There were so many memorable dishes in Spain but the one I brought back home with me was the Spanish Garlic Shrimp or Gambas Al Ajillo (pronounced gahm- bahs-ahl-ah- hee-yoh, simply translates to “shrimp with garlic” or “garlic shrimp.”). It’s a combination of some of my favorite things, shrimp and garlic! It’s traditionally cooked and served in a cazuela which is a ceramic terracotta dish. I cooked mine stovetop but served it in a cazuela to keep with tradition.
I toured Spain for two weeks, working my way down from the north to the south. I loved it so much that my plan is to buy a vineyard and retire in Spain. The markets, food, music, and culture were so memorable and left an imprint on my soul. Food is always how I connect with a place when traveling and what I bring back home with me. Recreating the many dishes when I’m home brings me back to that country and allows me to revel in the memory.
The desserts were to die for as well! I’ll definitely be recreating some of these yummy treats. This Spanish Garlic Shrimp dish comes together in just 10 mins and boom— Espana in your home!
About Our Ingredients:
Shrimp: Larger shrimp or prawns are best because the shrimp will shrink when you cook it. I used peeled and deveined shrimp. It held the flavors well and is much easier to eat.
Olive Oil: Using a really good extra virgin olive oil is key. The olive oil is a main component in this dish so we don’t want to take any shortcuts. I’m using a Spanish olive oil that I bought at my local grocery store.
Spanish Smoked Paprika: Some skip this step but I love the depth of flavor it adds to the sauce. At one of my favorite restaurants in Barcelona, the chef included it in his recipe so I will always include it in mine. You can also use a regular smoked paprika but the smoked paprika at Trader Joe’s happened to be from Spain so it worked out perfectly.
Garlic: Lots of garlic! Great dish to keep those emotional vampires away! You want to cut your garlic into thin slices so you avoid burning them or overwhelming the sauce. This will release just enough aromatics while keeping the bite of garlic.
Red Chili Peppers: I’m using dry chili peppers but you can use red pepper flakes as well.
Dry Sherry: You can use a dry sherry or a very dry white wine.
Garlic Shrimp Video
If you enjoyed this video for Spanish Garlic Shrimp, please subscribe to my Youtube Channel and click the BELL icon so you can be the first to know when I post a new video.
Spanish Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp
- 8-10 cloves of garlic
- 2 dried red chili peppers or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ¼ cup dry white wine or sherry
- 1 cup parsley
- ½ cup Spanish or extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon juice
- 1 French loaf optional for serving
Instructions
- Salt your shrimp and set aside.
- Thinly slice your garlic.
- Chop your parsley and chili peppers and set aside.
- Add your olive oil to your pan and let it heat well on medium high heat, but do not let the oil get too hot.
- Add in your garlic and saute for 2 minutes or until aromatic on medium heat. Don't let the garlic get too golden or brown.
- Add in your shrimp and saute for about a minute on low to medium heat. Then add in your paprika, wine, lemon juice, and red chili peppers.
- Saute for 1 minute or until shrimp begins to turn pink.
- Top with parsley and simmer for an additional minute or until all shrimp are pink. Be careful not to over cook. Remove from the flame the moment the shrimp turns pink.
- Transfer to your serving dish and serve with some warm bread.
