Shrimp stewed in Spanish style tomato sauce
Camarones Enchilados are stewed shrimp in a Spanish style tomato sauce filled with onions, peppers, and garlic. It’s a quick and tasty dish that comes together in no time. It’s also a great way to enjoy seafood!
It’s also one of my favorite ways to enjoy shrimp overall! The sauce is thick, flavorful, and pairs perfectly with Fried Tostones, White Rice, and more! It’s yet another comforting dish that makes my taste buds dance. It’s also a dish that comes together in less than 10 minutes. That’s one of the beauties of making shrimp for dinner. They cook quickly!
There are certainly many different ways of making Camarones Enchilados. In fact, this dish also goes by a variety of different names such as Camarones A La Criollo and Shrimp en Salsa! All in all, it’s a traditional Spanish Style dish that culminates in a sauce that’s to die for.
Speaking of sauce, I personally love it when this dish has a deep seafood flavor. The best way to incorporate that into any dish is to make a shrimp/seafood stock, which is super simple. All you need are your shrimp shells. In fact, I like to peel the shrimp — tails included! I then add them to a medium saucepan, add water, and simmer them over medium flame. Once the water gets warm, I then crush them to release the ultimate seafood flavor.
This is a stock that you can make for this dish and others. It’s a stock I make religiously whenever I make my Dominican Asopao de Camarones. The shrimp stock takes the dish to the next level. It also helps speed the cooking since we’re adding hot stock to a warm sauce. The temperatures all stay the same, thus speeding the cooking process.
While this dish is super easy to make, I do have some tips & tricks that will help you get it perfectly each and every single time.
Shrimp Enchilados Tips & Tricks!
Tip #1: If possible, use wild caught RAW shrimp. In general, cooking with raw shrimp is best since you’ll get the best flavor. You also won’t over cook the shrimp
Tip #2: Don’t throw out the shrimp shells. Use the shrimp shells to create a seafood stock full of flavor
Tip #3: Pat your shrimp dry and then season them liberally with salt and pepper. Let them sit for about 20 minutes. Dry brining your shrimp before cooking them will give you a delicious crust and flavor
Tip #4: Have ALL of your ingredients prepped and ready to go. This dish cooks quickly so it’s great to have everything handy
Tip #5: DON’T overcook your shrimp. As soon as the shrimp changes color, flip them and then remove them from the flame. In the end, the shrimp will finish cooking with the steam from the sauce
Tip #6: Heat water, vinegar, and cinnamon sticks to neutralize the seafood smells in the kitchen/house
Camarones Enchilados is an amazing dish to make for guests. It’s quick, tasty, and an instant crowd pleaser. Platanos and Shrimp en Salsa is a sure fire way of getting me to do my happy dance. Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it!
If you’d like to watch a step-by-step tutorial on How to Make Camarones Enchilados | Shrimp en Salsa, visit my YouTube Channel – Chef Zee Cooks!
And now for the recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ - 2 lbs Wild Caught Shrimp
- 1 Small White Onion
- ¼ Green Pepper
- ¼ Red, Orange, or Yellow Pepper
- 3 - 5 Garlic Cloves
- ½ tbsp Sazón con Achiote
- 1 tsp Dominican Oregano
- ¼ cup Tomato Sauce
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 tbsp Vino Seco (Dry White Wine)
- 1 tbsp Chopped Cilantro
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Shrimp Shells for Stock
- 2 cups of Water for Stock
Instructions
- Peel shrimp and set aside shrimp shells. In a medium saucepan, add 2 cups of water and summer over medium flame. Once the water is warmed up, smash shells to release more flavor. Set shrimp stock aside
- Season wild-caught raw shrimp with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside
- In a deep-sided skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Once oil begins to smoke, add shrimp. Flip shrimp over as soon as it turns color. After 2 minutes, remove shrimp and set aside
- Add onions, peppers, and garlic. Add kosher salt and saute veggies until they become translucent. Next, add Dominican orégano, sazón con achiote, and tomato paste. Mix and work in tomato paste as best as you can
- Afterwards, add tomato sauce and continue to mix together with onions and peppers. Then add 1 ½ cups of shrimp stock and dry white wine. Mix together. Taste test and adjust for seasoning (salt & pepper)
- Once the sauce begins to bubble and thicken, add shrimp and fold into the sauce. Turn off the flame and add cilantro. Cover pot with lid and remove from flame. Let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with rice, plantains, or your favorite side dish/starch. Enjoy while warm.