Growing up, this dish would commonly appear on our dinner table and I knew it only as “shrimps in tomato sauce”. Now that I’m older, I’ve learned the dish’s real name from my husband’s Cuban grandmother. “Enchilado de camarones,” she pointed at my pot with a nod and smile as I was making it in her home for the first time. She seemed impressed that I was (unintentionally) cooking Cuban food. And so today, with Abuela’s nod of approval, I present to you this dish. It’s fresh, flavorful and honestly a bit of a comfort meal for me. Let’s get right into how it’s made…
Shrimps, broth, tomato paste, cilantro, salt and pepper, onions, green bell peppers, garlic, a pat of butter (omit this to make this recipe dairy-free), olive oil, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper and a touch of honey to tone down the acidity of the tomato and round out all the flavors, are all that’s needed to create this dish. Though the cook time is less than 30 minutes from prep to finish, this is honestly one of those meals that tastes better the next day so be sure to make enough to have some leftovers!
Into a pan with some oil (and butter) we’ll saute the onions and bell peppers until the onions begin to turn translucent, then we’ll add in the garlic and cook until it’s fragrant.
Next comes the shrimp which has been seasoned with the salt, pepper, cayenne, and smoked paprika.
In less than two minutes the shrimp will begin to turn opaque. (Doesn’t that already look so good? I can tell you that the smell is heavenly!)
That’s our cue to add in the broth, tomato sauce and honey and allow it to simmer (covered) for ten minutes. We really don’t want the shrimp to be overcooked. To finish, we’ll top it off with bits of chopped cilantro. So simple!
These shrimps are absolutely delicious with some steamed brown rice or for an extra kick of flavor, a Cilantro and Lime Brown Rice!
Besides rice, you can also serve this with whole grain pasta, couscous, riced cauliflower, or even zoodles or shirataki noodles!
Shrimp in Tomato Sauce (Enchilado de Camarones)
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra large shrimp peeled and deveined, tails removed
- ½ tsp Himalayan salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp extra light olive oil
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- ½ cup onion diced
- ½ large green bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup chicken bone broth or vegetable
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Season your peeled and deveined shrimp with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika.
- In a large pan or skillet, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add diced onions and green bell peppers. Cook until the onions are slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add seasoned shrimps and cook until the shrimps are opaque and pink.
- Pour in the chicken stock, tomato paste, and honey, and stir to combine everything.
- Allow to simmer (covered) for 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and top with chopped cilantro. You can serve immediately or you can cover the pan once more and allow the flavors to meld together even further for another 10-20 minutes.
- Serve with brown rice, couscous, whole wheat noodles, or even zoodles or riced cauliflower. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Notes
- This recipe is one that tastes even better the next day so don't be afraid to make it in advance!
- If you'd prefer the sauce to be slightly thicker you can combine 1/2 tsp of potato starch or arrowroot powder in water (or stock) and add it to the pot after the stock and tomato paste has been simmering for a few minutes. Be sure to stir well to distribute the slurry and evenly thicken up the sauce.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, omit the butter.
