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Cooked shrimp garnished with parsley on two white plates, with additional shrimp in a skillet, garlic cloves, and a green cloth nearby on a tiled surface.
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Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp Recipe)

You will literally think about this sauce the next day. Spanish garlic shrimp that takes 8 minutes and tastes completely illegal. We're not kidding when we say you need to triple the bread. This sauce will ruin you for regular garlic shrimp forever.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time23 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Spanish
Servings: 6 to 8 servings (appetizer, about 4 to 5 shrimp per person)
Calories: 297kcal
Author: Kita Roberts

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Gambas al Ajillo

  • 2 lbs large whole shrimp head-on and shell-on
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1/4 tsp red chili flakes optional
  • 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • kosher salt to taste

For Serving

  • crusty bread

Instructions

Prep the Shrimp

  • Rinse shrimp under cold water. Use kitchen shears to trim the antennae and the sharp point on the head. Insert a toothpick under the shell at the second segment and lift out the vein without removing the shell. Pat completely dry and set aside.
    A hand uses kitchen shears to cut the legs off a raw shrimp over a white plate, with bowls of shrimp nearby on a tiled surface.

Bloom the Paprika

  • Pour olive oil into a cold 12-inch skillet. Add smoked paprika. Bring to medium heat together, stirring gently, until the oil is warm and rust-colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not add paprika to hot oil.

Toast the Garlic

  • Add sliced garlic and chili flakes to the paprika oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Do not let it brown.
    A black frying pan with sliced garlic frying in oil sits on a white tiled surface with a grid pattern.

Cook the Shrimp

  • Add shrimp to the skillet in a single layer. Season with kosher salt. Cook undisturbed until the bottom side is pink and the oil has deepened from the rendered head fat, 3 to 4 minutes.
    Raw shrimp and sliced garlic cooking in a black frying pan with a wooden handle, placed on a white tiled surface.

Deglaze and Finish

  • Flip shrimp and pour in stock immediately. Simmer until shrimp are bright pink and fully opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and parsley and toss to coat.
    A skillet filled with cooked shrimp sits on a tiled surface, with a bowl of chopped herbs and a halved lemon nearby.

Serve

  • Transfer to a serving dish with crusty bread. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Bloom paprika in cold oil, not hot. It scorches in seconds in hot oil.
  • Head-on shrimp are key: the fat in the head renders into the sauce as the shrimp cooks. This is what makes the oil worth the bread.
  • Store in the fridge up to 2 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Do not microwave.
  • Frozen peeled shrimp work, but the sauce will be lighter without the head fat. Thaw fully and dry completely before cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 243mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 443mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 356IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 1mg