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Overview

Camarones al Ajillo

Honduran Garlic Shrimp, Garlic Butter Shrimp, Camarones con Ajo

This camarones al ajillo recipe sears plump shrimp in a golden garlic-butter sauce with dried red chillies, white wine and lime, finished with cilantro — a Honduran Caribbean dinner that is on the table in about 25 minutes. Serve it over white rice with fried plantains, and let the sauce do the talking. One serving is about 193 g of shrimp and sauce.

Garlic shrimp sailed to the Americas from Spain, where gambas al ajillo — shrimp sizzled in olive oil with garlic and chilli — is a classic tapa. On the Caribbean and Latin American coasts each kitchen made the dish its own: butter joined or replaced the olive oil, dried chillies brought a smoky heat, and lime and cilantro took the place of lemon and parsley. On the Honduran Caribbean coast, where shrimp is a daily catch, that butter-based version became the dinner-plate favourite — seared shrimp in a golden garlic sauce, served over white rice with fried plantains.

Pairs well with: White rice, fried plantains & a cold limeade

Provenance

Honduras flag Honduras

Honduran Caribbean Classic

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

25m

15m prep • 10m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

336 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 193 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (One Pan)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Dinner, coastal meals, family gatherings, with white rice Cost: Medium — about $5–6 per serving at home
Tags: Seafood Spicy Savory
Garlic butter shrimp with dried red chillies, served with yellow rice and mixed vegetables on a white plate

Honduran Caribbean Classic

Photo: Estela Parra, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Medium — about $5–6 per serving at home (USD)

Camarones al ajillo with shrimp, butter, garlic, dried chillies, white wine, lime and cilantro.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 25m
P

Prep Stage: Shrimp, Garlic and Chillies

15 Mins • Peeling & Slicing

Peel and devein the 800 g shrimp and pat them very dry, then season with the salt and black pepper. Slice the 24 g garlic thinly, tear the 2 dried chillies into wide strips, chop the cilantro and squeeze the lime. Cut the butter into cubes and measure out the 15 ml olive oil and 60 ml white wine — the cooking takes about 10 minutes once the pan is hot, so everything should be ready before you start.

Maestro Tip: Pat the shrimp really dry: wet shrimp steam instead of searing, and the butter sauce turns thin.

  1. 1

    Melt the Butter and Bloom the Garlic

    2 Mins Medium heat, pan about 175°C (350°F)

    Melt the 60 g butter with the 15 ml olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the 24 g sliced garlic and the 4 g torn chillies and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic smells sweet and turns the palest gold. Do not let it brown.

    Garlic goes from golden to bitter in seconds — the moment it smells sweet, move on.

    Done when: Garlic pale gold and fragrant, butter foaming gently.

  2. 2

    Sear the Shrimp

    4 Mins Medium-high heat; shrimp cooked to 63°C (145°F)

    Lay the 800 g seasoned shrimp in the pan in a single layer and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, turning once, until they turn pink and opaque all the way through. The shrimp must reach 63°C (145°F). Do not crowd the pan — cook in two batches if you have to.

    A single layer is what sears the shrimp; a crowded pan steams them grey.

    Done when: Pink, opaque shrimp curled into a loose C shape.

  3. 3

    Deglaze with White Wine

    2 Mins Medium heat, simmering at about 90°C (194°F)

    Pour in the 60 ml white wine and let it bubble for 1–2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the sauce has reduced by about half and turns glossy. The wine pulls the browned garlic flavour off the pan and into the butter.

    Let the wine reduce properly — a watery sauce will not cling to the shrimp.

    Done when: Sauce glossy and reduced by half, coating the back of a spoon.

  4. 4

    Finish with Lime and Cilantro

    1 Min Off the heat, cooling from about 90°C (194°F)

    Take the pan off the heat and stir in the 30 ml lime juice and the 10 g chopped cilantro. Taste and add a pinch more salt only if the sauce needs it — the butter is rich, and the lime is what cuts through it.

    Lime goes in off the heat so its brightness stays fresh.

    Done when: Sauce bright and balanced; cilantro scattered through.

  5. 5

    Serve over White Rice

    1 Min Serving hot, about 65°C (150°F)

    Spoon white rice into wide bowls and ladle the shrimp and garlic-butter sauce over the top, making sure every serving gets plenty of sauce. Serve at once, with fried plantains on the side and lime wedges for squeezing.

    Serve in bowls, not flat plates — the butter sauce needs somewhere to pool.

