Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Mexican-Style Garlic Shrimp)
This Mexican-style garlic shrimp is simmered with butter, olive oil, and lots of garlic and onion. I added smoked paprika to the mix for an added smoky flavor, fresh lime juice to balance the garlic with a tangy twist, and fresh parsley for brightness.
This dish is a classic meal similar to buttery shrimp scampi. I love to order it at a Mexican restaurant, but truly it is very simple and economical to make at home in under 20 minutes.
What is Camarones al Mojo de Ajo?
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo is shrimp infused in a garlic, butter, and olive oil sauce that is just divine. It is very versatile served on cilantro lime rice, angel hair pasta, or in tacos.
In Mexican cuisine, Mexican-style garlic shrimp is a meal that is flavorful but not spicy. This is the perfect family meal and sophisticated when served with a glass of white wine or a Mexican beer.
Butter with Olive Oil
Sure, you can sauté onions and garlic with olive oil and then add butter to cook the shrimp, but using Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt.
This is made with simple ingredients and is spreadable right out of the refrigerator – it’s the rich creaminess of the butter you love with the goodness of olive oil.
Shortcut to this dish
To make this dish even easier – purchase frozen, peeled, and deveined shrimp to eliminate some of the messy work.
How to defrost frozen shrimp
Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, or for faster thawing, take the shrimp out of its package, put it in a strainer, and rinse in cold water. The shrimp should be ready to cook in about 15 minutes.
Do not overcook shrimp
Shrimp cooks much faster than meat and poultry. Shrimp are also small, so it doesn’t take much time for heat to penetrate them. The shrimp will cook in 6 to 8 minutes. If they curl up into tight little O’s, they’re overcooked.
Parsley vs Cilantro
I made this recipe with parsley for a bright mild flavor, but feel free to substitute with cilantro for an earthy bolder flavor.
How to store leftovers
Refrigerate cooked shrimp for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this dish because shrimp become rubbery when reheated.
How to serve Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Mexican-Style Garlic Shrimp)
- Serve over cilantro lime rice
- Serve over spaghetti verde
- Serve over angel hair pasta
- Serve with refried beans
- Make shrimp tacos
Watch this video to see how simple this dish comes together.
Did you make this recipe? Rate the recipe and leave me a comment to let me know how it turned out!
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Mexican-Style Garlic Shrimp)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 pounds large shrimp, defrosted, peeled, and deveined
- 1/2 cup Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (flat-leaf or Italian)
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine paprika and salt.
- Season the shrimp with spice mixture.
- Add the Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt to a frying pan over medium heat until it begins to melt.
- Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until they are completely cooked through.
- Add the lime juice and parsley.
- Enjoy with white rice, angel hair pasta, or tortillas.
Video
Notes
- Shortcut: Purchase frozen, peeled, and deveined shrimp.
- How to defrost frozen shrimp: Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, or for faster thawing, take the shrimp out of its package, put it in a strainer, and rinse in cold water. The shrimp should be ready to cook in about 15 minutes.
- Do not overcook shrimp: The shrimp will cook in 6 to 8 minutes. If they curl up into tight little O's, they're overcooked.
- Parsley vs Cilantro: I made this recipe with parsley for a bright mild flavor, but feel free to substitute with cilantro for an earthy bolder flavor.
- How to store leftovers: Refrigerate cooked shrimp for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezingthis dish because shrimp becomes rubbery when reheated.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
This post is in partnership with Land O Lakes. As always, thank you for reading and for supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.
9 Comments on “Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Mexican-Style Garlic Shrimp)”
What if you don’t have land of lakes butter with olive oil and sea salt, how do you substitute?
Simply replace with salted butter. Enjoy!
Great recipe! I make mine with mushrooms and cauliflower (no carbs) and sometimes use chipotle in adobo instead of smoked paprika for my hubby because he likes it HOT …
Muy buena receta, me gustó la forma en que combinaste los ingredientes. Encontré también la receta de camarones al mojo de ajo estilo Veracruz, se ve deliciosa!
This recipe is DELICIOUS!
I’ve made this at least three times this summer (my boyfriend has requested this more than that ) and it will forever be a go-to recipe for me. It’s got great flavor with minimal ingredients, and is such a simple recipe for a quick meal.
Oh my! I’ve never made any type of shrimp and this was amazing! Perfect! And easy! Yum! Thank you for sharing your art!
My only comment is salt 1/2 teaspoon and paprika 1/2 of teaspoon, It gets to salty at the end of cooking.Â
muy buena tus recetas!! , ya quiero ponerlas en practica para una cena familiar. tengo una receta buenisima en la cual preparo camarones a la barbacoa de carbon . Quedan deliciosas
Excelente!!