Camarones al Ajillo: Garlic Shrimp with Lemon Butter
Quick and elegant shrimp sautéed in a garlicky lemon-butter sauce with fresh herbs, ideal for a light dinner served with crusty bread for dipping. This puerto rican-inspired seafood ready in about 22 minutes pairs peeled and deveined large shrimp, unsalted butter, minced garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 12 oz, peeled and deveined large shrimp
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves, minced garlic
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- for serving lemon wedges
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat shrimp dry with paper towels, season with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes per side until pink and opaque; remove and set aside.
- Step 2: Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking 1 minute until fragrant (do not brown).
- Step 3: Stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley. Return shrimp to skillet, toss to coat, and cook 1 minute until heated through. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Step 4: Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side and crusty bread for dipping.
Equipment for this recipe
Top-rated tools to make this recipe successfully.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Camarones al Ajillo: Garlic Shrimp with Lemon Butter take to make?
Total time is about 22 minutes (10 min prep + 12 min cook). Most home cooks find this fits comfortably into a weeknight; double the batch on Sunday for two dinners.
How do I store leftover Camarones al Ajillo: Garlic Shrimp with Lemon Butter?
Cool to room temperature within 2 hours, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes, or microwave at 70% power in 60-second bursts to keep unsalted butter from drying out.
Can I substitute ingredients in Camarones al Ajillo: Garlic Shrimp with Lemon Butter?
Yes — most ingredients in this recipe have flexible swaps. For oil, use any neutral high-smoke-point oil (avocado, grapeseed, refined coconut). For aromatics, dried herbs at ⅓ the volume of fresh work in a pinch. The full ingredient list is shoppable on Instacart so you can see substitutes in real time.
How do I scale Camarones al Ajillo: Garlic Shrimp with Lemon Butter for a different number of people?
The recipe is written for 2 servings. Multiply each ingredient by (your serving target / 2). Cook time stays roughly the same up to 2x; for 3-4x batches, switch from a skillet to a sheet pan or stockpot so the food isn't crowded — overcrowding steams instead of browns.
What goes well with Camarones al Ajillo: Garlic Shrimp with Lemon Butter?
Puerto Rican seafood like this pair well with a simple grain (rice, couscous, or crusty bread), a quick salad with acid (lemon vinaigrette, pickled onions), and a pan sauce or yogurt-based dip. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" to get specific side suggestions.
What others are saying
- ★★★★★
Made with what I had on hand and it still came out great.
- ★★★★☆
Reliable weeknight option. Not going to blow your mind but always satisfying.
- ★★★★☆
Almost perfect — just needed a squeeze of lemon at the end.
