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Spanish gambas al ajillo sizzling in olive oil with garlic and chilli

Spanish · Spain

Spanish Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp Tapas)

A Madrid and Barcelona tapa classic — shrimp in screaming-hot garlic oil, finished in minutes.

Prep

10 min

Cocción

8 min

Raciones

2 as a main / 4 as a tapa

Dificultad

Easy

Gambas al ajillo is Spanish seafood at its most direct: excellent shrimp, plenty of olive oil, sliced garlic, and a little chilli. The dish lives or dies on heat and timing — not a long ingredient list.

Serve with crusty bread to catch the oil. Then compare with tapas bars and marisquerías in Madrid and Barcelona.

Elaboración

  1. 1

    Warm the garlic oil

    Heat olive oil in a cazuela or wide skillet over medium. Add garlic and chilli; cook until garlic is fragrant and just turning pale gold — do not burn it.

  2. 2

    Sizzle the shrimp

    Raise heat to medium-high. Add shrimp in a single layer, season with salt, and cook 1–2 minutes per side until just opaque and curled.

  3. 3

    Finish and serve

    Off the heat, scatter parsley. Serve immediately in the hot dish with lemon and bread for the oil.

Consejos del chef

  • Garlic should perfume the oil, not go bitter — pull earlier rather than later.
  • Pat shrimp dry so they sear instead of steaming.
  • Use a metal cazuela if you want the authentic table sizzle.

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FAQ — Spanish Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp Tapas)

Can I use frozen shrimp?+

Yes. Thaw fully, pat very dry, and cook straight from cold into hot oil so they do not release excess water.

How spicy should gambas al ajillo be?+

Warm, not punishing. Guindilla heat should sit behind the garlic and shrimp.

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