Tequila Lime Shrimp Recipe

A pan of cilantro lime shrimp with a gold spoon in it.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: cilantro lime shrimp, tequila lime shrimp, tequila shrimp

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 7

Total Time: 12

Servings:

Calories: 316kcal

Tequila lime shrimp is a great idea for an easy dinner. You'll love the flavor of the tequila in the buttery sauce, and it cooks in 15 minutes!

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

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.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Nutrition