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Gambas al ajillo in black pan with wooden spoon.
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5 from 5 votes

Gambas al Ajillo (Easy Spanish Garlic Shrimp)

Gambas al ajillo is a beloved Spanish tapas of succulent shrimp tossed in a garlicky lemon sherry sauce and finished with parsley. This easy dish comes together in about 20 minutes or less.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Spanish
Servings: 4
Author: James Delmage

Ingredients

For the shrimp

  • 1 pound (454g) colossal shrimp cleaned, shells removed, and deveined - size 12-15ct
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes

For the Gambas al Ajillo

  • 3/4 cup (180ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 10 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) dry sherry
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the shrimp

  • Pat the shrimp very dry then add to a bowl and mix with salt, baking soda, smoked paprika, and hot red pepper flakes. Let sit for 10 minutes.

For the Gambas al Ajillo

  • Meanwhile, heat a fry pan to medium-low heat with the extra virgin olive and garlic. Cook for 7-10 minutes or until the garlic is a nutty golden.
  • Increase the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp for 1 minutes per side.
  • Add the sherry and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the lemon juice and parsley. Taste test and season with salt and pepper if required. Serve immediately with crusty bread. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
  • The shrimp used in this recipe are 12-15ct which means 12-15 per pound.  Cooking time will be less if using smaller shrimp.  
  • Make sure to serve with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce.
  • Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave, though this dish is best eaten right away.

Nutrition

Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.8g | Protein: 24.2g | Fat: 39.6g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 224mg | Sodium: 453mg | Sugar: 0.1g | Calcium: 97mg

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