Spanish recipe

Gambas al Ajillo

Name: Gambas al Ajillo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Spanish cuisine
Ingredients: 500 g large raw prawns, peeled and deveined; 160 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 2 small dried cayenne chillies, broken in half; 8 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 4 g fine sea salt; 1 g freshly ground black pepper; 200 g rustic bread, sliced, for serving

A fast Spanish tapa of prawns sizzling in olive oil scented with sliced garlic and dried chilli. The garlic is coloured gently before the prawns go in, then the seafood cooks only until opaque and just firm so the hot oil stays fragrant rather than bitter.

Spain

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 8 min
Total: 18 min
Servings: 4

Pink prawns sizzling in golden garlic-chilli olive oil with parsley — **Real finished-dish photograph**Photograph by Juan Emilio Prades BelSource page · Original file · CC BY 4.0Cropped, resized, and compressed by Recipe Nest Vault.

Ingredients

500 g
large raw prawns, peeled and deveined
160 ml
extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves
garlic, thinly sliced
2
small dried cayenne chillies, broken in half
8 g
flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
4 g
fine sea salt
1 g
freshly ground black pepper
200 g
rustic bread, sliced, for serving

Method

01
Dry and season the prawns
Pat the prawns completely dry, then toss with 4 g salt and the black pepper. Leave at room temperature for 5 minutes while the oil is prepared; do not leave raw seafood out longer than needed.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
02
Infuse the garlic and chilli oil
Put olive oil, sliced garlic and dried chillies in a 24 cm skillet or cazuela while cool. Set over medium heat and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is pale golden at the edges. Lower the heat immediately if it colours faster.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
03
Cook the prawns briefly
Increase to medium-high and add the prawns in one layer. Cook 60–90 seconds, turn, then cook another 60–90 seconds until opaque, pink and just firm; the thickest prawns should reach 63°C. Remove the pan from the heat at once.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
04
Finish and serve sizzling
Stir in the chopped parsley off the heat and let the oil settle for 30 seconds. Serve immediately in the hot pan with rustic bread for dipping; warn diners that the oil and vessel remain very hot.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph

Practical notes

Tips

Dry seafood thoroughly before it reaches hot oil so it sears instead of steaming and splattering.
Stop cooking as soon as the seafood reaches its doneness cue; carryover heat continues after the pan leaves the burner.

Common mistakes

Burnt garlic turns the oil bitter; lower the heat as soon as the slices begin to colour.
Overcooked prawns curl tightly and become rubbery; cook only until opaque and just firm.

Substitutions

Use similarly sized raw prawns or shrimp so the cooking time remains predictable.
Use another mild dried chilli when cayenne is unavailable, adjusting the amount to its heat.

Storage

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours at 0–4°C for up to 3 days. Reheat only the portion needed until piping hot throughout.

Cultural context

Gambas al ajillo is a staple of Spanish tapas bars, often served still sizzling in a small earthenware cazuela so the garlic-scented oil can be eaten with bread as part of the dish.

Sources and photo credit

This standardized method was independently rewritten after cross-checking the references below. Recipe Nest Vault does not claim that the credited photographer cooked from this exact version.

Recipe references

Gambas al ajillo, 2024 — Photograph by Juan Emilio Prades Bel; CC BY 4.0.

Step illustrations: Original illustrations created by Recipe Nest Vault with OpenAI image_gen.

Back to Spanish recipes

Gambas al Ajillo

Ingredients

Method

Dry and season the prawns

Infuse the garlic and chilli oil

Cook the prawns briefly

Finish and serve sizzling

Sources and photo credit

Recipe references

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