creamy tequila shrimp.
Similar to alfredo, or your favorite white wine pan sauce- but spicier, tangier, and best served with rice and peppers. This tequila shrimp recipe takes barely 10 minutes to cook and pairs perfectly with a margarita.
Makes: 18-20 shrimp, or about 2 servings Prep time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes
Finally, finally, I am revisiting my old recipes. This one was first on my list for a few reasons: first because I had 20 frozen shrimp in the freezer that I really wanted to use for something special, and second because this was actually one of my very favorite recipes that I just… totally butchered. I don’t know what happened, but the recipe I wrote was horrific, and the pictures were even worse. Sure, this dish isn’t easy to photograph, but it’s easy to make- and somewhere along the way I mixed some numbers up and let a good recipe go very bad.
The problem was that I used a lot of tequila, or I thought I did, in my original recipe. I wrote it for 1/2 cup, which is really a lot being that I also didn’t call for a technical reduction (though I’m pretty sure I was reducing it without realizing it). In revisiting the recipe, I switched a few things around- namely, searing the shrimp first, then adding just a bit of tequila and reducing it into the garlicky browned bits until there’s hardly anything in the skillet. Then- the finishing touch, that delicious cream. I added a pat of butter, too, for good measure- though it’s completely not necessary.
Sorry to revisit the past so much here- but I think it could help someone else out there to know what not to do. If you’re like me and “eyeball” recipes, make sure you go easy on the tequila; too much can really ruin all that shrimp.
Speaking of the past, I had a tendency- admittedly, I still do- to overcomplicate things. Less is more, I promise. I turned this whole situation into enchiladas and it was very…okay. The most I’d do now is creamy shrimp tacos with a little radish, cabbage, or lettuce and cotija cheese. That’s it! Actually… that sounds good. Pretend you didn’t read that ;)
creamy tequila shrimp ingredients
shrimp: I use medium-sized shrimp for everything- peeled and deveined, but tail-on. If you love shrimp, I’d actually recommend buying them frozen. It’s a very good deal, very easy to store, and very, very easy to thaw. It takes about 5 minutes- just soak the shrimp in room temperature water. If you leave the bag in the refrigerator, it should take a couple of hours to thaw. Buying frozen is just as good as fresh, depending where you live, and lasts a lot longer, too. Whether you buy P&D or tail-off shrimp is up to you- I like leaving the tails on for flavor, especially for sauces. I’d steer you away from salad shrimp (the tiny ones) for cooking like this, because it’s just not worth the money to have tiny, rubbery little shrimps in your tacos or on your rice. That being said, if you want to splurge on jumbo, go for it! My last word of advice for shrimp: cook them less than you think you need to; shrimp cook very quickly and are best and juiciest right when then turn opaque. Shrimp cook a bit in residual heat, so remember that; and that they get rubbery when overcooked.
Think of it like eggs… but don’t get me started on eggs.
chili powder: Easy spice that adds the perfect spice flavor to this creamy dish. You could substitute a million things here.. cajun seasoning, chipotle, cayenne. Anything that adds a spice element will work. Chili powder is the easiest! If you aren’t adding the pepper flakes at the end, but want the spice, I’d recommend paprika or cayenne as an addition.
agave: You can substitute honey or just a pinch of sugar. This is to balance the spice, salt, and heat- and of course.. I used agave because of the tequila. Like margaritas, you want to use the sweetener that matches the spirit. Tequila is made from agave- so agave syrup matches it best. However, it’s not at all too different from honey and can be substituted.
garlic: You can add as much or as little as you’d like here. I used a middle-ground 2 cloves, minced. Honestly, I would’ve loved a little more! I love garlic and the garlic is what gets the pleasure of being part of the tequila reduction- so if you love garlic, I’d recommend at least 3 cloves.
lime: The lime actually goes on the shrimp like a marinade instead of in the sauce- trust me. The acidity does the sauce no favors but flavors the juicy shrimp well. I’d highly recommend using fresh lime juice for the best flavor. You can omit if you hate limes or don’t have them on hand! One warning for using lime, though: acid cooks shrimp. Slowly, but surely- you’ll have ceviche if you marinate the shrimp too long. I’d recommend mixing the shrimp right before cooking.
tequila: The star of the show; however, the tequila doesn’t have to be fancy. I’ve used Jose Cuervo time and again with as good of results as Espolon. Use what you have on hand- or what you’d want to donate 2 tablespoons of! The tequila is reduced down, so the alcohol cooks out- if you like the taste of a particular tequila, that is what would make the difference.
heavy cream: No cheese, and no butter, if preferred- the pan sauce only needs heavy cream to work. Heavy cream incorporates best at a low heat and by whisking vigorously. It’ll look broken at first, probably- don’t worry, whisking should solve that. You can avoid a broken sauce by turning the heat to low or off before adding the cream (and knowing which, depending on your stove) and by reducing the tequila nearly all the way down. The cream thickens after a few minutes- especially after removing from the heat- but if you would really like a creamy sauce and don’t mind the extra calorie, I’d highly recommend adding the butter.
crushed chilies: An optional, but I think necessary add on. I use Maras Chiles from Adun Spice Co, which is local to Cleveland. I love these chiles as they are a little more elegant and complex than a standard red pepper flake. However- you can use red pepper flakes or crushed chiles de arbol, too. Any sort of finishing chile- that is, a coarse ground chile.
creamy tequila shrimp pairing options
Right, I get it, you can’t eat this without sides. It just isn’t a full meal! There are a lot of ways to make creamy tequila shrimp the star of a full meal, though.. here are some ideas:
as a shrimp burrito bowl, with arroz blanco or cilantro lime rice
as tacos, with cabbage, lettuce or radishes and cotija cheese
with crispy tortillas and avocado
with noodles, like a a spicy alfredo
with crispy potato wedges and a light salad
margarita, vinho verde, or a dry rose or sauvignon blanc