Recipes › Garlic › Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo)
Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo)
This Spanish-American classic features plump shrimp cooked in a bubbling bath of olive oil, garlic, and smoked paprika until just pink and tender. The sauce — fruity, garlicky, and a little spicy — is meant to be sopped up with crusty bread. Ready in 15 minutes, this is one of the most satisfying quick seafood dishes you can make.
Garlic is usually ready June to July. More garlic recipes, or see what to sow this month where you are.
Ingredients
- 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1½ lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
- ⅓ cup olive oil, extra-virgin
- 3 tbsp dry sherry (optional)White wine or chicken broth
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 small lemon, cut into wedges
- ½ tsp salt
Contains: crustaceans.
Method
- Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Spanish cazuela over medium heat.About 3 min
- Add the sliced garlic to the warm oil and cook gently, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Do not let it brown too dark or it will turn bitter.About 3 min
- Raise heat to medium-high and add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through.About 4 min
- Add sherry if using and let it sizzle for 30 seconds. Remove from heat, scatter parsley over the top, and serve immediately in the pan with lemon wedges and crusty bread for dipping.About 2 min
Tips
- The key is golden garlic — not raw, not burnt. Watch it carefully and have the shrimp ready to go.
- Use a wide pan or cazuela so the shrimp are in a single layer and cook evenly.
- Serve straight from the pan while the oil is still sizzling — presentation is everything with this dish.
Ring the changes
- Add 1 tsp of harissa paste with the garlic for a North African-spiced twist.
- Use scallops instead of shrimp for an equally delicious variation.
Keeping it
Best eaten immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 1 day; reheat gently to avoid overcooking the shrimp.
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A whole chicken braised with 40 cloves of garlic — yes, 40 — until the cloves become sweet and spreadable and the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender. The garlic loses all aggression in the long braise, turning into something almost like a confit that you spread on bread alongside the chicken. This Provençal classic is one of the best arguments for cooking with garlic as a vegetable, not just a seasoning.
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55 min · easy · Garlic
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