Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)
A classic Spanish tapa — shrimp sizzled in olive oil infused with sliced garlic and dried chili. The real treat is mopping up the leftover garlic oil with baguette; perfect with a glass of wine.
Ingredients
- Shrimp · peeled and deveined250 g
- Garlic · sliced8 cloves
- Olive oil · enough to half-submerge the shrimp0.5 cup
- Dried chilies · peperoncino, or flakes3
- Parsley · chopped1 handful
- Baguette · to serve
- Seasoning
- Salt0.5 tsp
- Paprika · pimenton, optional0.5 tsp
- White wine · optional1 tbsp
Steps
- ⏲ 2 min
Peel and devein the shrimp, pat them dry, and season with salt.
- ⏲ 4 min
In a small pan or cast-iron pot, gently heat the olive oil with the sliced garlic and dried chilies over low heat to infuse the oil. Don't burn the garlic.
- ⏲ 3 min
Once the garlic turns golden and the oil is fragrant, add the shrimp and cook over medium-low.
- ⏲ 1 min
When the shrimp turn pink, add the paprika (and white wine) and bubble briefly. Taste for salt.
Off the heat, scatter parsley. Serve still sizzling, with baguette to soak up the garlic oil.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- With mushrooms: Add button mushrooms to stretch it and add umami.
- Scallop/squid: Use other seafood instead of or alongside the shrimp.
- Milder: Leave out the chilies for a kid-friendly version.
- Garlic toast: Toast bread in the leftover garlic oil for a treat.
Tips
- The key is infusing the garlic into the oil over low heat — high heat burns it bitter.
- Pat the shrimp very dry so the oil doesn't spit and stays clean.
- Use enough oil to half-submerge the shrimp — that garlic oil is the real prize.
- Baguette is a must — mop up the leftover oil with bread to finish.
- Cast iron or earthenware keeps it hot and sizzling at the table.
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