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Overhead view of sizzling garlic shrimp with sliced garlic and red guindilla in a terracotta dish on a wooden board

Gambas al Ajillo: Spanish Garlic Shrimp in 25 Minutes

Gambas al ajillo is a Spanish tapa of shrimp cooked in olive oil with sliced garlic, dried guindilla chile, and a splash of fino sherry. It takes 25 minutes and one pan.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Spanish
Calories: 410
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb large raw shrimp (16/20 count) / 450 g; peeled and deveined, tails on, patted dry
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil / 90 ml; Spanish if possible
  • 8 cloves garlic / 40 g; peeled, sliced about 1/16 inch / 1.5 mm thick
  • 2 dried guindilla chiles small; snapped in half, or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp fino sherry / 30 ml; or dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • 6 oz crusty bread / 170 g; sliced, for serving

Method
 

  1. Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels, then toss them with the salt in a bowl. Slice the garlic, chop the parsley, and slice the bread.
  2. Pour the olive oil into a 10-inch / 25 cm cazuela or cast-iron skillet and add the garlic and guindilla. Set the pan over medium-low heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the garlic edges turn pale gold and the oil sizzles gently. If the slices darken faster, lift the pan off the heat for a moment.
  3. Raise the heat to medium and add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes, until the undersides turn pink, then flip each one and cook another 1.5 to 2 minutes, until opaque and curled into a loose C (145 F / 63 C).
  4. Pour in the sherry and swirl the pan for about 30 seconds, until the sharp alcohol smell fades. Take the pan off the heat and scatter the parsley over the top.
  5. Bring the pan straight to the table and serve within 5 minutes, with the bread alongside for dunking in the oil.

Notes

  • Slice garlic about 1/16 inch / 1.5 mm thick so every slice cooks at the same pace.
  • Keep the heat at medium-low until the shrimp go into the pan.
  • Leave the tails on if you like, since they add flavor and give you a handle.
  • Serve in the pan within 5 minutes, with bread ready for the oil.