Tequila lime shrimp is loaded with cilantro and it's a great recipe for a quick and easy dinner. You'll love the flavor of the tequila in the buttery sauce, and it cooks in 15 minutes!
Yes, I said tequila butter sauce! I mean, can you think of anything that sounds better than that? Nope.
This tequila lime shrimp recipe is a twist on a classic shrimp scampi - swapping the parsley for cilantro, the lemon for lime, and the white wine for tequila.
The tequila adds an incredible aroma that blends perfectly with the cilantro, lime, and shrimp. It makes the butter seem more buttery and it's just a delightful surprise.
Love this cilantro lime flavor combo? Try this Corn Salad with Cilantro and Lime, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cilantro Lime Sauce, or Chicken Thighs with Cilantro, Lime and Coconut Milk.
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Tequila lime shrimp ingredients
- Peeled and deveined shrimp (tail on): You can absolutely buy frozen shrimp here, I did. FYI the shrimp in most grocery store seafood cases is previously frozen, they are just charging you for the convenience of thawing it for you.
- Cilantro leaves and stems: Using the stems of cilantro gives this dish an extra punch of fresh flavor. Don't leave them behind! And we're using loads of the leaves. I love love love cilantro and this recipe showcases it beautifully.
- Limes: You'll need some lime juice to add after the tequila has cooked with the shrimp, and some limes to serve on the side.
- Tequila: Use a white tequila (blanco) that you would drink, but nothing too expensive.
- Garlic: This is a twist on shrimp scampi, after all, so you need lots of garlic.
- Butter and olive oil: The sauce is super-buttery, but we also need a bit of olive oil for a higher smoke point when cooking.
- Crushed red pepper: For a little smoky heat.
How to make tequila lime shrimp
Adapted from a recipe by Justin Chapple via Food and Wine.
Step 1: Season the shrimp
Thaw the shrimp if frozen. Drain off any excess liquid. Place the shrimp in a bowl and add the salt. Toss to coat and set aside.
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Step 2: Prep the cilantro, lime, and garlic
Use a good chef's knife and chop the cilantro stems finely. Give the leaves a rough chop.
Finely dice the garlic and juice the limes.
Step 3: Make the lime tequila butter sauce
Place a large deep skillet or casserole pan over medium high heat. Add butter and olive oil. Once butter is melted, add the cilantro stems, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Stir constantly until the garlic becomes fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Turn the heat off and remove the pan from the burner, then carefully pour in the tequila. CAUTION: The tequila could catch fire if you leave the burner on!
Step 4: Cook the shrimp
Place the pan back on the burner and turn the heat to medium high. Stir constantly until the tequila evaporates. Add the shrimp and cook about 2 minutes on each side, just until they are an opaque pink.
Remove shrimp from heat and stir in the lime juice and cilantro leaves into the tequila sauce. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges on the side.
Expert tips
- Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go: This cooks quickly!
- Be very careful when adding the tequila: Be sure to turn the heat off and remove the pan from the heat to avoid catching the liquor on fire.
- Don't use cast iron: You can use almost any kind of non-stick skillet, but don't use cast iron. Citrus juices have a little too much acid and can damage the pan's seasoning.
- All the alcohol cooks off: Once cooked, no alcohol remains in the dish, just the flavor of the tequila.
- You don't need the expense of deveined shrimp: You don't actually have to devein the shrimp. Eating the vein will not hurt you, and deveined is usually more expensive.
FAQ
Get any shrimp in the range of 21-35 per pound. You don't want any that are too large or too small, as that will affect the cooking time. I almost always buy frozen shrimp. The shrimp in the seafood case has been previously frozen and thawed, and they usually charge more for it! I usually buy shrimp that are already peeled and deveined, but if unpeeled shrimp is on sale and you don't mind doing it yourself, go for it!
No, this recipe cannot be made ahead. You'll overcook the shrimp if you try to reheat it. But it cooks so quickly, there's really no need to! If you have leftovers, eat them chilled.
Yes! If you don't like to cook with alcohol, just leave the tequila out. The butter sauce will still taste great!
How to serve tequila lime shrimp
- Serve over rice or with crusty bread to sop up the sauce.
- Make tequila lime cilantro shrimp as an appetizer or a main course.
- I love to serve this with corn on the cob, because the sauce gets all over the corn. It's just another way to make sure you get every drop of it!
- Make tequila lime shrimp tacos!
- Add a side of Mexican Black Beans.
More shrimp recipes
Shrimp is such an easy dinner because it cooks so quickly. Here are more ideas for you.
- Baja Shrimp Tacos will whisk you away to the beach!
- How about we dump everything in a pot and call it dinner? That's a Low Country Boil.
- You'll be whisked away to a tapas bar in Spain when you make Spanish Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo). Sooooo garlicky good!
- For another twist on scampi, try Shrimp Scampi with Corn, Tomatoes, and Fresh Basil. It tastes like summer.
Tequila lime shrimp is a quick and easy dinner with unique flavors!
- Quick prep: Chop some garlic and cilantro, juice some limes.
- Ready in 15 minutes, the shrimp only cook 2 minutes per side.
- Tequila and butter are best friends—who knew?
- It's gluten free!
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Recipe
Tequila Lime Shrimp Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro stems
- ⅓ cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoon tequila (blanco)
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Thaw the shrimp if frozen. Drain off any excess liquid. Place the shrimp in a bowl and add the salt. Toss to coat and set aside.
- Use a good chef's knife and chop the cilantro stems finely. Roughly chop the leaves. Finely dice the garlic and juice the limes.
- Place a large deep skillet or casserole pan over medium high heat. Add butter and olive oil. Once butter is melted, add the cilantro stems, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Stir constantly until the garlic becomes fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and remove the pan from the burner, then carefully pour in the tequila. CAUTION: The tequila could catch fire if you leave the burner on! Place the pan back on the burner and turn the heat to medium high. Stir constantly until the tequila evaporates.
- Add the shrimp and cook about 2 minutes on each side, just until they are an opaque pink.Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- You'll want to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go, because this cooks quickly.
- Be very careful when adding the tequila. Be sure to turn the heat off and remove the pan from the heat to avoid catching the liquor on fire.
- Once cooked, no alcohol remains in the dish, just the flavor of the tequila.
- You can use almost any kind of non-stick skillet, but don't use cast iron. Citrus juices have a little too much acid and can affect the seasoning. I used my Lodge enamel casserole pan, it's so pretty it can go from stovetop to table.
- Be sure to check out the post above for more info on choosing ingredients and step by step photos.
Linda Cummings
Love this combination of flavors.