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Overhead shot of Spanish garlic shrimp in a brown dish.
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4.88 from 48 votes

Spanish Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo)

Succulent shrimp swimming in a garlicky sauce, this Spanish Garlic Shrimp is a classic tapas dish that's hard to resist! Be sure to serve this dish with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Entree
Cuisine: Spanish
Diet: Low Calorie
Servings: 4
Calories: 270kcal
Author: Dr. Sonali Ruder

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • Pan con Tomate (Spanish tomato bread) or crusty bread, for serving
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Pour the oil into a large sauté pan (or cazuelas) and add the garlic and chili flakes. Turn the heat up to medium high. As the pan heats up, the oil will slowly get infused with the flavor of the garlic and chili (do not let the garlic brown).
  • Once the oil is hot and the garlic is fragrant, add the shrimp to the pan. Season them with the paprika, salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp about 2 minutes, until they just turn pink, stirring often.
  • Add the sherry and lemon juice and cook another 2-3 minutes until the liquid is reduced and shrimp are cooked. Sprinkle the parsley on top. Serve with Pan con Tomate (tomato bread) or crusty bread for soaking up all of the delicious sauce.

Notes

Make sure you have all your ingredients gathered before you start cooking- this dish cooks in a matter or minutes!
Heat the oil slowly to infuse it with the garlic and chili flakes; you don't want to burn the garlic.
Don't overcook the shrimp. The shrimp will continue to cook in the warm oil.
Serve this dish with Pan con Tomate (Spanish Tomato Bread) on the side to soak up all of the delicious sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 183mg | Sodium: 285mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 453IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg