Gambas al Ajillo is a staple of Spanish cuisine, beloved for its simple, fresh ingredients and exciting flavors. This incredibly satisfying tapas dish of sizzling shrimp cooked with lots of olive oil and garlic and a hint of spicy chili, is easy to whip up and guaranteed to be the star of any dinner party or holiday gathering.
No Spanish tapas meal feels complete without Gambas al Ajillo: Spanish garlic shrimp. Served in a small cast iron pan, this dish comes to the table straight from the stove, the shrimp still sizzling, the intoxicating aroma of garlic filling the air.
And the deliciousness doesn't stop even after you've eaten all the shrimp! If you're like me, you won't be able to stop until you've sopped up every last bit of garlicky oil from the pan. That's why you absolutely must serve this dish with plenty of crusty bread!
Authentic Gambas al Ajillo
This Gambas al Ajillo recipe comes straight from the source: Deborah Hansen, chef and owner of Boston's award winning Spanish tapas restaurant (and my all-time favorite tapas restaurant!), Taberna de Haro.
After living in Madrid and owning a restaurant there, Chef Hansen brought her deep love for traditional Spanish cuisine to Boston. As she explains, "I seek to show guests the authentic food of Spain, so I replicate my favorite dishes, taking almost no creative license." This commitment to authenticity shines through in every delicious bite!
When I asked Deborah for a recipe to share on Panning The Globe, she generously offered Gambas al Ajillo, noting that "it's still a house favorite after 21 years!" You'll quickly see why when you dive in and try this incredibly simple and outstandingly delicious shrimp recipe.
How To Make Gambas Al Ajillo: Spanish Garlic Shrimp
This recipe is very fast - with a total cooking time of about 5 minutes. The key is to have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you turn on the stove. You'll Need:
- Olive oil - Good quality extra virgin olive oil is a must for this dish.
- Garlic - and plenty of it!
- Shrimp - peeled and deveined and patted dry
- Dried red peppers (or red pepper flakes)
- Sea Salt - Malden is my favorite
Recipe Walk-Through with Photos
(For full details, scroll all the way down to the recipe card)
Sauté the garlic and chili peppers (or red pepper flakes) in olive oil until the garlic turns a beautiful golden brown.
Add the shrimp to the hot pan and sauté for 2 minutes, turning them with tongs halfway through and seasoning them with salt on both sides.
Serve Immediately: Transfer the pan directly to the table (with a plate underneath!) while the shrimp are still sizzling. Serve with plenty of crusty bread for dipping!
Chef's Tips for Perfect Gambas al Ajillo
If you want the best Spanish Gambas Al Ajillo, Chef Hansen has these 3 tips for success:
1. Use A Cast Iron Skillet: I highly recommend a 6-inch cast iron skillet for this recipe. It's an inexpensive investment and perfect for a myriad of sizzling dishes – even omelets!
2. Buy Shrimp in the Shell: The best tasting shrimp are the ones you buy still in the shell. The pre-shelled shrimp often smell bleach-y and lack texture. Frozen is fine, just defrost in cold water first.
3. Cook the shrimp in small batches: The secret to perfectly cooked shrimp with that wonderful texture is very hot oil. If you add more than 10 shrimp at once, the oil's temperature will drop too much, causing the shrimp to steam rather than sear quickly.
If you're cooking for a crowd, peel and devein 20 or even 30 shrimp so you can quickly cook up a couple more batches. They disappear quickly!
A huge thanks to Deborah for sharing this incredible garlic shrimp recipe. It's a thrill to be able to make such fabulous Spanish tapas at home. I can't wait to get a copy of The Taberna de Haro cookbook, which is forthcoming. I promise I'll link to it as soon as it's available.
If you love shrimp, don't miss out on our other delicious shrimp appetizers. Try my Sautéd Shrimp with Remoulade Sauce and this Greek-Style Garlicky Shrimp with Feta.
Ready to cook up some sizzling Spanish garlic shrimp?
If you try this Gambas al Ajillo recipe, I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!
Recipe
Gambas al Ajillo: Sizzling Spanish Garlic Shrimp
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 servings
Description
Recipe compliments of Deborah Hansen, chef/owner of Taberno De Haro.
Ingredients
Equipment: Small 6" Cast Iron Pan (note 1)
- 10 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined (note 2)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves of garlic, sliced crosswise into uniform ⅛-inch slices
- 2 small dried red peppers, broken in half (We use chile de arbol) or ¼ teaspoon of hot crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Place all your prepared ingredients right in front of you. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Heat a 6-inch cast iron shallow pan for 30 seconds over a high flame. Pour in the oil. Wait 10 seconds, then add the garlic and the peppers (or pepper flakes), and sauté until the garlic is golden brown. Add all 10 shrimp quickly. Let sauté 1 minute and then turn with tongs. Salt. Let sauté one more minute, stir, and then serve immediately while they are still sizzling in the pan (with a trivet underneath). High and fast is the name of the game here.
- Serve with crusty bread for sopping up the delicious oil, and savor how the oil changes in flavor as the shrimp release their juices!
Notes
- Don't have a cast iron pan? If you use a metal frying pan, make sure it is small, 8-inches or less, and diminish the cooking time of the shrimp to 20 seconds on each side.
- The best-tasting shrimp are the ones you buy still in the shell. Frozen is fine, just defrost in cold water before cooking.
- Nutrition Disclaimer: We do our best to provide accurate nutrition values using an online nutrition calculator; however our nutrition information should be used only as an approximation.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 5 min
- Category: Appetizer, Tapas
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Spanish
This recipe post was first published on December 22, 2019. It has been updated with higher quality photos, additional helpful details in the written post, clarifying instructions in the recipe card, and a new title that better describes the dish. It used to be called: "Gambas Al Ajillo: Spicy Garlic Shrimp." The same delicious recipe!
David Yavin
Awesome dish and remarably quick and easy to make! I make this every New Year's Eve to go with an early evening toast with the family before we go out.
Seeve it with a hearty crusty bread and every last bit of the spicy garlicky oil will get sopped up and devoured.
Lisa Goldfinger
Hi David - thanks so much for the feedback and the five star rating. So glad this recipe is working out well for you!
Paula Knotts
Another fantastic recipe from panningtheglobe. I used very large shrimp so the cooking time was longer. I was afraid of burning the garlic due to longer cooking time but did not. The outcome was delicious and will definitely make again. And yes, crusty bread is a must!
Lisa
I'm so glad you enjoyed the Gambas Paula - thanks so much for letting me know!
Joel Silberman
Super - we added in some scallops with the Shrimp! Yum Yum
Patatas Bravas were the perfect side too
Lisa
Very good idea to add scallops - that sounds like an amazing dinner you made!
Liz
Wow SOOOOO good
Hofterzielbeek
Wow! Seems so delicious and yummy. Thank you so much for sharing such a great recipe!