    Done when: Hot bowls, sauce spooned generously over the rice.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the camarones al ajillo hot over white rice, with the golden garlic-butter sauce spooned generously — the richness of the butter, the heat of the dried chillies and the brightness of the lime are what make the dish.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

336

kcal / serving

Protein

41g

Complete AA

Carbs

4g

Complex

Fats

17g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 193 g)
Energy336 kcal
Protein41 g
Carbohydrates4 g
Fat17 g
Fibre0.6 g
Sugar0.5 g
Sodium534 mg
Per 100g
Energy174 kcal
Protein21.2 g
Carbohydrates2 g
Fat8.8 g
Fibre0.3 g
Sugar0.2 g
Sodium277 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin B12 and selenium (shrimp), vitamin C (lime juice), vitamin A (butter).

High-Protein Dinner

About 41.0 g of protein per serving, mostly from the shrimp, which makes this a filling evening meal.

Vitamin B12 and Selenium

Shrimp is a natural source of vitamin B12 and selenium, which the body uses in everyday metabolism.

Low in Carbohydrate

About 3.8 g of carbohydrate per serving before rice, so the plate stays light until you add the rice.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

White Rice

Plain white rice is the essential partner — it soaks up the garlic-butter sauce, which is the best part of the dish.

Vegetables

Fried Plantains

Sweet fried plantains are the coastal classic with garlic shrimp: their caramelised edges play against the rich, garlicky sauce.

Drinks

Cold Limeade

A cold limeade cuts the richness of the butter and refreshes the palate between bites.

More Pairings

Lime Wedges

Extra lime wedges on the table let each person brighten their own bowl to taste.

Complete menu

Camarones al ajillo over white rice with fried plantains and a cold limeade.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Browning the Garlic

Garlic turns bitter the moment it browns, and butter carries that bitterness through the whole sauce; cook it only to pale gold. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Overcooking the Shrimp

Shrimp turn rubbery fast in a hot butter sauce; take the pan off the heat as soon as they are pink all the way through. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA rich, protein-packed dinner — one serving of about 193 g with rice is a full plate for most adults.
  • ChildrenChildren enjoy the buttery shrimp; leave the chillies out of their portion and check the shrimp is cool enough.
  • ElderlySoft shrimp in a butter sauce suit older eaters; the sauce is rich, so a moderate portion is best.
  • Pregnant womenThe shrimp is fully cooked and the dish is served hot; keep to a moderate portion and ask your clinician about seafood portions if you need to.
  • Breastfeeding womenA filling, high-protein dinner; the shrimp is cooked through and the butter sauce adds energy.
  • AthletesGood post-training fuel with about 41.0 g of protein per serving, plus carbohydrate from the rice.
  • Weight gainEnergy-dense at about 336 kcal per serving before rice, which suits a higher-energy day.
  • Weight lossAbout 336 kcal per serving before rice; a smaller portion of sauce with extra vegetables is the lighter choice.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 3.8 g of carbohydrate per serving before rice; the rice is where the carbs add up, so ask your clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureAbout 534 mg of sodium per serving; ask your clinician if you are on a low-sodium plan.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in protein from shrimp; ask your clinician whether this portion suits your plan.
  • GoutShrimp is low in purines compared with red meat, but it is not purine-free; ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesThe butter sauce is rich and the chillies can irritate a sensitive stomach; keep to one serving and leave the chillies out, and ask your clinician if your stomach keeps bothering you.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseThe fat is high from the butter, though the shrimp is lean; enjoy it occasionally, and ask your clinician about the right portion for you.
  • Fatty liverA rich, energy-dense plate; a smaller portion of sauce with extra vegetables is the lighter way to enjoy it — ask your clinician about the right portion for you.
  • Food allergiesContains shellfish (shrimp) and milk (butter) — the main allergens in this recipe; if you have a food allergy, ask your clinician whether it is safe for you.
  • Special therapeutic dietsFollow your clinician's guidance on fat, sodium and carbohydrate portions; this is general information, not medical advice.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool the shrimp and sauce, then store in a sealed container in the fridge.
In the fridge
Up to 2 days.
In the freezer
Up to 1 month; the butter sauce may separate a little on thawing — stir it back together as it warms.
How to reheat
Warm gently on the stove until it reaches 74°C (165°F); do not boil, or the shrimp will toughen.
Freezing recommended
Yes, in single portions.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy shrimp, or a separated, grainy sauce.

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