Sautéed to perfection with olive oil, garlic, and a touch of spice, this Camarones al Ajillo recipe (also known as Garlic Shrimp) is perfect for impressing guests or enjoying a quick, savory meal at home. Whether served with crusty bread or over rice, camarones al ajillo is a savory, delicious meal that the whole family will love.
Camarones al ajillo is a saucy, savory dish that features tender, plump shrimp cooked in a creamy garlicky sauce! This version is based on Ecuadorian camarones al ajillo, which varies from camarones al ajillo that you might find in other countries. Some variations of this dish include Spanish garlic shrimp or gambas al ajillo which is similar to this recipe, but without the heavy cream, and with some spice from guajillo chile.
In Ecuador, they add heavy cream to make the sauce velvety and creamy. And personally, this is my favorite version of garlic shrimp. It is packed with garlic (for all you garlic girlies out there), and balanced out with tangy white wine and heavy cream! This simple recipe can be served as an appetizer with crusty bread or as a quick dinner served with rice! Either way, this is a great recipe with lots of flavor!
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Ingredients
You just need a handful of simple ingredients to make this Ecuadorian camarones al ajillo recipe. Here's what you'll need:
- Butter & Olive Oil: I like to use a combination of butter and olive oil to sear the shrimp. It starts building lots of flavor for the sauce!
- Shrimp: Make sure to use raw shrimp that is peeled and deveined! Frozen shrimp is totally fine, just allow it to thaw first.
- Spices: Season up the shrimp with some paprika, salt and black pepper.
- Garlic Cloves: This is the "al ajillo" in the garlic shrimp recipe, so you need plenty of fresh garlic for loads of flavors!
- Onion: White onion adds some additional savory flavor here.
- Dry White Wine: White wine adds a depth of flavor here. If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, replace this liquid with more chicken broth. Since white wine adds a tangy flavor, I would squeeze a lime into the sauce instead.
- Chicken Broth: Chicken broth is the base of the sauce! If you prefer, you can use vegetable broth.
- Heavy Cream: For a creamy, garlicky sauce!
- To serve: Serve your camarones al ajillo with steaming hot rice, patacones, and fresh avocado!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Ecuadorian Camarones al Ajillo
- Prep Shrimp: Season the raw shrimp with salt, pepper and ¼ teaspoon paprika.
- Sear: Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat with butter and olive oil. Once melted, add the shrimp in a single layer into the skillet. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes on one side, then flip and cook another 2 minutes. Shrimp cooks quickly, so don't let it cook for too long!
- Sauté Onion & Garlic: Remove the cooked shrimp and set aside. In the same skillet, add the onions to sauté. After 2-3 minutes, add the garlic.
- Add Liquids: Once fragrant, add the white wine. Allow it to simmer and cook down a little bit, for about 3-4 minutes. Then, add in the chicken broth and heavy cream.
- Simmer: Allow the sauce to simmer now. Taste the sauce and adjust if you need more salt or pepper. The sauce will start to thicken as it simmers. Once the sauce is your desired consistency, add the shrimp back in. I like it to be slightly thick but just enough to coat the shrimp.
- Garnish & Serve: Finally, sprinkle with a little fresh parsley, serve over rice and enjoy!
Hint: It is important not to overcook the shrimp, for best results! Make sure the sauce is exactly how you want it before adding the shrimp back in, since we don't want the shrimp to simmer for too long in the sauce before serving.
Tips for Success
- Don't overcrowd the pan! Cook shrimp in a single layer to ensure proper browning. If you have too many shrimp to fit in the pan in one layer, then cook the shrimp in batches!
- Watch the garlic. This camarones al ajillo recipe uses a significant amount of garlic. Make sure to cook it just until fragrant - burnt garlic will turn bitter!
- Adjust the consistency. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon but still be loose enough to drizzle. If the sauce is too thin, let it continue to simmer, or add a cornstarch slurry by combining 1 tablespoon of water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and then combining it into the sauce.
Recipe Variations
- Wine-Free Version: Replace wine with additional chicken broth and a splash of fresh lime juice or lemon juice.
- Dairy-Free: Use all olive oil instead of butter, and coconut cream instead of heavy cream! Full fat coconut cream with the shrimp would be delicious.
- Spicy Twist: Add red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne for heat.
- Herb Variations: Try cilantro instead of parsley, whatever you have on hand!
Storage
Store any leftover easy Ecuadorian garlic shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days! Gently reheat in a saucepan just until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
While fresh raw shrimp is best, you can use pre-cooked shrimp if you have that on hand. Add them at the very end just to warm through to avoid overcooking.
This easy recipe has a creamy garlic sauce that can break from heat that's too high. Keep it at a gentle simmer and don't let it boil too high! Additionally, you have to use heavy cream as opposed to half and half or milk here.
Medium to large shrimp (16/20 per pound) work best for most shrimp recipes, but you can use any size - just adjust cooking time accordingly.
More Recipes to Try
Camarones Al Ajillo
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- salt & pepper to taste
- ¾ teaspoon paprika divided
- 5-6 cloves of garlic grated or minced
- ½ white onion minced well
- ⅓ cup white wine
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- fresh parsley for garnish
- lime wedges to serve
- patacones to serve
- rice to serve
Instructions
- Season the raw shrimp with salt, pepper and ¼ teaspoon paprika.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat with butter and olive oil. Once melted, add the shrimp in a single layer into the skillet. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes on one side, then flip and cook another 2 minutes. Shrimp cooks quickly, so don't let it cook for too long!
- Remove the cooked shrimp and set aside. In the same skillet, add the onions to sauté. After 2-3 minutes, add the garlic.
- Once fragrant, add the white wine. Allow it to simmer and cook down a little bit, for about 3-4 minutes. Then, add in the chicken broth and heavy cream.
- Allow the sauce to simmer now. Taste the sauce and adjust if you need more salt or pepper. The sauce will start to thicken as it simmers. Once the sauce is your desired consistency, add the shrimp back in. I like it to be slightly thick but just enough to coat the shrimp.
- Finally, sprinkle with a little fresh parsley, serve over rice with patacones and enjoy!
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