Gambas al Ajillo – Spanish Garlic Shrimp

A classic Spanish tapas dish of shrimp sautéed in garlic and olive oil.

Servings: 4

Author:

Prep
5 minutes

Cook
5 minutes

Total Time
10 minutes

Appetizer

Mediterranean Spanish

keto Seafood diabetes friendly

🧂 Ingredients

1 Pat the peeled and deveined shrimp dry with paper towels. Season lightly with
salt and freshly ground black pepper, ensuring they are evenly coated.
2 In a large skillet or cazuela (a traditional Spanish clay dish), heat the olive
oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the thinly sliced
garlic and dried red chili peppers.
3 Sauté gently, stirring frequently, until the garlic turns golden and fragrant.
Be careful not to burn the garlic, as this will make it bitter.
4 Add the seasoned shrimp to the skillet in a single layer. Increase the heat to
medium-high and sauté the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they
turn pink and opaque. The garlic should cling to the shrimp, and the oil will
take on a rich, garlicky aroma.
5 Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle the shrimp with freshly chopped
parsley.
6 Serve the Gambas al Ajillo immediately, straight from the skillet, with lemon
wedges on the side for squeezing over the shrimp. Pair with crusty bread to soak
up the delicious garlic-infused olive oil.