Camarones enchilados is a classic Cuban shrimp dish featuring tender shrimp simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce with just a touch of heat. It's an easy, weeknight-friendly dinner that's perfect served over white rice or with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
Ingredients
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- Olive oil - Used to sauté the onion and garlic, creating the flavorful base of the sauce.
- Vegetables - Onion and garlic add plenty of savory flavor.
- Seasonings - Paprika, Cajun seasoning, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, a bay leaf, salt, and black pepper create a rich tomato sauce with just the right amount of heat. Add more or less hot sauce to suit your taste.
- White wine - Adds depth and balances the acidity of the tomato sauce. Substitute chicken broth if you prefer.
- Tomato sauce and water - Form the base of the sauce while creating the perfect consistency for serving over rice or with bread.
- Shrimp - Large shrimp work best because they stay tender and juicy in the sauce. Peel and devein them before cooking.
- Parsley - An optional garnish that adds a fresh finish.
- For serving - White rice is the traditional choice, but crusty bread is perfect for soaking up the flavorful sauce.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make camarones enchilados
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften.
Add the garlic, paprika, Cajun seasoning, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Stir in the white wine and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. If you're not using wine, substitute chicken broth.
Add the tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and bay leaf. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Add the shrimp and cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, or until they're pink, opaque, and cooked through.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt and black pepper, if needed.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve over white rice or with crusty bread.
Recipe tips and notes
Have all of your ingredients prepped before you start cooking. The sauce comes together quickly once it's underway.
Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer while it cooks. If it's boiling too vigorously, lower the heat so it doesn't reduce too quickly.
Go easy on the salt. The Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and tomato sauce all contain plenty already.
Don't overcook the shrimp. As soon as they're pink and opaque, remove the skillet from the heat to keep them tender and juicy.
Storing and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the cooled shrimp and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months for the best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat gently over medium-low heat until the shrimp and sauce are heated through. If the sauce has thickened, stir in a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen it. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave using reduced power, loosely covered, stirring halfway through.
According to USDA recommendations, do not leave cooked food out for more than 2 hours, or for more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and food safety, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and FoodSafety.gov.
If you enjoyed these camarones enchilados, be sure to try our pollo en salsa or bistec en cazuela for more flavorful meals served in rich tomato sauce. For another Cuban favorite, don't miss our fricasé de pollo, perfect served over white rice.
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📖 Recipe
Camarones Enchilados
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion finely diced
- 5-6 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ cup White Wine
- 2 cups Tomato Sauce 16 oz.
- ½ cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- Dash Cayenne Pepper Based Hot Sauce like Crystal or Frank's Red Hot
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1½ pounds Medium or Large Shrimp peeled and deveined
- Pinch of Kosher or Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley for garnish optional
- Cooked White Rice for serving optional
Instructions
- Peel and clean the shrimp. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Season the shrimp with just a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for approximately 3 minutes until they start to soften, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, paprika, Cajun seasoning, and cumin to the skillet, stir to mix well. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the white wine and cook for about 1-2 minutes while stirring and gently scraping any bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and the bay leaf to the skillet, stir. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low to low, cover and cook at a gentle simmer for 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- If the sauce is simmering too vigorously, lower the heat a bit, if it isn't up to simmer raise the heat a bit.
- Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and discard.
- Raise the heat to medium-high, and bring the sauce to a boil. Add the shrimp to the sauce, stir and cook uncovered for approximately 5 minutes.
- The shrimp are cooked through when they are pink, opaque and curled. Avoid overcooking as they'll get rubbery.
- Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Garnish the camarones enchilados with the chopped parsley and serve over a bed of white rice, or serve with bread.
Notes
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Amanda
This was delicious! I followed the exact recipe and was not disappointed. Will make again.
Elizabeth
Hi Amanda, thank you for your kind comment. I'm really happy you enjoyed it.