Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)

This Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp) is made with about a pound of shrimp, ten cloves of minced garlic, half a cup of olive oil, and garnished with chopped scallions.  

This Gambas al Ajillo dish should be served on a crusty bread as Spanish tapas, or you could ever serve over rice. This dish is one of the most classic Spanish tapas and for good reason. This dish takes less than 10 minutes to make from start to finish. By the time you eat it, the shrimp is tender and the combination of oil and garlic makes them so flavorful.

How to make Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)

After cleaning the shrimp and rinsing, pat the shrimp dry with paper towel and season with salt.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Do not allow for the garlic to overly brown, reduce heat if necessary. Add the shrimp and cook, flipping once, until pink and opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the pan from the heat. Serve with crusty bread.

It is so important to use good quality olive oil as the oil is the key ingredient to making this.

Make sure to use fresh shrimp and not previously frozen. Watch the shrimp so you do not overcook it, as it will become chewy if you cook the shrimp for too long. Wait right until the shrimp is pink and opaque.

Enjoy with a nice glass of Rioja!

Other Tapas to try

• PULPO A LA GALLEGA
• TORTILLA DE PATATAS
• PAN TUMACA CON JAMÓN SERRANO

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