Easy and flavorful, this Cilantro Lime Shrimp is a quick saute of shrimp in a cilantro-lime-tomato sauce with all the flavors of Mexico.
I don’t know what happened to me last Sunday. I suddenly got this huge burst of energy and all I wanted to do was cook! Right after noon I got started and by the end of the day I had cooked and photographed five recipes.
When supper time came around I was still going strong in the kitchen but had to start thinking about getting something ready for our dinner.
I really wanted something with shrimp and tex-mex flavors so I just started gathering up anything that I thought might go well together. The end result was this really tasty Cilantro Lime Shrimp.
This was just enough for the two of us for Sunday night supper. Even better with the garlic toast along side to soak up all the delicious juices.
And did I mention it’s really quick to make? In less than 30 minutes we sat down at the table and shared this beautiful shrimp right out of the skillet!
Cilantro Lime Shrimp - Shrimp sauteed in a cilantro-lime-tomato sauce with all the flavors of Mexico. Click To Tweet
How To Make Cilantro Lime Shrimp:
I started out by chopping a couple of cloves of garlic, a medium onion and a fresh jalapeno that I ran outside and cut from the garden. My jalapenos are a little ahead of my cubanelles and way ahead of my bell peppers!
Next you’ll need to grab a heavy skillet, heat it over medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil. Of course, I used a black cast-iron. I just love the way they heat up and hold the heat steady.
When the butter and oil are melted, add in the garlic, onion and jalapeno. Cook those together, stirring, for a few minutes until the onion begins to wilt.
Next, add the red pepper flakes and oregano. Continue cooking until the onions are translucent.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring again, until they’re nicely wilted. Once they’ve cooked down add the shrimp. Cook and stir until the shrimp are just done.
It shouldn’t take more than 4 or 5 minutes. Watch them carefully since shrimp cook so quickly.
When the shrimp have turned opaque, add the salt, pepper and juice and zest of a lime. Stir together for a few seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro.
This recipe served two hungry folks for dinner :-) As they say “your mileage may vary.” Be sure to have some garlic bread or garlic toast to soak up all those delicious juices.
Enjoy!
More Shrimp Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:
- Oven Fried Shrimp Po’Boy
- Winter Shrimp Salad
- Gazpacho and Garlic Shrimp with Cheese Toasts
- Shrimp and Grits
- Shrimp Creole
cilantro lime shrimp recipes from Other Bloggers:
- Cilantro Lime Shrimp Skewers from Two Peas and Their Pod
- Chipotle Lime Shrimp from Gimme Some Oven
- Linguini with Shrimp and Cilantro-Lime Pesto from Erin’s Food Files
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Cilantro Lime Shrimp
Shrimp with all the flavors of Mexico - cilantro, lime, oregano, and red pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 tblsp. butter
- 1 tblsp. olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp. Mexican oregano
- 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 pound shrimp, split and deveined
- 2 tblsp. chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Melt the butter and oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic, onion and jalapeno.
- Cook, stirring until the onion begins to wilt, approximately 3 minutes.
- Add the red pepper flakes and oregano.
- Continue cooking until the onion becomes translucent, approximately 3 additional minutes.
- Add the tomatoes.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft.
- Add the shrimp, zest and lime juice, salt and black pepper.
- Cook until the shrimp are just opaque. Be careful not to overcook.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
Notes
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 488Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 494mgSodium: 2855mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 3gSugar: 19gProtein: 54g
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Lana Stuart is the author, photographer, cook, and occasional traveler at Never Enough Thyme. A former IT professional, she enjoys time in the kitchen and the art studio.
Lyla Hassan says
Thanks, Lana for this amazing recipe…It’s on my list for coming weekend for sure :)
Holly says
Loved this recipes. I have made this many times and it is a favorite of ours. I usually mix in a half box of orzo with it. I used my own fresh herbs (oregano and cilantro) and it is to die for.
