Cuban recipe

Cuban Completa with Shrimp Enchilados, White Rice, Tostones and Avocado

Name: Cuban Completa with Shrimp Enchilados, White Rice, Tostones and Avocado
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 700 g cleaned, peeled and deveined shrimp (net weight); 1 tablespoon lime juice; ½ teaspoon salt for the shrimp; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 cup tomato sauce; ¼ cup dry wine; 1 bay leaf; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; Salt and pepper to taste; Hot chili pepper or hot sauce to taste (optional); 2 cups rice; 4 cups water; 2 tablespoons oil; 2 garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon salt; 3 green plantains; Oil for frying; Salted water for dipping; Salt to taste; 2 ripe avocados, sliced; A few drops of lime juice and a pinch of salt

Cuban Completa: a combination plate of shrimp enchilados in Creole sauce with fluffy white rice, golden tostones and fresh avocado, for 4 people.

CiberCubaNovember 11, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation35 min
Cooking50 min
Total time1 h 25 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyMedium

In this version, the shrimp are cooked in a Creole sauce of tomato, onion, bell pepper and garlic, with a little dry wine. The heat is optional and adjusted to taste, without changing the base of the sauce.

The Cuban Completa, a combination plate, brings together shrimp enchilados, fluffy white rice to soak up the sauce, crispy twice-fried tostones and slices of fresh avocado. The sauce and rice can be made ahead; the shrimp are added at the end so they don't overcook.

Method

Shrimp enchilados

Mix the raw, cleaned, peeled and deveined shrimp with the lime juice and salt. Leave them covered in the refrigerator while you prepare the sauce.
Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and green bell pepper for about 5 minutes, until softened.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Add the garlic, cumin and oregano and cook 1 more minute, stirring so they don't burn.
Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, dry wine and bay leaf. Cook over medium-low heat for 12-15 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Adjust the salt and pepper and add heat only if you wish.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
With the sauce at a gentle simmer, add the shrimp and cook about 3-5 minutes, depending on their size, until they are firm, pearly and completely opaque, with no translucent center. Stir carefully so they cook evenly. Remove the bay leaf and take off the heat.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba

White rice

Heat the oil with the garlic cloves without burning them. Add the washed and drained rice and stir for 1 minute. Add the water and salt and let it boil uncovered until the liquid has almost been absorbed.
Lower the heat to the minimum, cover and cook 15-18 minutes or until the rice is tender. Let it rest covered for 5 minutes and fluff the grains with a fork.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Tostones

Peel the green plantains and cut them into slices about 3 cm thick.
Fry the slices in batches in hot oil over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side, until tender and just lightly golden. Drain them.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Flatten each slice with a tostonera or the bottom of a sturdy glass to about 1 cm. Away from the heat, briefly pass them through salted water and dry them very well with paper towels: there must be no water droplets on the surface.
Fry the tostones again in batches in hot oil, without letting it smoke, until golden and crispy, about 1-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and adjust the salt.

Assembly

Cut the avocados into slices and season them with a few drops of lime juice and a pinch of salt.
Serve the white rice, shrimp enchilados and tostones hot, alongside the fresh avocado, without heating the avocado.

Tips and variations

Perfectly cooked shrimp: the 700 g is raw, peeled and deveined shrimp. Cook the sauce first; add the shrimp at the end and cook until the flesh is firm, pearly and opaque all the way through, with no translucent center. The 3-5 minutes are a guide, depending on size. Keep the shrimp refrigerated until you cook them.

Heat and wine: the heat is optional. For an alcohol-free version, replace the ¼ cup of wine with the same amount of water or broth; cooking does not guarantee all the alcohol is removed.

Tostones: use very green plantains. For the brief dip, mix about 1 cup of water with 1 teaspoon of salt; do this away from the heat and dry the tostones very well with paper towels before frying them again. They must not drip. The oil should allow frying in batches without overflowing or smoking.

Rice and serving: let the rice rest covered for 5 minutes before fluffing the grains. Serve the rice, shrimp and tostones hot, and the avocado fresh.

Storage: refrigerate the shrimp and rice promptly in shallow containers and eat them the next day. Reheat cooked food until it reaches 74 °C in the center. Prepare the tostones and avocado just before serving.