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Gambas al Ajillo

Name: Gambas al Ajillo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 lb large shrimp, peeled with tails left on; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 1 dried guindilla pepper (or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes); 1 tbsp dry sherry or brandy (optional); 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt; 1 tbsp lemon juice; Crusty bread, for serving

Plump shrimp sizzling in a bath of olive oil, garlic, and dried chili, served bubbling hot straight from the pan.

⏱ 10 minPrep time

🔥 10 minCook time

🍽 4Servings

🏷 DinnerCategory

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Gambas al ajillo is a sizzling tapa of plump shrimp swimming in fragrant olive oil with thin slices of garlic and a whisper of chili. Served in a screaming-hot clay cazuela, it arrives at the table still bubbling.

The magic is in the oil, which soaks up garlic and shrimp juices — you are meant to mop up every last drop with crusty bread. It is one of Spain’s most ordered tapas for good reason.

Spanish recipes →

Step by stepInstructions

Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels and season with a pinch of salt.
Warm the olive oil in a wide skillet or clay cazuela over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and guindilla and cook gently 2-3 minutes until fragrant, without browning.
Raise the heat to high, add the shrimp in a single layer, and cook 1 1/2 minutes per side until just pink and curled.
Splash in the sherry or brandy and let it bubble for 30 seconds.
Remove from heat, stir in the parsley, flaky salt, and lemon juice.
Serve immediately in the same pan, still sizzling, with plenty of crusty bread for the oil.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Brown garlic tastes bitter, so keep it pale and golden — gentle heat first, then a blast of heat for the shrimp. Serve the moment it leaves the stove; the oil keeps cooking the shrimp.

Recipe details

Prep10 min

Cook10 min

Servings4

CategoryDinner

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Gambas al Ajillo

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Gambas al Ajillo

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Recipe details

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