This Cuban Shrimp Creole or "enchilado de camarones" is a flavorful, classic Cuban dish. The shrimp get simmered in a flavorful sauce made with tomato, onions, peppers, garlic and seasonings. You'll definitely want to keep this recipe on hand for quick weeknight meals.
Growing up in a large Cuban family, this meal was a special treat! We had "enchilado de camarones" many times for family gatherings or when company was over. I asked my mom what the english name for it was and the general consensus was "Cuban Shrimp Creole". Although it doesn't translate exactly, it's what this dish is most commonly known as in English. So no matter if you call it an enchilado or a creole, you'll be making it over and over for your friends and family as well!
How to make Cuban Shrimp Creole (Enchilado de camarones):
By now you know, most cuban dishes start with *drum roll* green peppers and onions! Add in some garlic and a couple tablespoons of the tomato sauce and you have a winning combination of flavors!
After cooking the veggies and tomato sauce, everything else (except the shrimp) goes in the pan and gets simmered for just 5 minutes. I told ya this was easy! By the way, even if you don't like olives, i'd still encourage you to add them in with the brine. You can pick them out after cooking if you want but they add a great flavor that will otherwise be missing from the sauce.
Now for the star of the show...the shrimp! Dump them in and simmer for another 10 minutes. They should be cooked through at this point and be curled up and opaque.
Serve immediately over a bed of white rice and enjoy!
Cuban Shrimp Creole (Enchilado de camarones)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- half of a medium onion diced finely (about ½ cup)
- half of a green bell pepper diced finely (about ½ cup)
- 4 large garlic cloves - minced
- 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup white wine
- ⅓ cup green Spanish olives (plus a tablespoon of the brine)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ heaping teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 and ½ pounds medium sized shrimp (peeled, deveined, and tail-off)
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add in the olive oil, onions, and green peppers. Sauté until the onions and peppers soften.
- Add in the garlic and 2 tablespoons from the can of tomato sauce. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add in the remaining tomato sauce, water, white wine, olives, oregano, salt, pepper, and cumin. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, uncovered.
- After the 5 minutes, add in the shrimp and simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately over white rice.
Anita says
This shrimp creole is simply delicious and full of flavors. I can eat this with nothing but white rice. 🙂
Charla @ That Girl Cooks Healthy says
I bet the whole house comes to life with the smell of this wonderful looking dish.
Roxana says
There is something about these creole flavors and shrimp that work perfectly. So comforting with rice. What can I use instead of wine?
Coco and Ash says
thank you! If you want to skip the wine, use the same amount of chicken or vegetable broth and add in 1 tablespoon of white vinegar for acid 🙂
Eni says
Water
Sara Welch says
So many flavors in one dish; this was fantastic! Looking forward to enjoying leftovers for dinner again tonight!
Dlishus says
This is not the way to make Enchilado de Camarones. Any real and true Cuban doesn't put the brine of the olives in any meal for the simple reason the brine gives the meal bitter taste. In this recipe it doesn't call for oregano or cumin, but it calls for hot sauce which isn't mentioned at all. In addition, the recipe doesn't call for water either.. Please research you data before publishing a Cuban Recipe...
Coco and Ash says
Thanks for your input. But both my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents - ALL born in Cuba and I am first generation born in this country. So if this is the way we make it, I'd say it's pretty darn AUTHENTIC Cuban. Have a GREAT day!
John Leon says
I'm the same as you first generation Cuban-American. My family makes this dish exactly like your recipe, and Cubans always add brine from the jar when using olives. It's practically customary, and when do Cubans ever leave out, cumin and add hot sauce to any recipe? Your recipe is spot on! I made this last night and it was amazing. Thank you!!!
Coco and Ash says
Thank you!! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂 My great-grandparents' last name was also Leon 😉
Rosie C. says
Daughter of Cuban parents, grandparents, etc., here!! My Oklahoma-born gringo husband learned very quickly into our relationship that the Olive brine is a sacred thing that must never be discarded, even after the olives are gone!! It's one of my cuban "secret weapons" in the kitchen, along with anchovy paste in a tube, smoked paprika and Vino Seco cooking wine. I keep other wonderful wines on hand that I use for cooking but for some Cuban dishes, the bitter-salty notes in the Vino Seco AND the olive brine are absolutely not replaceable. Thanks for sharing a great recipe! I'll be adding it to our rotation!!
Coco and Ash says
Thank you!! Totally agree 😃
JM says
First of all…I am NOT Cuban, but I live in Florida and eat Cuban food often. I just made this recipe and think it’’s DELICIOUS, easy and fast! What more do you need? I will definitely make it again.