Betty Woodard says
Just had to let you know this is the best shrimp recipe I have ever tried…have made it so many times for us and company..I always triple it so we will have enough and than we lick the bowl clean after everyone leaves..lol
Lana Stuart says
Thank you so much for letting me know that you enjoy it! We love it, too :-)
Melissa says
I’ve made this dozens of times. Whole lime is perfect by the way!
This is a staple in my house because I almost always have the ingredients for it. We’ve been basically snowed in and never got to go grocery shopping this week, so I threw this together for another quick, tasty meal.
Lana Stuart says
I’m so glad you like it, Melissa. It’s one of my favorites, too!
miguel says
great recipe, very flavorful. I will suggest one thing, leave out the lime or add just a few drops. 1 whole lime over powers the flavors, at least for me, and I only used 1/2 a lime. Served over steamed rice.
Lana Stuart says
Thanks for your thoughts, Miguel. However, I personally think the lime is just right. Not at all overpowering.
Lynne says
Love this receipe. I use Rotel cilantro lime, instead of the Roma’s. excellent dish.
Ginger Gaubert says
Made this for dinner last night–so fresh, yummy, and healthy! The hubby loved it.
Katie says
What did you cook with it? Rice? Pasta?
Lana Stuart says
We just eat it on its own with garlic bread. It would probably be good with rice.
Jamie says
Mmmmmm shrimp, cilantro, lime…. I could eat this every single day. Sadly no fresh shrimp in Nantes so I might be reduced to making this with scallops. Delicious!
Heather S. says
I had some shrimp thawed and wasn’t sure what to do with them. I remembered seeing this recipe on Pinterest and made it tonight. I left out the jalapeno because I didn’t have one. It was really delicious. I wouldn’t change a thing! Next time, I probably won’t put in the jalapeno because it was just right without it. It’s a definite keeper! Thank you for sharing!
Ruby says
Is this spicy??? I’d love to try but can’t have spicy foods, doctor’s orders. :(
Lana Stuart says
It has garlic, onion, and jalapeno in the recipe so, yes, it is a little spicy.
Peggy says
I have made this several times, it is my husbands favorite meal and he doesn’t particularly like shrimp, but he loves this! Thanks for sharing this recipe, it is amazing.
Lana Stuart says
I’m so glad to hear that, Peggy! It turned out pretty good for something I just threw together one Sunday afternoon :-)
Robin says
I made this for dinner tonight. Doubled the sauce. I made lime cilantro rice and put shrimp on top. It was fantastic!! It will be my go to company coming at the last minute recipe. Thanks!!
crystle says
I made this last night with crablegs and garlic bread and it was delicious! It really hit the spot and my mom and 7 yr old also really enjoyed it. Thanks!
Lana Stuart says
So glad you enjoyed it, Crystle.
Tina says
Instant hit at the dinner table! Thanks!
Maria Kollision says
That looks so good! I’m working on my food photography skills, but they’re pretty abysmal so far… what sort of a camera/lighting setup do you use? The results are quite nice. :)
Lana Stuart says
Hi Maria,
I shoot with a Nikon D90 camera in natural light. The primary lens that I use is a 50mm/f1.8.
Waunda says
So in love with this. I just made it – served over dumpling squash. Going back for seconds now . Thank you :)
Megan says
This was fantastic! I made some minor alterations: left half of the seeds in the jalapeno, added 2-3 times the garlic, and TONS of cilantro. As a side dish, I made some white rice in my rice cooker, but used 2 chicken stock cubes in the water to give it some extra flavor. Served the shrimp in a bowl over the rice and it mixed together perfectly.
The heat from the spice/peppers was perfect. I loved this and will make it many more times! Thanks!
Lana Stuart says
So glad you enjoyed it, Megan.
Hannah says
Absolutely delicious!! I will make this again and again and again! Thanks :)
Betty says
Oh my goodness this is the best ever…I make it about four times a year..could make it every day lol.I do double the sauce because that is the best to eat on your toast..Makes me hungry talking about it..
