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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

Cook

8 min

Servings

2 as a main / 4 as a tapa

Difficulty

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.

Method

  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.

Chef tips

  • 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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Dine out

Want the restaurant version in Madrid? See seafood restaurants in Madrid · Spain

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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