Roasted Cuban Mojo Shrimp

I know we’re in the middle of summer and the last thing you might want to do is turn on the oven, let alone all the way up to 400°F, but hear me out. It’ll be on for a flash and it’ll be well worth the heat, I promise. On the bright side, shrimp cooks so fast so the oven won’t even be on for all that long, and really the oven does all the work for you. You can literally put this dish together in about three steps and you won’t even break a sweat doing it. This Roasted Cuban Mojo Shrimp will be your new go-to party dish because it’s interactive, fun to eat and so flavorful. I think you should make this as soon as possible because this will be your new favorite dish. I’ll stop being a used car salesman because I think the dish speaks for itself, and that’s all I need to say. 

This is one of the easiest recipes I’ve posted in a very long time. It almost doesn’t require a recipe…almost. The first thing we want to do is make the Cuban mojo sauce. Which is a garlicky citrus sauce that is used a lot in Cuban cooking. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, orange zest, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice and olive oil until well-combined. 

**Note: This is great as a marinade for chicken or pork chops or even steak, but it’s also great as a dipping sauce as well! It’s loaded with complex flavor that you’ll want to make again and again!**

Add in the shrimp and toss until evenly incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or up to 8.

**Tip: Because there is so much acid in this sauce, you don’t want to marinate the shrimp in here for too long or else you’ll run the risk of the acid cooking the shrimp, which will create a rubbery texture to it. You don’t want to keep it in the sauce for longer than it needs to be!**

Using a slotted spoon remove the shrimp and place on a large baking sheet in an even single layer. Roast for about 8 to 12 minutes or until pink and no longer opaque.

When cooking shrimp, it’s really important to not over cook it because it’ll get rubbery and tough. You want to cook it just until it turns pink and it no longer is gray around the edges. 

Meanwhile, transfer the marinade to a saucepan and simmer over low heat until hot and slightly reduced. Turn off and let cool slightly.

**Note: Because there was raw shrimp in the marinade we want to cook it so it’s safe to eat. Plus you want it warm for dipping and dunking the cooked shrimp.**

I like to serve this simply with cooked white rice and black beans and of course, plantains (either sweet or savory). I actually prefer tostones which are made with green savory plantains, but the sweet are more commonly known.

This is one of the easiest recipes you can make but it’s so so good! It’s packed with flavor and the fun part is peeling and eating the shrimp. It’s so good! Especially with white rice to soak up that garlicky sauce. It’s finger licking good, if I’m allowed to use that expression. Let me know what you think below, and of course if you make it, let me know because I would love to see it! Stay safe my friends. 

5 from 1 vote

Roasted Cuban Mojo Shrimp

Roasted Cuban Mojo Shrimp is that perfect weeknight meal for when you don't feel like cooking and want the oven to do all the work for you!

Servings 4 servings

Prep Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 22 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 pounds deveined shell-on shrimp
• White rice and black beans for serving

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, orange zest, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice and olive oil until well-combined. Add in the shrimp and toss until evenly incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or up to 8.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Using a slotted spoon remove the shrimp and place on a large baking sheet in an even single layer. Roast for about 8 to 12 minutes or until pink and no longer opaque.
• Meanwhile, transfer the marinade to a saucepan and simmer over low heat until hot and slightly reduced. Turn off and let cool slightly.
• Serve the shrimp with white rice, black beans, plantains and the extra sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy!

Author: The Candid Appetite