Name: Camarones al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined); 2 tsp salt (or to taste); 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste); 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste); 1 tbsp lemon juice (1/2 of a lemon); 6 garlic cloves (minced); 2 tbsp butter; 1/4 cup dry white wine; fresh parsley (for garnishing)

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These camarones al ajillo or garlic shrimp recipe is one of my favorite tapas to order when I visit a Spanish or Portuguese restaurant. Serving this camaron al ajillo dish with warm, crusty bread for dipping into the garlic sauce is a must. One of my favorite things to do is to meet up with friends after work at some of our favorite tapas bars and order this delicious garlic shrimp appetizer with a few drinks. Because of my love for this camarones al ajillo dish, I decided to recreate it at home to enjoy whenever I want! If you’re a shrimp lover like me, make sure to also give this Jerk Shrimp Rasta Pasta recipe a try.

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Portuguese restaurants serve this appetizer as well but it’s called camarao a guilho in Portuguese. So whether you order this tapas dish at a Portuguese or Spanish restaurant and call it camarao a guilho or camaron al ajillo, one thing is for sure, you will absolutely love it! If you enjoyed this camaron al ajillo recipe, then definitely try this Air Fryer Garlic Shrimp for an easier version in the air fryer.

Ingredients for the garlic shrimp recipe

How To Make Camarones al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

First, start by peeling and deveining the shrimp. If you purchased shrimp that is already peeled and deveined, you can skip this step.
Season the shrimp with lemon juice, salt, ground black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside for now.
Next, chop and mince the garlic cloves.
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium high heat.
Once the butter has melted, add in the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
Add the dry white wine, lower the heat to medium and give everything a quick stir.
Add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side.
Finally, garnish with fresh parsley and serve the camarones al ajillo with crusty bread for dipping into the garlic sauce and enjoy!

How To Peel and Devein Shrimp

The best way to peel shrimp is to start at the head of the shrimp and begin peeling off the exterior shell. You can leave the tail on as it holds flavor but that’s according to preference. In order to devein the shrimp, insert a small pairing knife about a 1/4 of an inch into the shrimp’s back. You should see the long vein and be able to remove it completely using either the knife or your fingers. This is a rather simple process but I can see it being a bit tedious if you’ve never done it before.

What Is The Best Wine To Use For This Recipe?

I love cooking with dry white wine. Some of the best types of dry white wine to cook seafood with are Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or even Sauvignon Blanc. I tend to lean towards the Pinot Grigio but any of these wines will do the job.

Camarones al ajillo or garlic shrimp is served with crusty bread

Tips & Variations

I added 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes because I love the kick it gives the camarones al ajillo. Omit the crushed red pepper flakes if you don’t enjoy a little heat.
Save some time by purchasing shrimp that is already peeled and deveined. I do leave the tails on because they pack a lot of flavor but that will be according to personal preference.
Some people like to add green or red peppers to their camarones al ajillo. I recommend adding the chopped peppers right after adding the butter and sautéing for about 3-4 minutes before adding the garlic.