Liliah says
How would I do this with chicken instead of shrimp? I love the cilantro and lime, but I’m allergic to shrimp!
Lana Stuart says
I suppose you’d just substitute the same amount of chicken for shrimp. I’d try boneless, skinless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces.
Tesia says
This was SO awesome! I used the leftovers in a tortilla and added avacado! Shrimp taco yum yum!
Pam Hubler says
Awesome recipe! Thanks! Even my kids ate it. :)
Lana Stuart says
So glad you enjoyed it, Pam!
Janine says
I was just wondering what I can serve this with or over. Maybe angel hair & marinara?? Steaks?? It looks amazing!!
Lana Stuart says
Hi Janine – Since this recipe has Mexican flavors in it, I probably wouldn’t pair it with marinara. Honestly, we just eat it on its own with some good bread. It’s also great with a Mexican style rice or as you suggested alongside a steak. It has big, bold flavors so you’ll want to keep that in mind when pairing it with other foods.
Helen Nephew says
I made this tonight and had it with rice and it is delicious…..i will make it again
Katie says
Made it with black beans and sour cream. :) It was so good! Awesome recipe with just the right amount of spicy. :)
Diana says
Made it tonight! It was VERY tasty!
Lana Stuart says
So glad you liked it!
Liz says
What size shrimp did you use? I can’t wait to try and make this!
Lana says
Liz – If I remember correctly, I used large (31-35) shrimp for this. The size doesn’t really matter, though. You can use whatever size you want.
Richie says
Spectacular. I added some chopped spinach for some extra nutrition and it was amazing.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Gabe says
This dish is fantastic! I found this about a month ago. I’ve made it twice. Even my child, whose not so fond of spicy, loved it! I did add some finely chopped red/green bell pepppers. Great post. Thx.
Jessica Peterson says
Delicioso!!! We made this last night and it was great! I left out the butter and added a little more salt. Yummo! Thanks…
Julie says
I made this tonight – it was DELICIOUS!
Becky says
Thank you for sharing your recipe. Made it for dinner last night and it was amazing. Will definitely make again.
Penny Calhoun says
I want you to know this was the easiest shrimp and the best tasting shrimp recipe I have ever made. My family went crazy! Rest assured I’m not some little new bride who dosen’t cook much. I’m a 66 YO granny who cooks all the time. I’ve been cooking since I could push a chair over to a gas stove and stir a pot of cooked Jello Pudding. Shrimp is always my favorite, honey, in one night it jumped to the top of my favorites!
Lana says
Penny – I’m so happy to hear that you liked this recipe. It’s one of our favorites, too. I hope you’ll visit the blog again and find more recipes to enjoy.
Penny Calhoun says
I have made this several times since I wrote last. For Christmas I have a very long fish dish and I grilled snapper (any white fish would do, even tilapia) and laid that out on the platter and used this as a sauce on top. Kids, it was amazing!
Lana says
What a great idea! I’m going to try that myself!
Eva says
Look delishh!! What kind of side will be good with it? Bread? What kind of bread?
Lana says
Hi EVa – I just served garlic bread with this.
Eva says
Thankuuu :)
Jen says
I put the stuff over pasta, yum!
Eva says
Sounds yummy thanks :)
Kristen says
Found this recipe on Pinterest, and boy am I glad! This was fantastic. We spread Italian bread with a garlic olive oil spread that our grocery store sells, and we grilled the bread. My fiance and I devoured this pretty quickly!
Tamika says
It turned out amazing!!! Yum. My husband really enjoyed it!
Haley says
Made this tonight & LOVED it. Will be adding this into my favorites for sure. Thank you!! :)
Jen says
OMG! Well I left out the onions and only did 1 garlic clove, then at the end also cut avocado. Hubby’s not home yet, I wish I could just eat the rest of his portion! I WANT MORE! Thanks so much to you or whoever posted it on Pinterest! I stepped out of my shell and enjoyed every bite!
Ekua says
I also found this on Pinterest. Made it tonight and turned out really well. I paired it with tortillas. Thanks for sharing!
