Garlicky Shrimp-Cilantro Tacos (Tacos de Camarones al Mojo de Ajo)
Photo: James Carrier; Styling: Karen Shinto
Total Time 35 mins
AuthorThomas Schnetz

Sweet onions and shrimp meet the gentle heat of garlic and chiles. Prep and Cook Time: about 35 minutes. Notes: Vegetables can be cooked up to 2 hours ahead, then reheated. Serrano chiles can be very hot, so add to taste. To heat tortillas, wrap in a kitchen towel and microwave until warm and soft, about 60 seconds.

How to Make It

Step 1
1

Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add onions and chiles and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Pour vegetables into a bowl and set aside.

Step 2
2

Melt butter in same frying pan over medium-high heat, add garlic, and stir until sizzling, about 1 minute. Add half of shrimp to pan. Stir often until shrimp are bright pink and no longer wet-looking in thickest part (cut to test), about 5 minutes; transfer shrimp to bowl with reserved vegetables. Add remaining shrimp to pan and cook as above, then return cooked shrimp and vegetables to pan and stir everything together until hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cilantro and salt to taste.

Step 3
3

Serve shrimp in a large bowl with tortillas (use 2 tortillas, stacked, per taco), accompanied by lime wedges to squeeze over top.

Step 4
4

Note: Nutritional analysis is per taco.

Ingredients

 1/4 cup vegetable oil
 1 pound white onions, peeled and thinly sliced
 2 or 3 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced (see Notes)
 4 tablespoons butter
 3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
 2 1/2 pounds shrimp (21 to 25 per lb.), peeled, deveined, and halved lengthwise
 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  Kosher salt
 32 corn tortillas, warmed (5 to 6 in.; see Notes)
 2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions

Step 1
1

Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add onions and chiles and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Pour vegetables into a bowl and set aside.

Step 2
2

Melt butter in same frying pan over medium-high heat, add garlic, and stir until sizzling, about 1 minute. Add half of shrimp to pan. Stir often until shrimp are bright pink and no longer wet-looking in thickest part (cut to test), about 5 minutes; transfer shrimp to bowl with reserved vegetables. Add remaining shrimp to pan and cook as above, then return cooked shrimp and vegetables to pan and stir everything together until hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cilantro and salt to taste.

Step 3
3

Serve shrimp in a large bowl with tortillas (use 2 tortillas, stacked, per taco), accompanied by lime wedges to squeeze over top.

Step 4
4

Note: Nutritional analysis is per taco.

Garlicky Shrimp-Cilantro Tacos (Tacos de Camarones al Mojo de Ajo)

Search All of Sunset's Recipes