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Home » Recipes » Fish and Seafood

Gambas Al Ajillo: Spicy garlic shrimp

December 22, 2019 Updated March 22, 2025 by Lisa Goldfinger 8 Comments This post may contain affiliate links

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Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp
Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp
Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp
6 Spicy garlic shrimp in a cast iron skillet - a piece of bread being dunked in
Gambas al ajillo is one of Spain's more ubiquitous little dishes. Easy to make and incredibly satisfying, this slightly spicy shrimp tapas dish will be a hit at your dinner party or holiday gathering. 
 
Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp
 
I have a deep love for potatas bravas and sangria but no tapas meal is complete without gambas al ajillo. Served in a small cast iron pan, gambas al ajilla comes to the table straight from the stove, the shrimp still sizzling, the intoxicating aroma of garlic filling the air. 
 
When you've emptied the pan of shrimp there's still lots more deliciousness to enjoy. If you're like me, you won't be able to stop eating until you've sopped up every last bit of spicy garlicky oil from the pan, which is why you absolutely have to serve this dish with lots of crusty bread.

Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp
 
This authentic gambas al ajillo recipe was given to me by Deborah Hansen, chef/owner of my favorite Spanish tapas restaurant in Boston, Taberno de Haro.  The restaurant has won multiple awards for outstanding food and wine, including an award for the best tapas. 
 
When I asked Deborah for a recipe to share on Panning The Globe, she generously offered gambas al ajillo which she says "is still a house favorite after 21 years!"

How To Make Gambas Al Ajillo: Spicy garlic shrimp

Total cooking time for this recipe is about 5 minutes so have all your ingredients right in front of you before you turn on your stove: olive oil, garlic, shrimp, dried red peppers (or red pepper flakes), and salt.

  1. Prepare the Shrimp: You'll need 10 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. 
  2. Sauté the Shrimp: Heat a small cast iron pan for 30 seconds over a high flame. Add ⅓ cup of olive oil and wait 10 seconds, then add the garlic and the peppers and sauté until the garlic is golden brown. Add all 10 the shrimp quickly. Sauté for 1 minute and then turn with tongs. Salt. Sauté for one more minute, stir, and then serve immediately while the shrimp are still sizzling in the pan (with a plate underneath). 
  3. Serve with bread - it's amazing how the oil changes in flavor as the shrimp release their juices!

white cutting board with ingredients for spicy garlic shrimp: 10 raw shrimp, bowl of oil, bowl of salt, bowl of sliced garlic and bowl of red pepper flakes

showing how to cook spicy garlic shrimp, a cast iron skillet with sizzling garlic slices and then the same skillet with 10 shrimp added

Chef's Tips For Success:

  1. I highly recommend a 6-inch cast iron skillet for this recipe.  It's a relatively inexpensive investment and you can make a myriad of sizzling little dishes with it. It's also great for omelets.
  2. 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. The key here is very hot oil, and if you put more than 10 shrimp in at once, it will cool down and the shrimp won’t cook fast enough to retain their wonderful texture. 
  4. 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!

Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp

BIG thanks to Deborah for this wonderful spicy garlic shrimp recipe. THIS DISH IS SO GOOD!! It's a thrill to  be able to make fabulous authentic 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.

Don't miss out on our other delicious shrimp appetizers! Try this Sautéd Shrimp with Remoulade Sauce and this Greek-Style Garlicky Shrimp with Feta.

Here's the recipe for Gambas al Ajillo: Spicy Garlic Shrimp. If you try this recipe I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!

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Recipe

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Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp

Gambas al ajillo (Spicy garlic shrimp)


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4-5 servings 1x
Print Recipe

Description

If you love shrimp and garlic, this dish is THE BEST. A favorite Spanish tapas dish that's easy to make at home.

Recipe compliments of Deborah Hansen, chef/owner of Taberno De Haro.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 10 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined (The best-tasting ones 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).
  • ⅓ cup Spanish 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

  1. Place all your prepared ingredients right in front of you. Dry the shrimp.
  2. Heat the 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, and sauté until the garlic is golden brown. Add all 10 the 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 plate underneath). High and fast is the name of the game here.
  3. Serve with bread, 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.

  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 5 min
  • Category: Appetizer, Tapas
  • Method: Sauté
  • Cuisine: Spanish

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram with the hashtag #panningtheglobe

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Filed Under: All Recipes, Appetizers, Dinner, Entertaining, Europe, Fish and Seafood, Most Popular Recipes, Quick and Easy, Spain

Reader Interactions

Comments

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    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  1. David Yavin

    September 25, 2023 at 8:11 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      September 25, 2023 at 9:26 am

      Hi David - thanks so much for the feedback and the five star rating. So glad this recipe is working out well for you!

      Reply
  2. Paula Knotts

    January 09, 2022 at 7:33 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Lisa

      January 10, 2022 at 6:33 am

      I'm so glad you enjoyed the Gambas Paula - thanks so much for letting me know!

      Reply
  3. Joel Silberman

    May 04, 2020 at 9:30 pm

    Super - we added in some scallops with the Shrimp! Yum Yum
    Patatas Bravas were the perfect side too

    Reply
    • Lisa

      May 05, 2020 at 6:32 am

      Very good idea to add scallops - that sounds like an amazing dinner you made!

      Reply
  4. Liz

    December 30, 2019 at 2:26 pm

    Wow SOOOOO good

    Reply
  5. Hofterzielbeek

    December 23, 2019 at 10:23 am

    Wow! Seems so delicious and yummy. Thank you so much for sharing such a great recipe!

    Reply

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Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp
Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp
Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp
6 Spicy garlic shrimp in a cast iron skillet - a piece of bread being dunked in

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Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp
Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp
Close up of a cast iron skillet with 8 spicy garlic shrimp
6 Spicy garlic shrimp in a cast iron skillet - a piece of bread being dunked in

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