garlic sauce.
  2. No Wine Sauce for Garlic Shrimp: If don't want to use white wine then substitute with equal amount of chicken stock mixed with 1/2 tsp of red wine vinegar.
  3. Less or More Heat: This garlic shrimp is not spicy hot. The sugar in wine and sauce balance the flavor very beautifully. You can also adjust heat per preference by adding less or more of chipotle chili powder. 
  4. Load-up Garlic Shrimp: Load-up the Garlic Shrimp! Add roasted corn, pan-seared zucchini, or snap peas along with tomatoes to make servings more substantial.

Please note to always adjust seasonings (salt and pepper) when adding extra ingredients to a recipe. 

Shrimp with Garlic Sauce (mojo de ajo)

Serving Suggestions:

The Garlic Sauce of this shrimp recipe is very flavorful. I love to spoon sauce over white rice, pasta or use a crusty bread to mop the sauce. 

Garlic Shrimp is best when prepared and served immediately.

Equipment Needed:

You will need following to make Garlic Sauce Shrimp.

  1. A large skillet with a lid to make Garlic Shrimp.
  2. Kitchen paper towels to pat shrimp dry before seasoning and cooking.
  3. A bowl to season the shrimp.
  4. Tongue, and spatula to work with cooking shrimp, sauce and serving.


Pairing Ideas:

Massaged Kale Salad Multi Seeds Molasses Wheat Bread with Coconut Oil Instant Pot Mexican Green Rice

Garlic Shrimp

5 (8 reviews)
Garlic Shrimp
Total Time: Prep Time: Cook Time: Cuisine: Mexican () Difficulty: Easy
Yields: 1.5 lbs - Serves: 4

Ingredients

Directions

  • 1. Prepare Ingredients:  Clean shrimp and pat it dry. Set aside. Slice cherry tomatoes, chop fresh herbs, and mince garlic. Set aside.
  • 2. Season Shrimp:  In bowl, add shrimp, sprinkle chipotle chili powder, cumin powder, oregano, sugar, and half of salt on the top. Mix to distribute seasoning on the shrimp. Set aside.
  • 3. Cook Aromatics:  Heat a large, heavy bottom skillet on medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic. Stir fry garlic until oil is fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Don't let garlic burn.
  • 4. Cook Shrimp:  Add shrimp to skillet and spread to make one single layer. Let it cook undisturbed until shrimp is pink and slightly caramelized on the side touching the skillet. Flip all shrimp up-side down.
  • 5. Finish Sauce:  Add wine, lime juice, and cherry tomatoes. Season tomatoes with generous pinch of salt. Cover and cook until shrimp is cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. See note 3.
  • 6. Garnish and Serve.:  Taste finished sauce and adjust salt (if needed). Transfer garlic shrimp to a serving bowl. Add fresh chopped cilantro. Serve with side of crusty bread to mop the sauce.
Savita's Notes:
  1. Can also use chipotle chili paste or 1-2 adobo chipotle chili, minced. 
  2. For best flavor, use good quality dry white wine.
  3. Don't over cook the shrimp. Shrimp are done once the shrimp turn pink. Cherry tomatoes will not be mushy, will have slight bite and lots of flavor.
  4. If don't want to use white wine then substitute with equal amount of chicken stock mixed with 1/2 tsp of red wine vinegar.
  5. Can substitute cherry tomatoes with ripe and firm Roma tomatoes, medium diced.
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14 Responses

  1. Easy and delicious, this one is a keeper. I know I’m going to make it over and over again!
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
  2. Hey there! Just wanted to drop a quick note to say how much I enjoyed your post on garlic shrimp. The combination of flavors and textures you described had my mouth watering from the very beginning. Your recipe was easy to follow, and the end result was absolutely divine. The garlic-infused shrimp were perfectly cooked and bursting with savory goodness. I can't wait to recreate this dish in my own kitchen. Thank you for sharing your culinary expertise with us!
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
    Thanks. I'm happy to share.
  3. I have everything I need for this dish, can’t wait to make it this weekend! My family is going to love this!
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
  4. We have all these ingredients, so gonna make this weekend!!!
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
    Happy cooking! 🙌
  5. The combination of tomatoes and seasonings like chipotle chili powder gives this dish such a unique flavor. Great recipe!
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
    Thanks. Indeed, chipotle and garlic with lime makes shrimp so flavorful. Plus sweetness of tomatoes!! So so good. I hope you get chance to try it soon!
  6. I'm always looking for new shrimp recipes and this one hit the spot! Love the spices in this.
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
    Thanks.
  7. I love how simple and versatile this recipe is! I think Im going to serve it over some rice. Yum!
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
    Rice goes perfect with Garlic Shrimp sauce. Enjoy!
  8. Love how simple and tasty this shrimp is! Garlicky goodness in every bite. It was perfect over basmati rice.
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
    You got it 🙌