Susanne says
This recipe is BEYOND good! My husband and I have made it at least every other week since first trying it. We mix in some cooked orzo (my favorite) or rice (his favorite) and we use rock shrimp. Thanks so much for this wonderful dish!
Laura says
Hi! I found this on Pinterest weeks ago and have made it 3x since, with either chicken or shrimp and always with more tomatoes. Love it with Cuban bread. Thanks so much!
Teresa says
I found this on pinterest and made it tonight along with some mashed red potatoes. My husband raved! Thanks for a great recipe!!
Virginia says
Made this dish last night. Very simple and DELICIOUS.
Next time I am trying it over Quinoa or maybe pasta with sprinkle of parm cheese. YUM!
Angie says
I found this on Pinterest a while ago and made this tonight for dinner–AMAZING. Wish I’d made it sooner!
charish says
I made this last night for dinner and it was great, maybe a little more red pepper flakes next time but other than that I would keep it just the same. Thank you for a great recipe!
Cindy I says
Hey there, found the recipe on Pinterest yesterday, and made it tonight. It was so yummy! I’ll make it again, but next time, I’ll double the sauce ingredients. Out philosophy is you can never have enough sauce! Thank you!
LUZ says
This really is a delicious dish. Made this but with serrano chiles and double the amount of red pepper and and additional half of a lime and 1 tbsp. of tequila blanco. Also tried it with chipotle a diff. time and always toasted bolillo pan. Thanks loved!
Jim says
I made this last night and served it over some thin wheat pasta with toasted oilve oil bread rubbed with fresh garlic……WOW-oh-WOW! The only other thing I did was to marinate the shrimp in the lime juice for about 15 minutes before cooking. Great recipe Lana!
Kim says
I just found this on Pinterest and made it for dinner tonight… DELISH! Will look around your blog for more recipes!
Kevin (Closet Cooking) says
Looking good! This is one of my favourite ways to do shrimp!
Bryan & YiRan says
This looks wonderful – YiRan loves her shrimp, so we may be making this soon!
Marcie says
I found this on pinterest and made it tonight in observance of ash Wednesday. Delish!!!! I am adding your blog to my google reader. Thanks!!
Lana says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Marcie! Funny how a recipe I put together at the end of a long day, almost as an after thought, has turned out to be so popular.
YM says
Forgot to mentioned that I paired it with fried plantains! Truly delicious!
YM says
Just tried this dish today… Ah-mazing and so easy to make! I an not the greatest cook and this made me feel like a superstar! Thank you for the recipe!!
Lana says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
When my husband tells me that cilantro has no place in any dish, I’m going to just show him this recipe and tell him he’s wrong (because we always need to have the opportunity to do that).
Queen of Quirky says
I made this tonight and added some fresh mushrooms, because I had them. Served with two warm corn tortillas. Very yummy and fresh tasting. (I used a little less butter…well, because it’s January and I’m still trying to be good.)
Suzanne says
THIS WAS AMAZING! I left out the butter and oil and it was still the most delicious thing I’ve made in awhile!
Lana says
Thanks, Suzanne! So glad you enjoyed it.
Robyn says
I wondering if anyone tried this cold as a shrimp salad kind of thing. Could you cook it and then refrigerate it? How would it be the next day? Thanks!
Lana says
Robyn – I’ve never tried it cold. Personally, I don’t think I’d enjoy it as much that way. If you try it, let us know how it was!
Betty Woodard says
Oh my gravy ! this was soooo good..my husband loved it also..I will make more of the broth next time..just poured it over the toasted bread and ..yummie..It was just so good
Kathleen says
I just made this. It’s delicious!! Very good job. :) Mine came out a little more watery than it was probably supposed to, because I used frozen shrimp, but it’s still wonderful. I’m putting mine over rice. I love it. :)
Janel @ Hating Martha says
This looks so good. It is 10:30pm here and I am off to try it…I just can’t wait!
