Name: Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 250 g Prawns, peeled, deveined, and patted dry; 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 5 clove Garlic, thinly sliced; ½ tsp Chilli Flakes; ½ tsp Salt; ¼ tsp Black Peppercorns, freshly crushed; 2 tbsp Parsley, chopped; 1 tbsp Lemon Juice, fresh

Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)

18 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 8 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Under ten minutes once the prawns are peeled. The garlic wants a slow start in warm oil, but the prawns take barely two minutes.

Method

Pat the prawns dry and season them with the listed salt and black pepper.
Warm the measured olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook until fragrant and just pale golden.
Add the chilli flakes and prawns. Cook quickly, turning once, until the prawns turn opaque and curl gently.
Turn off the heat, then add the parsley and lemon juice. Serve while the oil is still sizzling.

How to tell it's done

The prawns should be just opaque, juicy, and springy, not tight or rubbery.

Getting it right

Tip

Do not brown the garlic deeply; bitter garlic will dominate the oil and the prawns.

What to serve it with

Serve with crusty bread or alongside other tapas so the garlicky oil can be enjoyed.

Common mistakes

The garlic turns bitter.: Warm oil, not hot. The garlic should go pale gold slowly and perfume the oil; the moment it browns it has gone, and there is no recovering the dish.
The prawns are rubbery.: They are done the instant they turn opaque and curl loosely. A tight curl means overcooked. Take the pan off the heat while you are still unsure.

Substitutions

Tiger Prawns can replace Prawns if available; adjust cooking only by visual doneness.
Use Olive Oil instead of Extra Virgin Olive Oil for a milder flavor.
Reduce Chilli Flakes for a gentler tapa.
This dish contains shellfish and should not be served as shellfish-free.

Storing and reheating

A dish to serve straight from the pan while the oil is still bubbling. Leftover prawns keep a day in the fridge but toughen when reheated — better eaten cold, chopped into a salad, with the garlic oil spooned over.

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