LizB says
Could you not be a troll? I just made her picadillo recipe and it was definitely authentic.
Coco and Ash says
LOL thank you!!!!!
Ki says
You're incorrect. Please research your data before commenting on a Cuban recipe.
Eni says
You must not be Cuban, because I have done it that way, except for the tablespoon of the brine, I think that's optional.
I do add the Oregano and the Cumin and if you can't have wine you add Water. That does not mean that one is not Cuban if we have different ways of cooking.
Natalie says
You're an idiot. A Cuban would NEVER put hot sauce in their food.
G Sabsoub says
Real Cubans don’t use hot sauce. This recipe was perfect.
Theresa Gonzalez says
Do you cook the shrimp before adding it to the sauce?
Coco and Ash says
No, they cook in the sauce 🙂
Gigi Perez says
I have never eaten Cuban camarones enchilados with olives. I'm Cuban and we usually use olives in picadillo, ropa vieja, fricasé de pollo, that's about it.
Coco and Ash says
I’m cuban and my family makes it with olives 🙂 feel free to leave them out if you’d like!
Rosie says
Pero ven acá caballero..... que pasa con esta gente que no paran de joder con las criticas???
Francisco Castellanos says
GOOD RECIPE. VENEZUELAN MARRIED TO A CUBAN FROM CARDENA
Patsy says
I'm cooking for a Cuban inspired buffet party next month. Could I make the sauce the day before and overnight it in the fridge then add the raw shrimp once its reheated? I want to do a shrimp dish but won't have time to make it on the day.
Coco and Ash says
Absolutely! Great idea 🙂
Patsy says
THANKS!! Loving your recipes
I'm catering for a few vegetarians do you have a Cuban veggie recipe - again one i can prep the day before and heat up rather like when i cook an Indian veggie curry?
Coco and Ash says
I think the only ones that would be vegetarian are the black bean recipes. I have a quick version and a traditional (just search “black beans”) I’m not sure if you’d be able to modify any other recipes. Good luck! 🙂
Greg Divine says
I made this for dinner tonight and the whole family loved it! So much incredible flavor in this soup . I will absolutely be making this again and again. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us . Now I’m going pick out another of your recipes to make next and I can’t wait.
Lucia Harrison says
My husband hates olives, so last time I made this I did not add them or the brine. It was really good. But tonight I made it again, added the olives and brine, and made sure he did not get an olive when served. ..it was outstanding. Only change was a splash of fresh lemon before serving. So good.
Coco and Ash says
Great to hear! I do the same here 🙂 thank you!
Casey says
I don’t eat shrimp so I didn’t try it but my husband and sons liked it, I didn’t have tomato sauce so I substituted Sofrito instead and they said it had good flavor.
Jenise G says
I’m excited to make this tonight for NYE but I’m nervous because I’m making for about 12 adults 😬. Should I just triple all the ingredients? Can I make the sauce a few hours earlier and just add the shrimp (& a few chunks of lobster 😜) a few minutes before serving? I appreciate the help!
Coco and Ash says
Hi! No need to be nervous 🙂
You can easily double the sauce and make it ahead of time. Then just heat it back up and add the seafood when ready to eat!
Jenise Gato says
Thank you for the prompt response! Double or triple 🤔? Thanks again & happy new year 🎊!!
Coco and Ash says
It makes a lot of sauce but if it were me, I’d rather triple it and have left overs 😃
William P says
Wow, a lot of arguments about different variations of the dish. Lighten up people it's only food and Cubans love to eat!
My mom's family are all from Cuba. My mom and a lot of her generation were some of the first born here in the US.
I've eaten picadillo 3 or 4 ways, ropa vieja a couple ways, boliche a couple different ways. All at my grandma's table. While I never saw my grandma use hot sauce I've seen family members use hot sauce on certain dishes. Like food anywhere there are regional variations to every dish.
Im sure if I would have prepared it correctly it would have been excellent. Don't let anyone tell you that you can substitute for the wine (or cooking sherry) it makes the dish.
Dawn Chavez says
This is so good. Not spicy, has a great flavor.
Belynda Ariz- Nelson says
Gracias!!!! My dish came out outstanding!! Greatly appreciated!
Coco and Ash says
Awesome!
Sandy says
Look at all of you beautiful, feisty Cubans carrying on over what is or is not authentic Cuban food. I bet if you grabbed 10 cuban cooks none of them cook exactly the same. 🙂
Susan Orchard says
It was super easy to make and delicious! Just like my Mima used to make!