Cindy says
Just came cross this page and was wondering for ideas as a side dish? Making this for my mom’s bday on Wed! :)
Lana says
This is great served over angel hair pasta with a big tossed salad and lots of garlic bread! It would also be good with a side of cilantro-lime scented rice. Hope that helps.
Cindy says
Thank you, Lana! It was very helpful! Btw, made this dish for my mom tonight for her bday and she LOVED it! Thanks for sharing! :)
Lana says
So glad she liked it, Cindy!
Sapphire @ Life with My Pollitos says
A definite add into my menu for next week. Can’t wait. Thanks for sharing.
Brighton Restaurants says
Looks scrumptious. Cheers !
Angie @ Bigbearswife says
love adding lime to dishs, makes it taste “fresh” to me
Erica K says
Thanks for the recipe I found this via tastykitchen we were in heaven last night– added a little extra lime and 1 more tomato and it was great!
Kristen says
Oh how I want that kind of burst of energy, Lana! This looks so good.
Nancy says
what a delightful dish!!! I added a cup ofclamato juice gave me more
sopping’s for chunks of french bread..
Lana says
Good idea, Nancy. I just might try that myself next time.
Peggy says
This shrimp sounds so fantastic! Cilantro & lime definitely go very well here =)
Lana says
Yes, cilantro and lime are a perfect pair aren’t they?
Drick says
yup, gonna start calling you kin alright, grilled mexican shrimp last night… love everything you got going on here, the lime esp with the spices sounds like it makes for one fine tasting dish…
Lana says
It was fine eating, Drick. Mighty fine.
Tracey says
I love it when the pantry opens up its magic doors and gives just the right ingredients for something new, unique and exciting!! I can’t wait to try this. I’m going to serve it w/ orzo or basamati rice that I’ve added lemon juice to the water. Yumm-mo!!
Lana says
Tracey – That sounds like the perfect thing to go with this recipe! Yum.
Mary @ Delightful Bitefuls says
Yum x 100! This looks incredible!
Mary xo
Delightful Bitefuls
Lana says
Thanks, Mary!
Barbara | Creative Culinary says
First of all Lana, next time you get that burst of energy I would like to chat…I think you must have some of mine!
Second…what a great dish and it reminds me of my methodology…often not great planning ahead as much as seeing what is available and making them work together. You’ve had a stellar result!
Lana says
Barbara – Those little bursts don’t come very often. When they do I take full advantage!
Casey says
I’m OBSESSED with shrimp!!! This is just making me drool!
Lana says
Try it, Casey. I’m sure you’ll love it.
Neena says
It looks mouth-watering. Wonder if I could make this and have it turn out this good—nah, probably not. Great job.
Lana says
You could and it would probably be ten times as good!
Hatsie says
This looks amazing! I am always looking for shrimp dishes in the summer, I’ll definitely give this one a try!
Lana says
Hope you enjoy it, Hatsie.
Jess says
Oh my gosh! This looks absolutely delish!
Eva says
That sounds wonderful. Love the flavor combinations going on here, and the photo of the dish is fantastic!
Lana says
Thanks, Eva. The flavor was great.
Wenderly says
I *love* everything in this dish! Sounds like a perfect summertime treat!
Lana says
Not bragging, but it really did turn out great if I do say so myself :-)
Feast on the Cheap says
5 new recipes in one day? I bow to you
Lana says
LOL. It was probably a one-time only thing!
Renee (kudos kitchen) says
Love cilantro, love lime, love shrimp. Guess I’d love this recipe too . Yum!
Lana says
Renee, if you like cilantro and lime you’ll love this.
[email protected] says
This looks like a dish my family would devour in moments!
Lana says
Sommer – it took the two of us about 15 minutes to totally clean the skillet. It was that good!
Aggie says
I really really like this dish!! Looks delicious!!
Lana says
Give it a try, Aggie. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
Kay says
Looks mouthwatering!
Lana says
Thanks, Kay. It turned out so good for something I just threw together!