Camarones al ajillo is one of the most popular dishes at restaurants in Puerto Rico, and for good reason… it’s delicious! This shrimp dish is cooked in a luxurious garlic butter sauce and garnished with finely chopped parsley. It’s bold and fresh and insanely good. A splash of white wine and lemon juice adds a vibrant punch of acidity, elevating the dish to new levels. Pair it with mofongo or tostones for an out of this world experience!

If you love seafood, check out these other recipes: bacalao guisado, chillo frito, bacalaitos, Baja fish tacos, and blackened shrimp.

Garlic shrimp is also very versatile. You can serve it as an appetizer or a main dish. I sometimes make garlic shrimp toast with sourdough bread. I chop the shrimp into bite sized pieces and place over a thick slice of crispy, sourdough toast. Then, I top it off with a generous amount of freshly grated parmesan cheese and garnish with chopped parsley. I purchase sourdough bread from a local baker called Shay Dough. It’s the best sourdough in town!

Camarones al ajillo ingredients:

Shrimp
Garlic
Shallot
Extra virgin olive oil
Butter
Salt
Garlic powder
Red pepper flakes
Ground annatto
Black pepper
Dry white wine
Lemon juice
Parsley

*Find the full recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post or click the Jump to Recipe button at the top of this page.

How to make camarones al ajillo:

Once the shrimp is clean and deveined, season and set aside. Place a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. Once melted, add garlic and shallots. Cook for about 3 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the shrimp and toss in the garlic butter sauce. Cook for about 1 minute. Add the white wine and lemon juice. Cook for about another minute. The shrimp will turn pink when fully cooked. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. ¡Buen provecho!

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Camarones al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
6-8 cloves garlic crushed
1 shallot finely diced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
1/8 tsp ground annatto optional
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 oz dry white wine Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
1 tbsp lemon juice
parsley finely chopped

Instructions

Once the shrimp is clean and deveined, season and set aside.
Place a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. Once melted, add garlic and shallots. Cook for about 3 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the shrimp and toss in the garlic butter sauce. Cook for about 1 minute.
Add the white wine and lemon juice. Cook for about another minute. The shrimp will turn pink when fully cooked. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. ¡Buen provecho!

Notes

Save my homemade adobo and sazón recipes!

I love using my homemade adobo and sazón. They can easily be made with spices you probably have in your pantry. The best part is they are free of MSG, artificial dyes and other harmful ingredients. Better health starts with these homemade spice blends!

Keyword camarones al ajillo, garlic shrimp, Puerto Rican recipes, recetas Puertorriqueñas, shrimp scampi