Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Mexican Garlic Shrimp)

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo is a classic Mexican garlic shrimp recipe featuring tender shrimp simmered in a rich, buttery garlic sauce with fresh lime juice. Ready in under 30 minutes!

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A white plate with Camarones al Mojo de Ajo garnished with chopped herbs, served with white rice and lime slices. A pan of shrimp in garlic sauce is visible in the background on a wooden table.

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Mexican Garlic Shrimp) 🦐 is a classic Mexican seafood dish made with tender shrimp cooked in a buttery garlic sauce with fresh lime juice. It’s easy to make in under 30 minutes and perfect for a quick dinner or an appetizer.

If you love Mexican shrimp recipes, try my Ceviche de Camaron.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️

Big garlic flavor: A whole head of garlic gives the buttery sauce plenty of flavor.
Quick and easy: This Mexican shrimp recipe is ready in under 30 minutes.
Simple ingredients: Shrimp, butter, garlic, lime, and a few pantry staples are all you need.
Versatile: Serve it as an appetizer or make it a meal with rice, tortillas, or your favorite side dish.

-Maggie

🦐 Ingredients

Shrimp – large or jumbo shrimp preferred
Butter
Garlic
Pepper
Olive oil
Lime
Salt

Simple ingredients that are packed with flavor.

Here, we are using both butter and oil. However, you can use one or the other. Butter is preferred for the flavor.

To make this sauce requires A LOT of garlic. You will need a full head of garlic to make this Mexican garlic shrimp recipe.

👩🏼‍🍳 Instructions

Cleaning Shrimp

Peel, devein, and wash the shrimps.
Set aside until ready to use.

If the shrimp still have their digestive tract, you need to remove it.

Taking out the poop vein can be quite the chore. If it’s in your budget, buy them already deveined and ready to go. It’s also worth noting that larger shrimp are easier to devein.

This is the same size shrimp used to make Coctel de Camarón.

Garlic, pepper and butter in a glass blender

Making the Butter Sauce

Use half of a stick of butter for the mojo, or the sauce.
Add to the blender along with the whole head of garlic, olive oil, fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper.

A sauce of garlic, pepper and butter mixed in a glass blender

Zippity zappity, blend until smooth.
Make sure that the butter is soft. That will get the blender going.

See the bottom? There’s a lot of goodness down there. Make sure you get all of it when you’re adding it to the pan.

Remember to scrape the sides of the blender too, a long thin spatula works well in cases like this. ou want to get every last bit of this flavorful sauce into the pan.

In a way, we’re making a soft butter spread.

Melted butter, garlic and pepper sauce in a pan on the stove

Cooking Camarones al Mojo de Ajo

Melt the remaining ½ stick of butter in a large skillet.
Add the garlic mixture and stir until the sauce is melted and fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the shrimp and stir to coat them in the sauce.
Cook for 3–4 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp, until they are pink, opaque, and cooked through.

This garlic butter sauce also works well with fish, scallops, and mussels.

Shrimp cooked in a sauce of melted butter, garlic and pepper in a pan on the stove

Next up, add the shrimp.
Stir constantly.

Larger shrimp take a longer time to cook. Smaller shrimp are done in minutes.

This makes a great appetizer, but as the main course, this is a delicious meal.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until shrimp is pink.

Keep an eye on the shrimp because they cook quickly. Also consider trying it with fish as in Pescado al Ajillo.

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo served on a glass plate with lime slices as garnish.

⭐️ Pro Tips

For a party, make the sauce and clean the shrimp ahead of time. Simply put the sauce in plastic wrap and roll-up. Place in the fridge until ready to use, and when your guests arrive, greet them with the smell of buttery garlic sauce.
I do not recommend freezing this dish because reheated shrimp turn rubbery. However, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.

🙋🏻‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

What is Camarones al Mojo de Ajo in English?

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo translates to shrimp with garlic sauce. It’s a Mexican seafood dish made with shrimp cooked in a buttery garlic sauce, often served with lime and fresh cilantro.

What is the difference between Camarones al Mojo de Ajo and Camarones al Ajillo?

Both dishes feature garlic, but Mexican Camarones al Mojo de Ajo typically uses a buttery garlic sauce. Camarones al Ajillo often includes chile peppers for extra heat, although recipes vary by region and cook.

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes! Thaw frozen shrimp completely before peeling, deveining, and cooking. Pat them dry before adding them to the skillet to help prevent excess water from diluting the garlic butter sauce.

Can I make the garlic sauce ahead of time?

Yes. Blend the garlic butter sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to cook. When it’s time to serve, melt the sauce in a skillet and add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.

A fork holding a shrimp above a plate of Camarones al Mojo de Ajo.

🍴 More Mexican Shrimp Recipes

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo is an easy, flavorful Mexican shrimp recipe that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or seafood appetizer. Serve it with warm tortillas, Arroz Mexicano, and a tall glass of this Authentic Horchata Recipe to complete the meal!

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